lacma-2026: jeffrey-ize the pitch, kill all em dashes, ground the grant arc

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grants/lacma-2026/LACMA-2026-APPLICATION-DRAFT.md

··· 1 - # LACMA Art + Technology Lab 2026 — Application (Submittable copy-paste source) 1 + # LACMA Art + Technology Lab 2026 · Application (Submittable copy-paste source) 2 2 3 3 > **Deadline:** April 22, 2026, 11:59 PM PST 4 4 > **Submit at:** https://lacma.submittable.com/submit/348727/2026-art-technology-lab-grants ··· 18 18 19 19 ## One-Sentence Project Description 20 20 21 - Aesthetic Computer is a bare-metal creative computing system — custom hardware, a handmade programming language, and a social network — that reimagines the personal computer as a live musical instrument for art. 21 + Aesthetic Computer is a bare-metal creative computing system (custom hardware, a handmade programming language, and a social network) that reimagines the personal computer as a live musical instrument for art. 22 22 23 23 --- 24 24 25 25 ## Full Project Description (500 words max) 26 26 27 - _[499 words — right at the cap]_ 27 + Personal computers have not been very personal. For forty years the form has been shaped by the companies that sold them: operating systems built to sell attention, software gatekept by app stores. The 1980s personal computing scene promised a computer that belonged to you, that you could program, that could do anything. Platform consolidation cut it short. Aesthetic Computer bets a second personal computing scene is starting, and with tools this powerful in everyone's hands it will go wider *and* deeper than the first. Wider because anyone can publish. Deeper because anyone can write a language, modify a kernel, or put an AI coding partner to work on a single piece. 28 28 29 - Personal computers have not been very personal. For forty years the form has been shaped by the companies that sold them — operating systems built to sell attention, software gatekept by app stores. The 1980s personal computing scene promised a computer that belonged to you, that you could program, that could do anything — before platform consolidation cut it short. Aesthetic Computer (AC) bets that a second personal computing scene is starting, and that with tools this powerful in everyone's hands, it will go both wider *and* deeper than the first — wider because anyone can publish, deeper because anyone can now write a language, modify a kernel, or put an AI coding partner to work on a single piece. 29 + Aesthetic Computer has three interlocking layers: a bare-metal operating system that boots directly into art software, a custom programming language (KidLisp) for generative art, and a social network for publishing interactive programs called "pieces." The whole stack is free and open source on GitHub. 30 30 31 - AC has three interlocking layers: a bare-metal operating system that boots directly into art software, a custom programming language (KidLisp) for generative art, and a social network for publishing interactive programs called "pieces." The second scene has feedstock: Windows 10 end-of-life has stranded ~240 million x86_64 laptops, and ~62 million tonnes of e-waste pile up each year. Strip away the consumer OS and those machines become a planetary population of half-built instruments waiting for a kernel. 31 + The second scene has feedstock. Windows 10 end-of-life has stranded roughly 240 million x86_64 laptops; 62 million tonnes of e-waste pile up each year. Strip away the consumer OS and those machines become a planetary population of half-built instruments waiting for a kernel. 32 32 33 - **AC Native** is the kernel. A Linux boot runs a custom C runtime as PID 1 on x86_64 UEFI laptops, with no desktop, compositor, or browser. Graphics via DRM, input via raw evdev, audio via ALSA at 192 kHz with 32-voice polyphony. Per-seat cost lands near $50, two orders of magnitude below Princeton's PLOrk laptop-orchestra model. A built-in `code` command drops into a native terminal running Anthropic's Claude Code, the only bare-metal creative OS we know of with an AI coding partner built in. The default piece is *notepat*, an 8,466-line polyphonic instrument with eight waveforms, sample recording, and MIDI. Twenty more pieces ship alongside, including chat and paint. 33 + **AC Native** is the kernel. A Linux boot runs a custom C runtime as PID 1 on x86_64 UEFI laptops, with no desktop, compositor, or browser. Graphics via DRM, input via raw evdev, audio via ALSA at 192 kHz with 32-voice polyphony. Per-seat cost lands near $50, two orders of magnitude below Princeton's PLOrk laptop-orchestra model. A built-in `code` command drops into a terminal running Anthropic's Claude Code, so artists can ask an AI coding partner to modify a piece without leaving the OS. The default piece is *notepat*, an 8,466-line polyphonic instrument. Twenty more pieces ship alongside, including chat and paint. 