Latest news with #XinLiu
Forbes
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Artist Xin Liu Gives Voice To Aging Satellites In Orbit
Xin Liu, NOAA: A Fall Towards Home, 2025. Commissioned by Hyundai Artlab Photo Xin Liu Navigating art, science and technology, Xin Liu explores themes of memory, intimacy and the human condition in an age of machines and outer space. With a background in mechanical engineering, interaction design and media arts, her practice often involves poetic experiments that span disciplines, from wearable devices and performances to biotechnology and cosmic probes. Her latest digital artwork, 'NOAA: A Fall Towards Home', commissioned by South Korea's Hyundai Artlab, invites online viewers on a clickable journey from the point of view of three anthropomorphized satellites – NOAA-15, 18 and 19 – each imbued with their own histories, technical quirks and emotional temperaments. Influenced by the final transmissions of real decommissioned NOAA weather satellites, Liu crafted stories shaped by their actual history, flight paths and malfunctions, as they watch 'home' from afar. The first to launch and to fade, 'NOAA-15: The Quiet Elder' drifts through space like a contemplative stargazer, its aging sensors tinted with wonder as it lovingly observes earth from afar, content simply to bear witness. 'NOAA-18: The Devoted Idealist' orbits with purpose and hope, tirelessly chronicling the planet's rhythms as if each data point could prove its worth and preserve a legacy born from loss. 'NOAA-19: The Loving Custodian' is the satellite that fell and rose again, transforming fragility into devotion as it tenderly double-checks its siblings' work, watching over earth with quiet care. With this new creation, Liu turns our gaze back to earth, exploring the existential solitude and quiet observation of these aging machines as metaphors for diasporic longing, technological obsolescence and the search for connection and purpose. In this conversation, she reflects on her origins and becoming an artist. You were born in 1991 in Karamay, Xinjiang. Tell me about your background and how you became interested in art. I grew up in Karamay, Xinjiang, which is a small, remote city in northwestern China. My parents are both surgeons. When I was a kid, I really loved math, physics, chemistry. No one I knew was remotely working in the creative industry; everyone was a doctor or working on the oil fields or for the government. I never thought of the possibility of becoming an artist until very much later in life. I think it's common for children who did not grow up in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing to think that art is a luxury. I only had access to art when I went to college, and for the first time entered an art museum of any sort. I decided to study art after my undergrad. During college, I took a second degree in digital art, mostly because I was interested in gaming. And that was also when social media started to appear in China. I wanted to understand this new industry and the way self-expression was enabled through the Internet. After a couple of years learning game design and interaction design, I just got really hooked with all the possibilities in the arts and ended up applying for grad school. Xin Liu, NOAA-18: The Devoted Idealist, 2025. Commissioned by Hyundai Artlab Photo Xin Liu Studio What did you learn from your time at Rhode Island School of Design and MIT? Why did you decide to study both art and engineering, why do you view yourself not only as an artist but also as an engineer, and what role do research and experimentation play in your artworks? At Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), I had to start from scratch. I had to 100 % learn art history myself because all of my classmates and professors were way ahead of me. I spent most of my first year in the library just reading books on art history and modern and contemporary art. I remember I had this 'wow' moment with Duchamp's work. After RISD, I ended up going back to the tech field because I never saw myself going to grad school to become a professional artist; it was rather a desire to have a comprehensive education for myself. I think it's a pity nowadays that we have all these disciplines that are polishing one's knowledge and ability, but diminishing the potential of individuals to understand the world through various aspects, including technology, art, philosophy, science and even fiction. Education is the soil for my mind, for the construction of my world. I've never felt like there was a distinct separation between art and engineering. They are asking the same questions about what it means to be human in the 21st century. And how do we reconcile all the varieties of practices that take risks, make guesses, act on the edge, iterate and, ultimately, take