CV
Balam Soto, New Media Artist
Interactive Art Installations | Public Works
Recent Press
- “Balam Soto,” E-squared Magazine, December 2018
- Promotional video for New Zealand Festival 2018: Balam’s experimental instrument is the 2nd installation featured, Link
- “Teknopolis: Art Installations that Tease the Senses,” Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 2/23/17, Link
- “Detalles Acerca del Proyecto Incubodora del Arte,” Periòdico Publinews, 2/21/17, Link
- “Teknopolis: Don’t Miss this Artsy Digital Playground,” Redtri.com, 2/20/17, Link
- “Balam Soto, guatemalteco que fusiona la tecnología y el arte en EE.UU.,” Selene Mejia, Soy 502, 9/8/17, Link
- “Llega A Guatemala, Un Poyecto Que Apoya El Arte,” Carla Natareno, Reportaje de: Lo Bueno, 9/8/17, Link
- “Impulsan arte digital en Guatemala,” La Hora, 2/9/17, Link
- “MakerspaceCT Fosters Innovation in CT,” Innovation Destination Hartford, 12/8/16, Link
- “The Fusion of Lo-Tech and High-Tech,” Jennifer Hayes, TheTakeMagazine.com, 12/5/16, Link
- “Attend the New England Maker Summit with Dale Dougherty, Mark Hatch, and More”, Makezine.com, 11/8/16 Link
- “A Community-Made, Arduino-Powered Interactive Town Map,” Arduino Team, Arduino.cc, 9/15/16 Link
- “Live Updates from World Maker Faire 2016” Makezine.com, 10/2/16 Link
- “Maker Spotlight: Balam Soto,” Sophia Smith, Makezine.com, 8/4/16, Link
- “Coding an Interactive Map of Their Hometown Connects a Community, ” Julie Sawyer, Makezine.com, 8/3/16, Link
- “Georgia Tech Contest Perfect for Musical Mad Scientists”, AJC.com, 2/29/16, Link
- “Sexy Translucent Instrument Powered By Arduino + Plexiglass,” Synthhead, Synthtopia, 8/24/15, Link
- “Exploring Tangible Use Interfaces and Soundscapes,” Zoe Romano, Arduino, 8/24/15, Link
- “An Experimental Instrument Emerges—As an Art Installation?” DJ Pangburn, The Creator’s Project, 8/19/15, Link
- “Artist creates a touch-controlled, sci-fi instrument with Arduino,” Atmel, 8/10/15, Link
- “Sci-Fi Instrument Is a Real Life Windows Media Visualizer,” Nathan Hurst, Make, 8/7/15, Link
- “Theremin-Like Sculpture Looks Like Superman’s Fortress of Solitude,”,Theron Sturgess , Make, 6/16/15, Link
- “Hello, World Maker Faire,” Dale Dougherty, Make, 10/6/15, Link
- “Enhancing Hartford through Art and Innovation,” Innovation Destination Hartford, 11/23/15, Link
- “The Walls Have Eyes at This Interactive Exhibit Where Tech And Art Collide,” Cassidy Dawn Graves, NYMAG.com, 11/23/15, Link
Honors, Awards and Speaking Engagements
2019
- Speaker, “Culture of Innovation,” Guatemala STEAM Festival, Guatemala City, Guatemala
2018
- Chosen as Design Lead, Art-a-Hack NYC 2018, Brains Interface Challenge
2017
- Citation recipient, Mayor Neto Bran, Mixco, Guatemala
- Book reference, “Make: Musical Inventions,” Kathy Ceceri, 2017: Book references Balam as a musical inventor and describes his installation, the Experimental Instrument, and its development.
2016
- Winner of Best in Class and Editor’s Choice Ribbons: World Maker Faire, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- Semi-finalist, Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
- Official Recognition by the Hartford City Council (CT) for the positive impact his work has had on the region.