34 34 35 - **KidLisp** is a minimal Lisp for generative art, with 118 functions. It is accessible to non-programmers yet expressive enough for complex compositions, and 17,000+ programs already live on the platform. Programs can be minted as on-chain "keeps" on Tezos, establishing provenance without requiring artists to touch blockchain infrastructure. 35 + **KidLisp** is a minimal Lisp for generative art. 118 functions, accessible to non-programmers yet expressive enough for complex compositions. 17,000+ programs already live on the platform. Programs can be minted on Tezos without artists touching blockchain infrastructure. 36 36 37 - **The Network** hosts 371 built-in pieces, 265 user-published, and 2,800+ registered handles. People draw, chat, and play together in real time; every piece is URL-addressable and QR-shareable. 37 + **The Network** hosts 371 built-in pieces, 265 user-published, and 2,800+ registered handles. People draw, chat, and play together in real time. The website has been in active development since 2021 (19,000+ commits across 5 years); AC Native is new, its kernel prototype landing February 2026. 38 38 39 - During the grant period we propose to develop AC Native into a distributable creative instrument and public installation: 39 + During the grant period we will develop AC Native into a distributable creative instrument and public installation: 40 40 41 41 1. **Portable Instruments.** USB-bootable AC Native drives preloaded with curated pieces for visitors to take home. 42 42 2. **KidLisp Workshops.** Hands-on sessions where participants write programs that run on AC Native in real time, from code to sound and image. 43 43 3. **Public Installation.** Multiple AC Native stations at LACMA where visitors encounter creative computing as an instrument-like interaction. 44 44 4. **Open Documentation.** Complete build pipeline, hardware compatibility guide, and curriculum, published openly so other institutions can replicate. 45 45 46 - This is not a product. It is an argument: the personal computer is still a site of artistic invention, and the new scene has just begun. 46 + This is not a product. It is an argument. The personal computer is still a site of artistic invention, and the new scene has just begun. 47 47 48 48 --- 49 49 ··· 56 56 See the full CV appended to `lacma-2026.pdf` (pp. 4–5) and the canonical CV at `/papers/cv/cv.pdf`. Top-line credentials: 57 57 58 58 - **Education:** Yale MFA (2013), Ringling BFA (2011), AICAD NYSP Residency (2010) 59 - - **Collections:** KADIST Foundation (San Francisco), SMK — National Gallery of Denmark 59 + - **Collections:** KADIST Foundation (San Francisco), SMK National Gallery of Denmark 60 60 - **Current Residency:** Author in Residence, UCLA Social Software (Casey Reas), 2026 61 61 - **Teaching:** UCLA DMA (2016, 2024, 2026), Southern Oregon University (2019), Parsons (2013–2016) 62 62 - **Recent Exhibitions:** 47th Venice Family Clinic Art Exhibition (2026), Turbo Cheap inaugural (2025), Ten Whistlegraphs at Feral File (2022) ··· 72 72 73 73 _[~95 words]_ 74 74 75 - Aesthetic Computer treats the computer itself as an unfinished instrument — a site for ongoing artistic invention rather than a fixed consumer product. By building from bare metal (custom kernel, framebuffer rendering, sample-level audio synthesis), we recover the directness that early personal computing promised but commercial platforms abandoned. The work sits at the intersection of software art, instrument design, and language design: KidLisp is simultaneously a tool and a medium, and AC Native transforms commodity laptops into dedicated creative instruments. The artistic claim is that how we build computers is itself a creative act with cultural consequences. 75 + Aesthetic Computer treats the computer itself as an unfinished instrument, a site for ongoing artistic invention rather than a fixed consumer product. By building from bare metal (custom kernel, framebuffer rendering, sample-level audio synthesis), we recover the directness that early personal computing promised but commercial platforms abandoned. The work sits at the intersection of software art, instrument design, and language design: KidLisp is simultaneously a tool and a medium, and AC Native transforms commodity laptops into dedicated creative instruments. The artistic claim is that how we build computers is itself a creative act with cultural consequences. 