a leap of faith to create an experiment to propose a theory and to create a piece of art? Describe to me your artistic language and philosophy. What is the most important consideration when you first start creating an artwork? Do you know exactly how it will look like when you start, or are you surprised by the end result? When I first start creating artwork, I often start with a moment that I want to achieve. I think film might be a big influence for me, as storytelling and a moment in a story that we reach is something I seek in my art: a concentration of energy and time you can capture in a sculpture, painting or installation, and slowly you sense it going through you even after you have left the exhibition. That's really what I'm looking for. I don't really know how the work will end up visually or the format of the entire work until much later on, in most cases. However, the sensation that I talked about and the moment that I tried to create do stay truthful to themselves, from the beginning to the end. Why do you choose to live and work in London? I work on probably two or three projects actively at any given moment, and probably two or three group shows every month. I moved to London because my partner's new job relocated us, but I'm also very excited to live in Europe for the first time. I grew up in China and I've studied and worked in the US for almost a decade. Europe is a new, exciting change, and I've been learning a lot already. Xin Liu and her partner Gershon Dublon capturing satellite images in Riis Beach, New York Photo Xin Liu Studio Tell me about your work with decommissioned NOAA weather satellites. This work actually started in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. Living in New York City, I climbed to the rooftop of my Brooklyn apartment. I used a self-made antenna out of broomsticks to receive data from remote satellites. For me, in many ways, technology and innovation are like the satellites that orbit earth really far away, but that are continuously watching and taking care of us and providing access and connectivity. When I talked with the team at BMW about the IPA system and the iDrive system, I learned that the intelligence and technology are really about companionship. I immediately thought about what I did during the pandemic with the satellites because that was my only activity and entertainment during the lockdown, when I climbed to the roof and tried to connect to remote things, which were satellites that had been decommissioned for already 20 years, but that kept orbiting the earth to bring data back. Barely anyone could hear them except for amateur artists like myself. I thought how I could push further on that and how perhaps my attempt to connect could bring some emotions to them or allow for creativity. That's why I imagined a wild dance for them and the video is actually a live simulation that I wrote for the algorithm. The little squares represent vehicles that are being pushed and pulled by the planets that are represented by circles. They give these trajectories that I imagined, where they're hopefully having their own dance while watching us. What were the biggest challenges in the process of making 'NOAA', a commission by BMW first presented in Shanghai, where you were asked to propose a view on the future of AI and automobiles? There is a sound piece in the background and there's noise that is actually data from satellites in space. In the meantime, I think people see technology as providing really exciting opportunities for the future, but also as something a bit intimidating if they don't have the background or knowledge themselves. So for this piece, I tried to make an emotional connection and help people to go to a place that is a little bit farther away from this really exciting metropolitan city. The way I hope that I've managed to do that was to invite my husband to whistle a song that I really like and that's going around in this space.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Forbes
Beyond Summer Camps: Local Learning Hubs Embrace Hybrid Schooling
Blending online school and homeschooling with in-person community learning hubs Last year, my 11-year-old son Sam participated in a summer day camp focused on robotics and hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) projects. It was hosted by The Robo Hub, a new education enrichment organization that opened its doors a few months prior in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I by Xin Liu, a robotics engineer and mom of four, The Robo Hub's engaging camps and afterschool programs filled quickly, as parents and learners alike appreciated the relevant curriculum and bright and spacious learning space located across the street from a large city park. After Sam's camp ended, I completed a parent survey reporting how much he enjoyed the experience. 