- Speaker, New England Maker Summit, University of Hartford
- Guest Speaker, 15th Biennial Symposium on Arts and Technology, Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology at Connecticut College
- Speaker, “Art and Technology: The Fusion of High Tech/Low Tech with Aesthetics,” Connecticut Science Center
2014
- Recipient of the Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant, Hartford, Connecticut
- Winner of Editor’s Choice Ribbon at New York Maker Faire, NY Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- Guest Speaker, MakeHartford Opening Ceremony
- Guest Speaker, Simsbury Library, Hartford, CT, “Innovation at Work: How Will Innovation Change Our World & Workforce”
2013
- Guest Speaker TEDX Talk, TEDX Bushnell Park, Hartford, CT
- Received third citation from the Governor of Rhode Island
- Guest Speaker, Central University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
2012
- Recipient of the Business Development Grant for Innovative Entrepreneurs from the City of Hartford, Connecticut
- Winner of 2 Editor’s Choice Ribbons at New York Maker Faire, NY Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- Received second citation from the Governor of Rhode Island
2011
- Received citation from the Governor of Rhode Island
2010
- Winner of Editor’s Choice Ribbon at New York Maker Faire, NY Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- Recipient of the Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant, Hartford, Connecticut
- Massachusetts Governor and Lt. Governor presented Governor’s Citation
- Attleboro, Massachusetts Mayor presented Certificate of Recognition
- Solidarity Chapina Foundation presented Certificate of Recognition
- Guest Speaker, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, New York
2009
- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell sent an Official Statement of congratulations
- City of Hartford Mayor presented the award and an “Official Citation. . . in recognition of [Balam’s] outstanding contribution in art”
- Golden Latino Award for Arts & Culture in Connecticut, Identidad Latina, Hartford, CT
- Connecticut State Treasurer Denise Nappier sent a Public Leadership Citation
- Co-recipient of a project grant from the Westchester Arts Council, White Plains, NY
- Guatemalan Consul in Rhode Island presented official thank you for Balam’s support
- Rhode Island Governor “Extends His Greetings and Appreciation”
- Guest Speaker, Sahara West Library, Las Vegas, Nevada
2008
- Guatemalan National Congress awarded a Diploma of Recognition and the title of “Maestro,” [Master Artist]
- Guatemalan Cultural Office in New York presented award for Balam’s “outstanding artistic career in the visual arts”
- Guatemalan Consul in New York presented a Diploma of Recognition
2006
- Scholarship Recipient, Arte Inc., New Haven, CT
2005
- October Artist of the Month, Liquitex Artist Materials
Public Works
2017
- 2016-17 ZERO1 American Arts Incubator Artist, Guatemala City – Creative exchange program funded by US State Dept. Created an innovative, new media art installation. Trained local artists in new media techniques.
2016
- “Interactive Map”, Jack Jackter Intermediate School, Colchester, CT – Leading low tech- high-tech project of middle school students creating interactive map of US and CT with custom software and multi-media elements
- “E-Garden Interactive Mural”, Girls for Technology, Hartford, CT – Leading low tech- high-tech project of middle school students creating mural from textiles, custom software and custom electronics.
- Maker-in-Residence, Danbury Public Library, Danbury, CT
2015
- “Interactive Map”, Farmington Schools and Library, Farmington, CT – Leading low tech- high-tech project of high school students and adult community members creating interactive map of Farmington with custom software and multi-media elements
2014
- “E-quilt”, Westport Library, Westport, CT – Led project incorporating quilt blocks, made by community members age 5 to senior citizen, into interactive LED exhibit. Used custom software and custom electronics.
2010
- Westchester Arts Council and HAGUA, Port Chester, NY
2008
- Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Hartford, CT
2007
- Montessori School of Greater Hartford, West Hartford, CT
- Artists Collective, Hartford, CT
- Hartford Public Library and the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood, Hartford, CT
- Office of Cultural Affairs for the city of Hartford, CT
2006
- Hartford Public Library and the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood, Hartford, CT
- Cross-Cultural Academy of Arts and Technology, Hartford, CT
1993
- University of San Carlos, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Exhibitions
2018
- “Invisible proximity,” Real Art Ways Gallery, Hartford, CT
- “Future Playground,” New Zealand Festival, Wellington, New Zealand
- “Interface,” Akus Gallery, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT
- “Media Wall”, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA
- “Arte Digital,” Galeria del Centro Espanol, Guatemala City, Guatemala
- “Americana 1,” Windsor Art Center, Windsor, CT
2017
- “Teknopolis”, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY
- ”Metamorphosis,” Artecentro, Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Worlds Fair Nano, Brooklyn, NY
- UMW Media Wall, Hurley Convergence Center, University of Mary Washington, Virginia
- Creative Tech Week, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY
2016
- TedX Navesink, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
- Creative Tech Week, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY
- Capitol Hill Maker Faire, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC
- “World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
2015
- Espacio Enter, Tenerife, Spain
- “Media Lounge”, West Beth Gallery, New York City, NY
- “Shared Resources” Whitney Center Gallery, Hamden, CT
- “World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
2014
- AluCine Latin Media Festival, Toronto, Canada
- “The Drift”, Netherlands
- RE/Mixed Media Festival IV, New York, NY
- “Synthetic Zero”, Bronx ArtSpace, Bronx, NY
- “World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- Shared Resources: Participatory. Interactive. Collaborative Art Perspectives …” Gallery at Whitney Center, New Haven, CT
- “Freedom Dreams: We Belong Here Hartford” Hartford Public Library
- “Alive with History” Connecticut Historical Society Museum, Hartford, CT, since 2006
2013
- “Sonic Landscapes”, Science Museum Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK
- “PopRally MoMA”, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, Art video projection
- “Espacio Enter 2013”, ARTECHMEDIA, Canarias, Spain
- “Sidewalk Surfing”, Everhart Museum of Science, Art and Technology, Scranton, PA
- “AFH”, Ezra & Cecil Zikha Gallery, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
- “Catalyst”, FATVillage Arts District Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- VFFF’13 Festival, Quito, Ecuador, Art video projection
- “World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- “Paper to Pixel” Vernon Arts Center, Vernon, CT
- “Mini Maker Faire”, Westport Maker Faire, Westport, CT
- “Video Under the Subway”, Local Project, New York, NY, Art video projection
- “Makers Manual”, Institute Library, New Haven, CT
- “Un Nature”, New Haven Arts Council, Whitney Center Gallery, New Haven, CT
2012
- “Art Controller”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- My installation was added as an interactive, hands on exhibit
- “File Rio 2012”, Art Galery of Oi Futuro – Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- “World Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- “Westport Mini-Maker Faire”, Westport Public Library, Westport, CT
- DysTorpia Media Series, Fluid New Media Lab, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
- “Correlacion Ilusoria”, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
- Connecticut Culture Gallery, Bradley International Airport, Windsor, CT
- “Envision Fest”, Bushnell Park, City of Hartford
- “Ensemble”, The Russian Lady, Hartford, CT
- “Alive with History” Connecticut Historical Society Museum, Hartford, CT, since 2006
- Movement Museum, online museum
2011
- “Day of the Dead”, El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY
- “Maker Faire”, New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- “Strata Mini Maker Faire” Strata Conference: Making Data Work, New York Hilton, New York, NY
- FILE – Electronic Language International Festival, SESI Art Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- “Subversive Technologies”, Toronto Free Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- “Flip the Switch: A Night of Music, Media and Mayhem”, 3LD Arts and Technology Center, Manhattan, NY
- “Phoenix Art After Hours”, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT
- “Billboard Art Project”, Route 222, Reading, PA
- “Future Tense Billboards”, Hartford, CT Billboard
- “Traveling State: Celebrating Diversity of Art”, Warwick Museum of Art, Warwick, RI
- “The 10th State Latin American Visual Arts Exhibit”, Atrium Gallery, Providence, RI
- “time analysis”, Pump House Gallery, Hartford, CT
- Connecticut Cinematic Celebration, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
- “Celebramos: A Latino Community Exhibition”, City Hall, Providence, RI
- UCONN Law School, Hartford, CT
- Open Studio Hartford, annual participation since 2004
2010
- “Subversive Manipulations of Technology”, aluCine Latin Media Festival, Toronto, Canada
- “Art and Technology Corridor at the Three Rivers Arts Festival” Pittsburgh Technology Council, Pittsburgh, PA
- “Maker Faire,” The New York Hall of Science Museum, Queens, NY
- Guatemala Consul, Los Angeles, CA
- “Celebrating Diversity” Attleboro Museum, Attleboro, MA
- “3er Mayan Festival” Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
- “Immigrants’ Art Exhibit”
- CUNY Law School, Queens, NY, 2010
- Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts, Long Branch, NJ, 2010
- Rio II Gallery, New York, NY, 2009
- Arts Horizons LeRoy Neiman Art Center, New York, NY, 2009
- Suffolk County Community College, Long Island, NY, 2009
- American Friends Service Committee, Newark, NJ, 2009
- South Ocean Art Gallery, Freeport, NY, 2009
- “Customs and Traditions of Guatemala” Westchester Arts Council Gallery, White Plains, NY
- “Digital Transition” Augusta Savage Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
- Guatemala Consulate, Providence, RI
- “Re.invent”
- West Charleston Library, Las Vegas, NV, 2010
- Sahara West Library, Las Vegas, NV, 2009
- “Immigrant”, Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT
- “ Multicultural Expressions” Farmington Library, Farmington, CT
- “Global Online Event” Interactive online group show located on facebook.com
2009
- “AmericAura”
- Centre Cultural, Brussels, Belgium, 2009
- Teatro Cesare Volta (digital images), Pavia, Italy, 2009
- “AfricAura”, National Library of Cameroon, Yaounde, Cameroon, West Africa, 2008
- Augusta Savage Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 2007
- “Day of the Dead: Art and Culture in the Americas” Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science & Art, Scranton, PA
- “Media Fluid, Art and Technology” Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
- “Media Lounge, Art and Technology” Room 404 Media, Brooklyn, NY
- “e-voluciòn: del arte guatemalteco” [“e-volution: of guatemalan art”] Miraflores Museum, Guatemala City, Guatemala
- “2012 Interact” Colo-Colo Gallery, New Bedford, MA
- “Guatemalan Art Beyond Borders” City Hall, Providence, RI
- Guatemalan Consulate, Providence, RI
- “Tzolkin 0.1: An Interactive Exploration of the Mayan Calendar” Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford, CT
- “Tzolkin 0.1: Version 2” Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT
- “Sensorial” Colo-Colo Gallery, New Bedford, MA
- “Something Old- Something New”, 8TH Annual State Latin American Visual Arts Exhibit Atrium Gallery, Providence, RI
- “Museum After Dark Summer Art Auction”, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
- Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon, CT 2006 – 2009
2008
- “Hispanic Heritage Art Show, Elmhurst Hospital, Queens, NY, Curated by the Queens Museum of Art
- “Ancestors: A Day of the Dead Celebration”, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT, Organized and curated by Balam Soto
- “The Latin Perpective… a touch of Contemporary Art,” New Brit. Art League, New Britain, CT, Curated by Latins in the Borough Art Gallery
- “Forgeries,” Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford, CT, Art auction fundraiser
- “Menage A7,” New Haven, CT
- “Solo: Myth 0.1”, Colo Colo Gallery, New Bedford, MA
- “Origins”, Latins in the Borough Art Gallery, Stonington, CT
- Hartford Hospital Gallery, Hartford, CT
- “Perceptual,” Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT
2007
- “Interwoven,” ArtSpace Gallery, Hartford, CT, Curated, organized and participated in by Balam Soto
- 2007: “Interwoven 3: Avant-Garde”
- 2006: “Interwoven 2”
- 2005: “Interwoven: Cultural Identity of 3 Latino Artists”
- “Mùsica! Mùsica! Mùsica”, Arte Inc., New Haven, CT
- The Pump House, Hartford, CT
- Farmington Unity Day Cultural Festival, Farmington, CT
- “Apartment # __ ,” ArtSpace Gallery, Hartford, CT
- “Ofrendas: A Day of the Dead Celebration,” Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT, Organized, curated and participated in by Balam Soto
- “Ofrenda 2: A Day of the Dead Installation,” Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT
- “A Rainforest of Color,” The Art Station, Hartford, CT
2006
- “no.mad,” Park Street, Hartford, CT
- “Ancestral Spirits,” Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT
- “Inaugural Opening,” The Art Station, Hartford, CT
- “Holiday Show,” Farmington Valley Arts Center, Farmington, CT
- “Jazz Up the House,” Hartford, CT
- “Ancient Voices,” ETC Gallery, Hartford, CT
- “Mystic Within,” Pegasus Gallery, Middlesex Community College, Middletown,CT
- “Realms of Color,” Exposure Ltd., Manchester, CT
2005
- “Through the Eyes of Culture and Tradition,” Capitol Community College, Hartford, CT
- “Dia de los Muertos,” Rocking Horse Cafe, New York, NY
- “Winter Treasures,” Exposure Ltd. Art & Framing, Manchester, CT
- Oddfellows Playhouse, Middletown, CT
- “Cultural Spirit”, Director’s Gallery, Hartford, CT
- “Mysticism,” Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford, CT
- La Paloma Sabanera, Hartford, CT
- Webster Bank, New Haven, CT
- Kafe, New Haven, CT
2004 “Fifth Sun,” Wethersfield Public Library, Wethersfield, CT
1998 – 2000
- “Individual Concerns,” Gallery of Social and Political Art, Boston, MA
- “Misticismo,” DeSales Hall Ballroom, Hartford, CT
1999 “Violence and Society,” Gallery of Social and Political Art, Boston, MA
1998
- Barnes & Noble, Farmington, CT
- City Store, Hartford, CT
1991 University of San Carlos, Guatemala City, Guatemala