76 76 77 77 --- 78 78 ··· 88 88 89 89 _[~95 words]_ 90 90 91 - We propose three forms of public engagement. First, hands-on KidLisp workshops at LACMA where participants write generative art programs that run on AC Native hardware — no prior coding experience required. Second, an installation of multiple AC Native stations where visitors experience creative computing as a direct, instrument-like interaction. Third, open "build days" where we assemble USB drives and document the process publicly, inviting visitors into the making of the system itself. All curricula, documentation, and software will be published openly for other artists and institutions to adopt. 91 + We propose three forms of public engagement. First, hands-on KidLisp workshops at LACMA where participants write generative art programs that run on AC Native hardware, with no prior coding experience required. Second, an installation of multiple AC Native stations where visitors experience creative computing as a direct, instrument-like interaction. Third, open "build days" where we assemble USB drives and document the process publicly, inviting visitors into the making of the system itself. The entire software stack is free and open source (MIT-licensed on GitHub), so any teacher, artist, or institution can fork it. 92 92 93 93 --- 94 94 95 95 ## Implementation Plan 96 96 97 - This proposal aligns to the Lab's new biennial calendar: a working-prototype milestone at the **2027 Symposium** and a completed public premiere at the **2028 Demo Day**. The cohort structure (3–5 recipients plus invitational projects) is well-suited to this work — AC Native's USB-bootable format means other cohort artists can bring their own pieces to the system and cross-pollinate at the Symposium without waiting for Demo Day. Two recent Lab projects sit directly in our neighborhood: Casey Reas's 2023 *METAVASARELY and An Empty Room* (generative systems) and Lauren Lee McCarthy's 2022 *Auto* (public/social interface design). Reas and McCarthy co-teach UCLA's Social Software course, which Jeffrey is an Author in Residence in during this application year — their class is where the KidLisp cards shown in Fig. 3 were first printed and circulated. 97 + This proposal aligns to the Lab's new biennial calendar: a working-prototype milestone at the **2027 Symposium** and a completed public premiere at the **2028 Demo Day**. The cohort structure (3–5 recipients plus invitational projects) is well-suited to this work, since AC Native's USB-bootable format means other cohort artists can bring their own pieces to the system and cross-pollinate at the Symposium without waiting for Demo Day. Two recent Lab projects sit directly in our neighborhood: Casey Reas's 2023 *METAVASARELY and An Empty Room* (generative systems) and Lauren Lee McCarthy's 2022 *Auto* (public/social interface design). Reas and McCarthy co-teach UCLA's Social Software course, which Jeffrey is an Author in Residence in during this application year; their class is where the KidLisp cards shown in Fig. 3 were first printed and circulated. 98 98 99 99 | Phase | Timing | Milestones | 100 100 |-------|--------|------------| 101 101 | **1. Hardware & Curriculum** | Fall 2026 – Spring 2027 | Expand AC Native compatibility to 5+ laptop models, build the multi-piece boot menu, design the 3-level KidLisp workshop curriculum, and produce printed reference cards (extending the sosoft card template used at UCLA). | 102 102 | **2. Pre-Symposium Workshops** | Spring – Summer 2027 | Run 2 pilot workshops at LACMA, assemble a prototype multi-station installation, and publish v0 of the open-source build guide. | 103 - | **3. 2027 Symposium — "We boot the cohort."** | Fall 2027 | **At Symposium, every laptop in the room becomes an AC Native instrument from a single USB stick, and a public KidLisp workshop takes participants from first line of code to a running program on the museum floor.** Talk / in-conversation on generative computing, situated alongside the 2023 cohort. | 103 + | **3. 2027 Symposium · "We boot the cohort."** | Fall 2027 | **At Symposium, every laptop in the room becomes an AC Native instrument from a single USB stick, and a public KidLisp workshop takes participants from first line of code to a running program on the museum floor.** Talk / in-conversation on generative computing, situated alongside the 2023 cohort. | 104 104 | **4. Full Installation + Workshops** | Winter 2027 – Summer 2028 | Kiosk-mode hardening, 20+ take-home USB drives, 4 additional workshops, complete documentation, and a translated curriculum (EN + ES, matching AC's translation pipeline). | 105 - | **5. 2028 Demo Day — "We open the gallery."** | Fall 2028 | **A multi-station AC Native installation premieres on the LACMA floor — visitors sit down and play a fully-realized creative computer — and v1.0 of the open-source build pipeline ships, so any institution can stand up the same rig.** Public programs introduce the system to teachers, museum educators, and other artists. | 105 + | **5. 2028 Demo Day · "We open the gallery."