By Kai Curry
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
What would it be like if artists had more of a say in new technology? This is just one of the questions that they want to answer at xispa, a new art innovation lab located at MadArt Studio in Seattle. Former Meta researchers Lele Barnett and Doug Carmean plan to bring in artists to xispa (pronounced CHEE-spa) with the requirement that everyone who participates must use new technology in some way.
Doug Carmean and Lele Barnett are co-founders of xispa. (Photo credit to Kelly O.)
“We’ve been thinking about artist-led technology. We’ve got this whole work force laid off that can move in this direction of social good, but artists should lead the way,” said Barnett.
xispa picks up somewhat where MadArt left off (MadArt closed but artists still use the space, which keeps the same name). Artists will be working inside the MadArt building in full view of the public, who will be able to walk in or watch from the sidewalk.
This can be a daunting experience for an artist accustomed to working alone, such as Samantha Yun Wall, the first artist to be invited to the new lab. Normally, Wall works in what she calls “pocket time,” outside of and away from everyone else. “I am going to be much more visible.” Wall is excited about what this means for the public to be able to see her process. It’s the eternal bugaboo of the artist—for their process to be misunderstood and/or thought of as fast, or easy. Why? Because what all the rest of us usually see is the polished final result. Not so at xispa.
“Maybe it will demystify some of my work,” Wall supposes. To her, and the astute observer, her hand is visible in every stage. “There’s nothing that I’ve done that I haven’t touched.”
Although Wall isn’t 100% sure yet what type of new technology she will use in her art at xispa—art is the epitome of something you create as you go along, after all—there has been a proposition that she use a new type of paint based off of nano technology. Called “nanoparticle paint,” it is a product being developed by scientists at the University of Oregon. Wall, who we previously covered for her first-ever solo show at the Seattle Art Museum, already makes use of shadows, hidden meanings, and layering in her art. This paint could add yet another dimension.
xispa’s first artist-in-residence, Samantha Yun Wall (center), with xispa co-founders Doug Carmean and Lele Barnett. (Photo credit to Kelly O.)
“The material might have the capacity to shift with the viewer’s angle of viewing,” Wall said. “This would allow me to embed deeper imagery into the work.” Wall will be the first artist-in-residence at xispa. She explores the subject of identity in her work. Another artist, Susan Robb, will be at xispa’s opening on June 18 to show some of the work she did for MadArt. Especially during the summer, Barnett said, the doors at xispa will be wide open, allowing the public to wander in and experience each new artist-in-residence’s process and results.
Barnett and Carmean believe that what they will do at xispa will be innovative in the art and museum world. In Barnett’s view, many if not most art museums are still hesitant to try out new artists and new ways of viewing art. While she allows that there are museum directors who are open to change, there are just as many saying, “No, we have to preserve things the way they are.” This is antithetical to what Carmean and Barnett did at ART (Artists, Researchers, and Technologists) and Expansive Thinking program at Meta Reality Labs Research, which they created. As an art innovation lab, residency, and exhibition space, xispa expands and builds on their unified vision. “At xispa, technology serves the work, not the other way around,” they said.
Barnett, who is of Chinese descent, grew up in Southern California and made her way to Seattle to study art. She thought she wanted to be an artist but her mother said, “No, you need to make money.” The problem was Barnett didn’t like graphic design, one of those forms of art pegged for “making money.” She did like art history. “I knew I wanted to work with artists,” she said. With a background in sales, it made sense for her to delve into galleries and collecting.
Wall’s work resonated with Barnett because of the mysteries held within it that so many Asian Americans encounter in their own histories. In Barnett’s family, for instance, they don’t know their grandparents’ real names because they bought other names when they left China. “If I try to find my relatives in China, there’s no way to do it,” she said. Her dad’s parents, who came from Guangdong, bought the last name “Ng,” but no one is a real Ng, she said. “Exhibitions I’ve curated always go back to these hidden stories, stories that were lost,” she shared.
Wall knew she was Korean, but found out later in life that her father was African American. Barnett appreciates the way that Wall explores these identities in her art. On top of this is the requirement for inclusion of some kind of technology. In fact, at xispa, they will be artists, researchers, and “technologists.” On his side, Carmean has a wide range of career experience that spans both art and technology. He has worked with quantum theory and chips for computers. He is also an art collector who likes to paint and is passionate about the arts.
With all of the hubbub around artificial intelligence, is it ethical? What are the consequences? Barnett and those at xispa think it would be preferable if artists had a bigger say. They want to bring the world of art and the world of tech together in a way that isn’t done enough, in their view. They want artists and technologists to have the freedom to work and create without any of the restrictions put upon them by major corporations. Right now, in Barnett’s view, AI is in the wrong hands. It can be useful as a tool, but artists need to take control.
A free opening event for xispa will be held on June 18, 2026, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at MadArt Studio, 325 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109. The public will also be able to sign up for workshops happening later in June, where they will be invited to “build a relic of the future.”
Kai can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.
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