Celebrating 2023 Leonardo Imagination Fellows: Exploring Planetary Health Futures

Leonardo-ASU and the Center for Science and the Imagination are thrilled to reveal the individuals chosen as fellows for this year's Imagination Fellowship. These talented creators were selected from a pool of 172 applicants spanning 47 countries, after an intensive three-tier selection process. Their groundbreaking projects delve into experimental media and embrace the diverse dimensions of Planetary Health Futures, ranging from climate challenges to social structures and Earth's preservation. Join us in celebrating these talented individuals who are set to redefine the boundaries of imagination.

Santiago Reyes Villaveces

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Crafting Sonic Environments of Awareness

Santiago Reyes Villaveces joins the fellowship from Bogotá, Colombia. His work traverses historical knowledge systems, shedding light on their contemporary echoes. With mediums as varied as drawings, installations, and sculptures, Santiago dissects power structures' materiality. His affinity for Latin American science fiction enables him to dissect global scientific norms and non-hegemonic knowledge systems, thereby addressing politics, ecology, and social justice. His recent focus on the climate crisis resonates through sound and resonance, uniting colonialism's echoes with modern environmental challenges. Santiago's Imagination Fellowship project ventures into a community-oriented, site-specific creation in Colombia's Caribbean region. This initiative marries environmental activism, technology, and community art, crafting a new dialogue with our surroundings. Building upon previous works, his project introduces a portable device for Cartagena's mangrove communities, fostering environmental mindfulness through immersive auditory experiences

Alinta Krauth

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Translating Interspecies Conversations through Techno-Art

Joining from the world of techno-artistry and digital literature, Dr. Alinta Krauth is an explorer of interactive realms. Passionate about technology's potential for sensory enrichment, Alinta brings forth projects bridging gaps between humans and historically marginalized species. Her recent encounters with Australia's devastating bushfires led her to engage deeply with wildlife rehabilitation. Alinta's Imagination Fellowship project is a kaleidoscopic odyssey into interspecies communications and relations. Blending AI, digital aesthetics, and ethical considerations, she aims to craft a digital bestiary. This collection of AI-driven artworks echoes the voices of domesticated dogs, urban birds, whales, and more. By delving into AI translations of nonhuman conversations, Alinta's work challenges power dynamics, ethical considerations, and the contours of multispecies futures.

Sean Connelly

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Navigating Oceanic Futures through Film and Art

Born and working in Oʻahu, Hawaii, Dr. Sean Connelly is an artist navigating the interface between art, science, and culture. Merging sculpture, film, and cartography, Sean's work echoes the pulse of the ocean and its impact on humanity. His Imagination Fellowship project, titled "Gut Technics," weaves an intricate narrative, spotlighting the confluence of oceanic wisdom and modern technology. This experimental film unearths the transformation of climate and weather data collection, reflecting the shift from land to sea. Echoing the traditions of Pacific Islanders, Sean's project envisions a circular data economy where devices enrich the ocean ecosystem. By fusing indigenous insights with advanced technology, "Gut Technics" paints a vivid canvas of potential solutions to global challenges.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Imagination Fellowship review panel who devoted their time and expertise to curating this exceptional cohort:

• Joel Slayton (Leonardo/ISAST Board Member)
• Eryn Brown (Zócalo Public Square)
• Melanie Valencia (Previous Imagination Fellow from 2020-2021)
• Ana Heruzo (Associate Professor, ASU)
• Christiana Kazakou (Curator, Leonardo/ISAST)
• JD Talasek (National Academy of Sciences)
• Alana Quinn (National Academy of Sciences)
• Shamsher Virk (Leonardo/ISAST)

Together, we celebrate imagination's unbridled power to envision and shape a brighter, more harmonious world. Stay tuned as our fellows create, innovate, and challenge the boundaries of what's possible.