** | Fall 2028 | **A multi-station AC Native installation premieres on the LACMA floor. Visitors sit down and play a fully-realized creative computer. v1.0 of the open-source build pipeline ships alongside, so any institution can stand up the same rig.** Public programs introduce the system to teachers, museum educators, and other artists. | 106 106 107 107 --- 108 108 ··· 113 113 | Artist fee (24 months, Fall 2026 – Fall 2028) | $22,000 | 114 114 | Studio hardware (dev machines, displays) | $3,500 | 115 115 | Installation laptops (5 × $400 refurbished) | $2,000 | 116 - | NuPhy analog keyboards for installation (5 × $120) | $600 | 116 + | Mini Rig portable speakers for installation (5 × $120) | $600 | 117 117 | USB drives, cables, peripherals | $500 | 118 118 | Installation fabrication (furniture, mounts) | $2,500 | 119 119 | Workshop materials (printed guides, KidLisp reference cards) | $1,200 | ··· 140 140 141 141 Upload these 5 JPEGs from `grants/lacma-2026/jpegs/submit/`: 142 142 143 - 1. **platform-screenshot.jpg** — Aesthetic Computer running on mobile and desktop. Platform hosts 600+ interactive pieces across 2,800+ registered users. 144 - 2. **kidlisp-featured.jpg** — *$roz* by @jeffrey, a KidLisp generative piece with 6,000+ plays. 145 - 3. **card-gallery.jpg** — Four KidLisp pieces as printable cards ($berz, $24m, $duv, $kl1), produced for Casey Reas & Lauren Lee McCarthy's "Social Software" course at UCLA (2026). Screenshot + source code + QR code per card, monochrome, 2.75″ × 4.75″. 146 - 4. **card-berz.jpg** — The $berz card at full size. Six lines of KidLisp produce a recursive wire-tangle that spins, zooms, and blurs each frame. 147 - 5. **hardware-yoga.jpg** — Target hardware: a Lenovo Yoga convertible running AC Native from USB. 143 + 1. **platform-screenshot.jpg** · Aesthetic Computer running on mobile and desktop. Platform hosts 600+ interactive pieces across 2,800+ registered users. 144 + 2. **kidlisp-featured.jpg** · *$roz* by @jeffrey, a KidLisp generative piece with 6,000+ plays. 145 + 3. **card-gallery.jpg** · Four KidLisp pieces as printable cards ($berz, $24m, $duv, $kl1), produced for Casey Reas & Lauren Lee McCarthy's "Social Software" course at UCLA (2026). Screenshot + source code + QR code per card, monochrome, 2.75″ × 4.75″. 146 + 4. **card-berz.jpg** · The $berz card at full size. Six lines of KidLisp produce a recursive wire-tangle that spins, zooms, and blurs each frame. 147 + 5. **hardware-yoga.jpg** · Target hardware: a Lenovo Yoga convertible running AC Native from USB. 148 148 149 149 --- 150 150 ··· 159 159 ## Submission Checklist 160 160 161 161 - [x] Project name + three words + one-sentence description 162 - - [x] Full project description (~510w — trim if form hard-caps at 500) 162 + - [x] Full project description (500w · at cap) 163 163 - [x] Artist bio 164 164 - [x] Three 100-word statements (merit / culture / engagement) 165 165 - [x] Implementation plan / timeline

grants/lacma-2026/lacma-2026.pdf

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grants/lacma-2026/lacma-2026.tex

··· 115 115 {\color{acpink}\hrule height 1pt} 116 116 \vspace{1em} 117 117 118 - {\large\bfseries \ac{} is a bare-metal creative computing system---custom hardware, a handmade programming language, and a social network---that reimagines the personal computer as a live musical instrument for art.} 118 + {\large\bfseries \ac{} is a bare-metal creative computing system (custom hardware, a handmade programming language, and a social network) that reimagines the personal computer as a live musical instrument for art.} 119 119 120 120 % ======================================================================= 121 121 \achead{Project Description} 122 122 123 - Personal computers have not been very personal. For forty years the form has been shaped by the companies that sold them---operating systems built to sell attention, software gatekept by app stores. The 1980s personal computing scene promised a computer that belonged to you, that you could program, that could do anything---before platform consolidation cut it short. \ac{} (AC) bets that a second personal computing scene is starting, and that with tools this powerful in everyone's hands, it will go both wider \emph{and} deeper than the first---wider because anyone can publish, deeper because anyone can now write a language, modify a kernel, or put an AI coding partner to work on a single piece. 123 + Personal computers have not been very personal. For forty years the form has been shaped by the companies that sold them: operating systems built to sell attention, software gatekept by app stores. The 1980s personal computing scene promised a computer that belonged to you, that you could program, that could do anything. Platform consolidation cut it short. \ac{} bets a second personal computing scene is starting, and with tools this powerful in everyone's hands it will go wider \emph{and} deeper than the first. Wider because anyone can publish. Deeper because anyone can write a language, modify a kernel, or put an AI coding partner to work on a single piece. 