ALLISON TANENHAUS
Allison Tanenhaus is a digital glitch artist who specializes in abstract geometrics, vibrant color fields, optical perspectives, mind-bending motion, and unexpected dimensional qualities.
With self-taught techniques using just her smartphone, she creates trippy music videos, GIFs, prints, video installations, and large-scale projections. Her styles encompass op art, vaporwave, 8bit, and numerous other analog-simulating variations.
Created with equal parts deliberation and experimentation, the results are rainbow-hued, fantastical compositions that take on a psychedelic life of their own. In an age of hyper cyber anxiety, when personal data is being culled and exploited on every platform, reclaiming files and devices for purely artistic purposes functions as a radical act of creative autonomy and expression—and, through her colorful presentations, promotes joy, mindfulness, and unity.
Installation and commission highlights include the ICA Store at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, New England Synth Fest, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, and “GlitchKraft: Allison Tanenhaus + Friends” at Emerson Contemporary.
Allison is a 2019 recipient of a Somerville Visual Art Fellowship; frequently creates music videos and album art for electronic musicians The Square Root of Negative Two, Maria Finkelmeier, and Doug Bielmeier; and often collaborates with pop-culture portraitist Alex Kittle, and light artist Ben K. Foley as the optical installation duo bent/haus.
Pick up this print at THE HARVARD ED PORTAL
ARTIST Q&A
Born: New York, NY
Currently lives: Somerville, MA
Title of artwork: Refractal
What’s it about? My pieces are kaleidoscopic homages to the colorful warmth and comforting beauty of holiday illuminations and reflections; candles, twinkle lights, tinsel, glitter and foil wrapping paper, sparkly sugar cookies, crystalline snow, icicles—the whole shebang!
Where else can we find your work? https://allisontanenhaus.com/shop
Favorite holiday tradition? I love going out for a walk on Christmas Day. No one else is around, so it’s refreshing and magical to feel like I have the city to myself. (I even installed a street art piece a few Xmases ago—don’t tell!) Now that I cat-sit, I have the bonus of hanging out with kitties as part of my walk, too. 🙂
One thing you learned about your self or creative practice during COVID-19? On the very first day of lockdown, I was supposed to meet up with percussionist and composer Maria Finkelmeier. Instead, we had a Zoom call (beginning of an era!) and have been collaborating virtually ever since. She creates short-form experimental music and then I make mini music video art to accompany it. The partnership has kept us both feeling inspired and connected, and has been a steadying constant throughout the tumultuous time. https://allisontanenhaus.com/maria
Where is your favorite public art piece in the area? I adore Julia Emiliani’s garage door mural, “A Composition of Moments.” She has a distinctive style that is so cheerful, elegantly composed, and timeless. Everything she makes is magical, and this large-scale piece is a perfect example.
What would your last meal be? Mozzarella sticks, home fries, eggs benedict, chocolate peanut butter shake, and chocolate chip pancakes (diner food 4 life!)
Go-to karaoke song? Connie Francis – “I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter” (thematically relevant!)
Title / Author you would choose if it was your turn to host Book Club? “Ask Dr. Mueller: The Writings of Cookie Mueller”—part of John Waters’ crew, but a super-talented author in her own right
