POWRPLNT’s residency program invites artists, collectives and organizations to work on a project with the support of our resources. Residents get a chance to use our facilities as meeting and work space to develop their initiatives as well as curate a special set of public programming supported by POWRPLNT’s staff and volunteers. Through this program, we hope to enrich our space with a collaborative spirit and enliven our off-hours with a community of makers.
BOND Taxi Campaign in NYC
Current Residents
BOND Hardware
This summer POWRPLNT announced an Open Call for the first-ever Sustainable Design Young Creative Residency in partnership with BOND Hardware, sustainable jewelry, and accessories labeled by Dana Hurwitz and Mariah Pershadsingh. Two residents from New York City would work with the duo to create a sustainable design project from ideation to marketplace. This opportunity allows emerging designers to learn the ins and outs of creative entrepreneurship, sustainable business practices, production, product design, creative management, e-commerce, among other fields.
We are thrilled to announce the inaugural residents, Nadia Ayad and Zo Fielder. Follow along as they discover and build their projects over the next three months that will culminate in an in-person exhibition at POWRPLNT in January 2022.
Meet the Residents
Nadia Ayad is a designer and DJ from Ohio living in Brooklyn, NY. She is a recent Industrial Design graduate interested in expanding her knowledge of sustainable production and making. Nadia is also a co-founder and resident host of Verge.fm, an emerging online radio platform based in the Midwest.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Zo V. Fielder is a multi-disciplinary artist, and the creator behind her label Aunt Sister Official. She utilizes different mediums in her work, specifically working with fashion design, graphic design, traditional illustration, and photography. A majority of her works center around themes of portraiture and different forms of research, specifically through ethnographic research & image making. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design with a Minor in Social Practice from Parsons School of Design in New York City. In 2018, she showcased her work for the 2018 Costume Institute Undergraduate & Graduate Fashion Design Competition themed towards the 2018 Heavenly Bodies exhibition.
About BOND Hardware
Dana & Mariah, BOND Founders
BOND Hardware is a sustainable jewelry and accessories label, designed and handmade in New York, and recently named a finalist for the 2019 Elaine Gold Launch Pad award. Founded in 2012, designer + stylist Dana Hurwitz started the brand as an experimental project, locally sourcing scrap metal and found industrial objects to adorn looks for New York club kids.
Later joined by creative partner + photographer Mariah Pershadsingh, the duo continues to develop the brand with a focus on innovation and craftsmanship. Often featuring iconic motifs inspired by the power and edge of the New York City subculture, BOND Hardware has collaborated with The Blonds, DKNY, Prabal Gurung, Anonymous Gallery, artist Chloe Wise, among others.
BOND Hardware is committed to producing ethically and sustainably, carefully choosing metals and processes that minimize environmental impact and respect the wearer: stainless steel, platinum/silver, gold that is nickel-free and hypoallergenic. Pieces are created for lifelong wear.
Synth Library NYC launched in May 2021, lending library of synthesizers, recording equipment, modular gear and other electronic musical instruments. Our mission is to provide access to music technology equipment for people of all experience levels and economic means in NYC. Synth Library NYC is committed to democratizing access to music technology - putting the means of production into the hands of those under-represented from these fields.
Synth Library understand that one of the main barriers to learning and using new music technology is the expense of making a full commitment to purchase gear, plus the frustration one can feel when trying to learn in isolation. They want to build a community where individuals can try out new gear, experiment, and learn from one another - which will lead to greater participation in music technology, especially from those who are less able to afford the gear and/or have not had much prior experience with gear.
As POWRPLNT Residents they will have a place to store all the dreamy synths and other music equipment, a dedicated space for pickup and drop-off, and all the support they need to have a successful launch!
We truly believe in their ultimate vision to help democratize access to music technology - putting the means of production into the hands of those currently under-represented in these fields. Membership will be open to all. Priority access booking windows will be reserved for those who have been under-represented in the fields of music technology and/or have faced long-standing economic and opportunity inequalities: including BIPOC and individuals of all marginalized genders (including but not limited to trans women, cis women, trans men, non-binary, intersex, gender non-conforming, two-spirit, and questioning folx.)
Stay tuned for more announcements as they begin to source gear and start their membership applications! Follow them on Instagram and visit their website here.
Meet SYNTH LIBRARY NYC
cy x
CY X is a sound artist, cyberwitch, and digital artist currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Their practice is grounded in the art of synthesis: truth generation and sound generation which is used to create portals to explore new possibilities. Fusing art, sound, and technology with the practice of witchcraft, they are inspired to use spells, rituals, and alchemic practices to fundamentally alter the world around us. Cy is currently an MPS Candidate at New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program.
NYC-based singer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and producer Heidi Sabertooth has a serious love for synths. Grit-laced drum loops, vintage acid, and a tide of unruly sound clatter forth from her studio machines. She's been creating her unique brand of electronics since 2012, pushing out beautiful noise, from the delicate to the jarring. She is a resident of Brooklyn-based Lost Soul Enterprises, host on The Lot Radio, and curator of Bossa Nova Civic Club’s Techno Support Group party. Her live hardware performances and vinyl-heavy DJ sets have cemented her own place among NYC’s techno community and beyond. She has music releases on Lobster Theremin, BPtich Control, UFO Inc., New York Haunted, and more. Collaboration projects include synth-pop duo Zeta Sect with fellow Lost Soul Enterprises label-head R Gamble, experimental folk band Opal Onyx and recordings with Little Annie aka Annie Bandez for Tin Angel Records (UK).