124 124 125 - AC has three interlocking layers: a bare-metal operating system that boots directly into art software, a custom programming language (KidLisp) for generative art, and a social network for publishing interactive programs called ``pieces.'' The second scene has feedstock: Windows 10 end-of-life has stranded ~240 million x86\_64 laptops, and ~62 million tonnes of e-waste pile up each year. Strip away the consumer OS and those machines become a planetary population of half-built instruments waiting for a kernel. 125 + \ac{} has three interlocking layers: a bare-metal operating system that boots directly into art software, a custom programming language (KidLisp) for generative art, and a social network for publishing interactive programs called ``pieces.'' The whole stack is free and open source on GitHub. 126 + 127 + The second scene has feedstock. Windows 10 end-of-life has stranded roughly 240 million x86\_64 laptops; 62 million tonnes of e-waste pile up each year. Strip away the consumer OS and those machines become a planetary population of half-built instruments waiting for a kernel. 126 128 127 - \textbf{AC Native} is the kernel. A Linux boot runs a custom C runtime as PID\,1 on x86\_64 UEFI laptops, with no desktop, compositor, or browser. Graphics via DRM, input via raw evdev, audio via ALSA at 192\,kHz with 32-voice polyphony. Per-seat cost lands near \$50, two orders of magnitude below Princeton's PLOrk laptop-orchestra model. A built-in \texttt{code} command drops into a native terminal running Anthropic's Claude Code, the only bare-metal creative OS we know of with an AI coding partner built in. The default piece is \textit{notepat}, an 8,466-line polyphonic instrument with eight waveforms, sample recording, and MIDI. Twenty more pieces ship alongside, including chat and paint. 129 + \textbf{AC Native} is the kernel. A Linux boot runs a custom C runtime as PID\,1 on x86\_64 UEFI laptops, with no desktop, compositor, or browser. Graphics via DRM, input via raw evdev, audio via ALSA at 192\,kHz with 32-voice polyphony. Per-seat cost lands near \$50, two orders of magnitude below Princeton's PLOrk laptop-orchestra model. A built-in \texttt{code} command drops into a terminal running Anthropic's Claude Code, so artists can ask an AI coding partner to modify a piece without leaving the OS. The default piece is \textit{notepat}, an 8,466-line polyphonic instrument. Twenty more pieces ship alongside, including chat and paint. 128 130 129 - \textbf{KidLisp} is a minimal Lisp for generative art, with 118 functions. It is accessible to non-programmers yet expressive enough for complex compositions, and 17,000+ programs already live on the platform. Programs can be minted as on-chain ``keeps'' on Tezos, establishing provenance without requiring artists to touch blockchain infrastructure. 131 + \textbf{KidLisp} is a minimal Lisp for generative art. 118 functions, accessible to non-programmers yet expressive enough for complex compositions. 17,000+ programs already live on the platform. Programs can be minted on Tezos without artists touching blockchain infrastructure. 130 132 131 - \textbf{The Network} hosts 371 built-in pieces, 265 user-published, and 2,800+ registered handles. People draw, chat, and play together in real time; every piece is URL-addressable and QR-shareable. 133 + \textbf{The Network} hosts 371 built-in pieces, 265 user-published, and 2,800+ registered handles. People draw, chat, and play together in real time. The website has been in active development since 2021 (19,000+ commits across 5 years); AC Native is new, its kernel prototype landing February 2026. 132 134 133 - During the grant period we propose to develop AC Native into a distributable creative instrument and public installation: 135 + During the grant period we will develop AC Native into a distributable creative instrument and public installation: 134 136 135 137 \begin{enumerate} 136 138 \item \textbf{Portable Instruments.} USB-bootable AC Native drives preloaded with curated pieces for visitors to take home. ··· 139 141 \item \textbf{Open Documentation.} Complete build pipeline, hardware compatibility guide, and curriculum, published openly so other institutions can replicate. 140 142 \end{enumerate} 141 143 142 - This is not a product. It is an argument: the personal computer is still a site of artistic invention, and the new scene has just begun. 144 + This is not a product. It is an argument. The personal computer is still a site of artistic invention, and the new scene has just begun. 