'You should consider starting a microschool,' I wrote, urging the organization to add a flexible daytime program throughout the academic year for students and families looking for an alternative to conventional The Robo Hub has done just an announcement earlier this week, Liu revealed a new hybrid learning partnership with Sora Schools, an accredited online private school focused on project-based learning. Middle and high school students seeking a different, more personalized education option can enroll in Sora Schools' online program, which includes a comprehensive curriculum and daily, live lessons, while gathering together in person at The Robo Hub two days a week to work on projects and build community with peers. 'Together, we can offer a truly unique learning experience that combines the best of hands-on, in-person exploration with flexible, student-driven academics,' The Robo Hub COO Leonid Tunik told me. In Massachusetts, students in this new program would be legally considered opportunity to integrate online, flexible education with in-person community is contributing to the rising popularity of creative schooling options, including microschools for homeschoolers. Here in Massachusetts, KaiPod Learning pioneered a similar model back in 2021 with the launch of a learning pod in Greater Boston that enabled families to select their preferred curriculum provider while fostering community through in-person enrichment activities, social connection and on-site academic support. KaiPod continues to expand, particularly in states such as Arizona, where universal school-choice programs enable families to attend a pod tuition-free or nearly Bay State is one of 15 U.S. states that does not have any private school-choice policies, which can limit access to these innovative learning models. Yet, even in the absence of these policies that enable a portion of education funding to follow students to their preferred educational environment, emerging programs like The Robo Hub/Sora Schools partnership tend to be less expensive than more established private education options. For example, annual tuition for the Sora Schools/The Robo Hub program is $18,900, which includes the full-time online school and two days a week at The Robo still financially out of reach for many families, The Robo Hub/Sora Schools program is significantly more affordable than other secular private education options in the area, including the roughly $42,000 a year a family would pay to attend the popular Cambridge Montessori School's middle school program, which shares the block with The Robo creative schooling options are not only lower in cost—and often no cost at all when operating in choice-friendly states—they are also providing the educational personalization and flexibility that many families increasingly desire. Tunik says that he has already received inquiries from parents excited about the new Sora Schools partnership, with the hybrid structure a central Smiley, cofounder and CEO of Sora Schools, sees this appeal among families across the U.S. 'Education is shifting to local hubs plugged into global classrooms,' he said, explaining that blending online schooling and homeschooling with community-based partnerships is the educational mix many families are seeking. 'Families really can have it all,' he educational organizations, such as those running summer camps and afterschool programs, should consider following The Robo Hub's lead and expand their offerings to include in-person microschool and hybrid learning options during the school day. Partnering with curriculum providers and online schools like Sora Schools can make this effort easier and more appealing to students and Monday, I picked up Sam from a day at The Robo Hub's summer camp, where he has been making a robot and coding an original video game. I told him that The Robo Hub had just announced that they are creating a new hybrid learning option for homeschoolers, starting this fall. 'That is so cool!' he said. 'I'd love that.'
Washington Post
26-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Young leaders advancing potential climate solutions could win $1 million grants
NEW YORK — Youth-led climate groups are getting a $25 million injection from a philanthropic collaborative that hopes other funders will follow their lead in supporting solutions created by younger generations grappling with a future marked by increasing temperatures and rising sea levels. Despite recent upticks in donations to nonprofits combatting climate change, Enlight Foundation President Xin Liu said emerging leaders on the front lines of the crisis are not getting enough of that money. So, she and The Patchwork Collective are offering $1 million multi-year grants to 25 community organizations led by 15- to 35-year-olds.
