2021 Artists

Sparky the Giant Unicorn - Nataraj 

Sparky the Unicorn is a large 10 foot tall rideable steel unicorn puppet/sculpture. It is lit with over 6000 LEDs and can be operated by the participants!

Hide Inaba 

Hide Inaba is an Indie Rock, Bossa, Jazz band based in New York. Lead guitarist, Hidehiko, was a solo artist in London until 2013. Participants can join in the fun by playing percussion instruments provided by Hidehiko. 

Middleground Streeter

Middleground Streeter will be roving the Figment NYC festival juggling and encouraging participants to toss a ball or 2 or 3!  

Imagine Garden - Kareen Matadeen & Yolanda Davis

Imagine Garden  invites participants to create a vertical garden using up-cycled materials. The garden is suspended 10 feet in the air and will "bloom" over the weekend. 

The Homespun Merry Go Round - Alexander Gori

The Homespun Merry Go Round is a small 2 person carousel decorated with mechanical animals, birds and butterflies. It blows bubbles, plays music and is sturdy enough for two adults yet safe enough for a baby. It can be set up almost anywhere and is solar powered.

Radio Wonderland - Joshua Fried

Buick steering wheel and old shoes hit with sticks are the controls for computer processing of live FM radio in RADIO WONDERLAND, from New York composer Joshua Fried.  All the sound comes from live radio. RADIO WONDERLAND turns corporate culture into recombinant techno, designed to make you feel sexy and smart by turning the material itself into tasty grooves. When you start dancing, you'll feel the empowerment of twisting mass media to your own ends. After the set, learn how to manipulate sounds the WONDERLAND way, through an interactive workshop!

Painted Sounds - Asia Gulcz and Blair Zaye

Bring Your Headphones! Immerse yourself in the ambient electronic music, and tap into your creativity. “Painted Sounds” by Asia Gulcz and Blair Zaye, a collaborative audio-visual performance with computer software-generated digital painting reactive to originally produced electronic music explores the relations of self-expression, sensory experience, movement in space, empathy, and new media technology.  A large scroll of paper will be hung across space. Participants access music via QR code, and through movement and drawing, express how the music makes them feel.  The project will be accompanied by a video projection of a previous iteration of the exhibition.   The audience will be able to "Call the artist" via zoom as Asia will be available for Q&A from Poland to discuss the project in its current form, its evolution, and how it will take shape at the Figment NYC 2022 event.  Q&A (Saturday 11:00 AM- 12:00 PM; 2:00 PM -3:00 PM; 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM- 12:00 PM; 2:00 PM -3:00 PM) 

Photo by Patrick Baldwyn

Reverie for a Changeling - Carlos Johns-Davila

Reverie for a Changeling is an interactive installation that uses the body as an instrument for sound and video. It uses motion tracking technology to project your silhouette as a body of light that composes melodies and rhythm to generated video. The user’s movement creates synesthetic responses towards a meta-plot on the curiosity of humanity and the ability for everyone to create.

B-Creative - Janet Kalish

Personalize a shoebox or phone box with decorative paper, trinkets, fabric and stickers. Using common household materials make jewelry or works of art. Books can be turned into safes. Pages of old books can be blocked out to reveal profound original poetry. Visitors of all ages are welcome to spend a few minutes or an hour to explore the potential of a collection of beads, buttons, beans, colorful paper from magazines, calendars and wallpaper samples, jewelry parts and treasures of nature (rocks and shells). Word play from books and magazines can become poetry! People are encouraged to go home with their creations.

Deadfoot - Sarvesh Ayush Srivastava

During the pandemic, we all have gone through a certain experience that one could never imagine. The lockdown has changed the way society works. Amidst such circumstances, we have all developed a much closer relationship with our mobile devices, while the working marginalized section of our society has gone through a terrible destabilizing phase. One such incident which took place in the Indian subcontinent was the grand exodus of migrant laborers who walked roughly 621.37 miles during the lockdown, on foot, just to reach their native homes and families.  Lockdown was announced midday and the country was given just 4 hours' notice to prepare. For many, the average commute time is roughly 3-4 hours within the state. Worse still was the effect on laborers who have employment in neighboring states, they were effectively stranded with no transportation. Many of these workers could not afford modern cellphones and were also without water and communication for days in between NGO checkpoints. Deadfoot asks participants to walk a portion or the entirety of that exodus.

Sarvesh Ayush Srivastava is an artist based in Kolkata, India. He worked with NGO to support the laborers and was inspired to create this piece while in his home during the lockdown. He was particularly moved by the media coverage of the tragedy day after day on his phone. While this suffering went on, consumerism sky-rocketed, leading to a massive amount of discarded cardboard. The sculpture pictured here was created out of discarded cardboard and is in the shape of a foot with hands reaching up in the shape of a carcass from the base of the foot. The cell phones in their hands are to represent Sarvesh only being able to consume the media coverage while these labor workers have none, not even a way to sanitize themselves properly at the end of the day.  

*Disclaimer: This project contains digital media content that may not be suitable for children and contains audio of people in distress experience. 

Satellites - Aaron Hope

Satellites Is a colorful constellation of mobiles made from resin, pigment, and upcycled plastic litter found by the artist. As participants change their vantage point the piece will come alive.

Dream Manifestor - Samantha Clark

If you are a dreamer, come in!" We will be creating a collective dream manifestor together at FIGMENT NYC this year. All participants will contribute a dream for themselves, the world and/or the future. Add your own flair with different colored strings and beads. Make it colorful, make it wild, make it together!

Activation Key - Kareem Woods

Activation Key is a jump start to your spiritual potential. Through a series of curated songs you will discover a deeper version of yourself through the power of dance. No pressure, No judgement, Just Vibes. All are welcome :)

The Museum of Interesting Things - Denny Daniel

These historical artifacts are so beautifully crafted they are pieces of art. The Museum of Interesting Things Returns! Participants will play with the items and learn about the history of invention. Plus, A penny arcade!

Prayer Flags - Nora Dineen

Participate in a world-wide collective bodyscape in the form of prayer flags! Participants will make partial tracings of their bodies (ie. hands, heads, outlines of hips, etc.) which Norah will then form into paintings. Your prayer flag will then be combined with others from Norah's travels around the world and she will hang the flags between buildings similar to Tibetan flags. “They reflect a thread of prayer and unity to celebrate the human body across borders. It is a message of love, peace and local community.