143 145 144 146 % ======================================================================= 145 147 \achead{Figures} 146 148 147 149 \begin{center} 148 150 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{platform-screenshot}\\[4pt] 149 - {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,1} --- \ac{} running on mobile and desktop. The platform hosts 600+ interactive pieces across 2,800 registered users. Social features include chat, multiplayer, and instant QR sharing.} 151 + {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,1.} \ac{} running on mobile and desktop. The platform hosts 600+ interactive pieces across 2,800 registered users. Social features include chat, multiplayer, and instant QR sharing.} 150 152 \end{center} 151 153 152 154 \vspace{1em} 153 155 154 156 \begin{center} 155 157 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{kidlisp-featured}\\[4pt] 156 - {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,2} --- \textit{\$roz} by @jeffrey, a KidLisp generative piece with 6,000+ plays. KidLisp programs run directly in the browser and on AC Native hardware. Over 16,000 programs have been written on the platform.} 158 + {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,2.} \textit{\$roz} by @jeffrey, a KidLisp generative piece with 6,000+ plays. KidLisp programs run directly in the browser and on AC Native hardware. Over 16,000 programs have been written on the platform.} 157 159 \end{center} 158 160 159 161 \vspace{1em} ··· 163 165 \includegraphics[height=0.285\textheight]{card-24m}\hspace{0.25em}% 164 166 \includegraphics[height=0.285\textheight]{card-duv}\hspace{0.25em}% 165 167 \includegraphics[height=0.285\textheight]{card-kl1}\\[6pt] 166 - {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,3} --- Four KidLisp pieces as printable cards: \textit{\$berz}, \textit{\$24m}, \textit{\$duv}, and \textit{\$kl1}. Each card is a self-contained program---the pixel image at top is the live output; the code underneath is the complete source. Printed cards were produced for Casey Reas \& Lauren Lee McCarthy's ``Social Software'' course at UCLA (2026). QR codes link back to the live piece on \ac.} 168 + {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,3.} Four KidLisp pieces as printable cards: \textit{\$berz}, \textit{\$24m}, \textit{\$duv}, and \textit{\$kl1}. Each card is a self-contained program. The pixel image at top is the live output; the code underneath is the complete source. Printed cards were produced for Casey Reas \& Lauren Lee McCarthy's ``Social Software'' course at UCLA (2026). QR codes link back to the live piece on \ac.} 167 169 \end{center} 168 170 169 171 \vspace{1em} 170 172 171 173 \begin{center} 172 174 \includegraphics[width=0.42\textwidth]{card-berz}\\[4pt] 173 - {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,4} --- \textit{\$berz} up close. Six lines of KidLisp produce a recursive wire-tangle that spins, zooms, and blurs each frame. No imports, no build step, no dependencies---the entire program is visible on the card. Cards are 2.75\,$\times$\,4.75 inches, monochrome, screen-printable.} 175 + {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,4.} \textit{\$berz} up close. Six lines of KidLisp produce a recursive wire-tangle that spins, zooms, and blurs each frame. No imports, no build step, no dependencies. The entire program is visible on the card. Cards are 2.75\,$\times$\,4.75 inches, monochrome, screen-printable.} 174 176 \end{center} 175 177 176 178 \vspace{1em} 177 179 178 180 \begin{center} 179 181 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{hardware-yoga}\\[4pt] 180 - {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,5} --- Target hardware: a Lenovo Yoga convertible laptop. AC Native boots from USB on x86\_64 UEFI machines, turning commodity hardware into a dedicated creative instrument without replacing the factory OS.} 182 + {\small\color{acgray} \textbf{Fig.\,5.} Target hardware: a Lenovo Yoga convertible laptop. AC Native boots from USB on x86\_64 UEFI machines, turning commodity hardware into a dedicated creative instrument without replacing the factory OS.} 181 183 \end{center} 182 184 183 185 % ======================================================================= ··· 185 187 186 188 \acsubhead{Artistic Merit} 187 189 188 - \ac{} treats the computer itself as an unfinished instrument---a site for ongoing artistic invention rather than a fixed consumer product. By building from bare metal (custom kernel, framebuffer rendering, sample-level audio synthesis), we recover the directness that early personal computing promised but commercial platforms abandoned. The work sits at the intersection of software art, instrument design, and language design: KidLisp is simultaneously a tool and a medium, and AC Native transforms commodity laptops into dedicated creative instruments. The artistic claim is that how we build computers is itself a creative act with cultural consequences. 