About
Lunch Bytes examines the consequences of the increasing ubiquity of new media in the art world by addressing the role of the digital in artistic practice from a wide range of perspectives.
The series consists of events, each dedicated to a different topic and bringing together artists, media scholars, game designers, curators, and intellectuals. Each season in Washington DC, culminated with an evening event which featured art and live musical performances, as well as talks by artists and experts. Additionally, Lunch Bytes collaborated with Art Basel Miami Beach to organize the talk "New Media, New Markets: Buying, Selling and Collecting Digital Art."
This website is part of the project, featuring information on past and future events as well as resources related to the topics, artists and experts included in the Lunch Bytes discussion series and to the field of digital art in general. As an additional feature that is unique to the website, the section "Platform" gives artists a space to showcase their work.
Lunch Bytes is conceptualized and curated by Melanie Bühler.
It came into being with the help of Jenny Leehey, whose ideas, creativity and hard work shaped the project to a great extent and the dedicated assistance of Kevin Hull (Hirshhorn Museum), Christine Matthey and Sylvain Gardel (Pro Helvetia), and Sylvia Blume and Norma Broadwater (Goethe-Institut). It was made possible by the generous support of the Goethe-Institut (especially Ulrich Braess, who initiated the project), the Hirshhorn Museum, Pro Helvetia, and the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, DC.
Partners:
The Goethe-Institut Washington
On behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, cultural institutes around the world provide cultural programs, language courses, support to educators, and up-to-date information on Germany in the context of Europe. Founded in 1990, Goethe-Institut Washington, DC is a center for German culture and language, and for the coordination of media projects for all of North America. From its location in the revitalized Downtown, the Goethe-Institut Washington reaches out to both individuals and organizations in the community, bridging the past, present, and future with high-quality events.
Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and
Sculpture Garden
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Smithsonian Institution's museum of international modern and contemporary art, has nearly 12,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed-media installations, works on paper and new media works in its collection. The Hirshhorn presents diverse exhibitions and offers an array of public programs that explore the art of our time. Located at Independence Avenue and Seventh Street S.W., the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (except Dec. 25). Admission to the galleries and special programs is free.
Pro Helvetia
The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia is a foundation under public law, entirely funded by the Swiss federal government. It fulfils a subsidiary role, complementing the cultural promotion activities of the cantons and municipalities. Pro Helvetia is responsible for projects of nationwide significance. Pro Helvetia is mandated by the Swiss Confederation to promote artistic creation in Switzerland, contribute to cultural exchange at home, promote the dissemination of Swiss culture abroad and foster cultural outreach. The foundation makes its own independent decisions about what it should promote.
Pro Helvetia supports projects in different ways: on the basis of applications, via its network of cultural centers and liaison offices abroad, within the framework of its own programs, and through information and promotional materials.
The Embassy of Switzerland, Cultural Section
The Cultural Section of the Embassy of Switzerland provides and distributes information on the cultural scene in Switzerland and encourages cooperation with American institutions in a variety of artistic projects in the U.S.. Cultural events both at the Swiss Embassy and the Residence as well as at outside venues reach out to the public interested in Swiss culture.
Melanie Bühler
Melanie Bühler holds an MA in History from the University of Zürich, specializing in the historical transformation of visual culture in a national context. After completing her studies, she worked as a production assistant for film and exhibition projects, a cultural coordinator at the Goethe-Institut Amsterdam and a post-production and production manager for documentary film projects in Baltimore. Melanie is currently a cultural coordinator at the Swiss Embassy in Washington D.C.in addition to working as a freelance curator.
Jenny Leehey
Jenny Leehey studied art history and English literature at Georgetown University. She has worked at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden since fall 2008. As a member of the Department of Public Programs, she conceptualizes and implements a range of educational programs for adult audiences, from informal gallery talks to exhibition-related lectures to series like Lunch Bytes, focused on contemporary issues in art and culture.