26-06-2025
- Business
Young leaders advancing potential climate solutions could win $1 million grants
NEW YORK -- Youth-led climate groups are getting a $25 million injection from a philanthropic collaborative that hopes other funders will follow their lead in supporting solutions created by younger generations grappling with a future marked by increasing temperatures and rising sea levels. Despite recent upticks in donations to nonprofits combatting climate change, Enlight Foundation President Xin Liu said emerging leaders on the front lines of the crisis are not getting enough of that money. So, she and The Patchwork Collective are offering $1 million multi-year grants to 25 community organizations led by 15- to 35-year-olds. 'There's a little funder stigma of trusting youth, trusting young funders, trusting their capacity, their ability to lead," Liu said. 'They're really quite often very innovative and creative. And very much close to the problem, which drives them to come up with really impactful solutions," she added. "As an older generation, we have a responsibility in helping them, empowering them, to scale their work, too.' The award is open to anyone globally who is tackling a broad range of climate issues including education, justice, resilience, conservation, sustainable agriculture and disaster preparedness. Applicants have until Sept. 22 to enter the open call run by Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation. The competition is part of Enlight Foundation's spenddown strategy. The nonprofit — created by Liu and Chinese tech billionaire Duan Yongping to fund education equality and youth empowerment — plans to give away all its resources in the next eight years. Liu said the foundation won't be able to sunset without collaborations like this one. Lever for Change, which has rallied its donor network to unlock $2.5 billion across 16 open calls, made for a perfect partner. The Patchwork Collective — a family philanthropy founded by Marie and Benoit Dageville that funds grassroots programs developed by communities to address their own issues — voluntarily contributed $5 million after learning about the competition. Lever for Change President Kristen Molyneaux said everyone has a role to play. More than a dozen young advisors gave feedback on the open call's design and will help with peer review, according to Liu. Youth-led organizations and climate experts are welcome to participate in the external evaluation panel. Liu is inviting more funders to join because she said each additional $1 million will allow them to benefit another awardee. 'The people who are most invested in this are the people who are going to be bearing the burden of climate change in their future,' Molyneaux said. 'So, they understand the importance of this issue and how to mobilize their communities.' The length of the multi-year grants will be tailored to the recipients' needs. Recognizing that some organizations might not have the capacity to accept all that money at once, Liu said 2- to 5-year periods are 'fine.' Enlight Foundation will also do more than just write a check. Liu promised to provide mentorship and connections 'to really watch them flourish.' 'I am very excited, especially during this very uncertain time for young people around the world,' Liu said. 'They are going to build a much better and brighter future when they are engaged.' ___
Al Arabiya
26-06-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Young Leaders Advancing Potential Climate Solutions Could Win $1 Million Grants
Youth-led climate groups are getting a $25 million injection from a philanthropic collaborative that hopes other funders will follow their lead in supporting solutions created by younger generations grappling with a future marked by increasing temperatures and rising sea levels. Despite recent upticks in donations to nonprofits combating climate change, Enlight Foundation President Xin Liu said emerging leaders on the front lines of the crisis are not getting enough of that money. So she and The Patchwork Collective are offering 1 million multi-year grants to 25 community organizations led by 15- to 35-year-olds. 'There's a little funder stigma of trusting youth, trusting young funders, trusting their capacity, their ability to lead,' Liu said. 'They're really quite often very innovative and creative. And very much close to the problem, which drives them to come up with really impactful solutions,' she added. 'As an older generation, we have a responsibility in helping them, empowering them to scale their work too.' The award is open to anyone globally who is tackling a broad range of climate issues, including education, justice, resilience, conservation, sustainable agriculture, and disaster preparedness. Applicants have until Sept. 22 to enter the open call run by Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation. The competition is part of Enlight Foundation's spend-down strategy. The nonprofit–created by Liu and Chinese tech billionaire Duan Yongping to fund education equality and youth empowerment–plans to give away all its resources in the next eight years. Liu said the foundation won't be able to sunset without collaborations like this one. Lever for Change, which has rallied its donor network to unlock $2.5 billion across 16 open calls, made for a perfect partner. The Patchwork Collective–a family philanthropy founded by Marie and Benoit Dageville that funds grassroots programs developed by communities to address their own issues–voluntarily contributed $5 million after learning about the competition. Lever for Change President Kristen Molyneaux said everyone has a role to play. More than a dozen young advisors gave feedback on the open call's design and will help with peer review, according to Liu. Youth-led organizations and climate experts are welcome to participate in the external evaluation panel. Liu is inviting more funders to join because she said each additional $1 million will allow them to benefit another awardee. 'The people who are most invested in this are the people who are going to be bearing the burden of climate change in their future,' Molyneaux said. 'So they understand the importance of this issue and how to mobilize their communities.' The length of the multi-year grants will be tailored to the recipients' needs. Recognizing that some organizations might not have the capacity to accept all that money at once, Liu said two- to five-year periods are fine. Enlight Foundation will also do more than just write a check. Liu promised to provide mentorship and connections to 'really watch them flourish.' 'I am very excited, especially during this very uncertain time for young people around the world,' Liu said. 'They are going to build a much better and brighter future when they are engaged.'