190 + \ac{} treats the computer itself as an unfinished instrument, a site for ongoing artistic invention rather than a fixed consumer product. By building from bare metal (custom kernel, framebuffer rendering, sample-level audio synthesis), we recover the directness that early personal computing promised but commercial platforms abandoned. The work sits at the intersection of software art, instrument design, and language design: KidLisp is simultaneously a tool and a medium, and AC Native transforms commodity laptops into dedicated creative instruments. The artistic claim is that how we build computers is itself a creative act with cultural consequences. 189 191 190 192 \acsubhead{Technology and Culture} 191 193 ··· 193 195 194 196 \acsubhead{Public Engagement} 195 197 196 - We propose three forms of public engagement. First, hands-on KidLisp workshops at LACMA where participants write generative art programs that run on AC Native hardware---no prior coding experience required. Second, an installation of multiple AC Native stations where visitors experience creative computing as a direct, instrument-like interaction. Third, open ``build days'' where we assemble USB drives and document the process publicly, inviting visitors into the making of the system itself. All curricula, documentation, and software will be published openly for other artists and institutions to adopt. 198 + We propose three forms of public engagement. First, hands-on KidLisp workshops at LACMA where participants write generative art programs that run on AC Native hardware, with no prior coding experience required. Second, an installation of multiple AC Native stations where visitors experience creative computing as a direct, instrument-like interaction. Third, open ``build days'' where we assemble USB drives and document the process publicly, inviting visitors into the making of the system itself. The entire software stack is free and open source (MIT-licensed on GitHub), so any teacher, artist, or institution can fork it. 197 199 198 200 % ======================================================================= 199 201 \achead{Timeline} 200 202 201 - This proposal aligns to the Lab's new biennial calendar: a working-prototype milestone at the \textbf{2027 Symposium} and a completed public premiere at the \textbf{2028 Demo Day}. The cohort structure (3--5 recipients plus invitational projects) is well-suited to this work---AC Native's USB-bootable format means other cohort artists can bring their own pieces to the system, and we can cross-pollinate at Symposium without waiting for Demo Day. Two recent Lab projects sit directly in our neighborhood: Casey Reas's 2023 \textit{METAVASARELY and An Empty Room} (generative systems) and Lauren Lee McCarthy's 2022 \textit{Auto} (public/social interface design). Reas and McCarthy co-teach UCLA's Social Software course, which I am an Author in Residence in during this application year---their class is where the KidLisp cards shown in Fig.\,3 were first printed and circulated. 203 + This proposal aligns to the Lab's new biennial calendar: a working-prototype milestone at the \textbf{2027 Symposium} and a completed public premiere at the \textbf{2028 Demo Day}. The cohort structure (3--5 recipients plus invitational projects) is well-suited to this work, since AC Native's USB-bootable format means other cohort artists can bring their own pieces to the system, and we can cross-pollinate at Symposium without waiting for Demo Day. Two recent Lab projects sit directly in our neighborhood: Casey Reas's 2023 \textit{METAVASARELY and An Empty Room} (generative systems) and Lauren Lee McCarthy's 2022 \textit{Auto} (public/social interface design). Reas and McCarthy co-teach UCLA's Social Software course, which I am an Author in Residence in during this application year; their class is where the KidLisp cards shown in Fig.\,3 were first printed and circulated. 202 204 203 205 \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.4} 204 206 \begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{@{}lX@{}} ··· 206 208 \textbf{Spring -- Summer 2027} & \textbf{Pre-Symposium: First Workshops.} Run 2 pilot workshops at LACMA, assemble the first prototype multi-station installation, and publish v0 of the open-source build guide. \\ 207 209 \textbf{Fall 2027} & \textbf{2027 Symposium ``We boot the cohort.''} At Symposium, every laptop in the room becomes an AC Native instrument from a single USB stick, and a public KidLisp workshop takes participants from first line of code to a running program on the museum floor. Talk / in-conversation on generative computing, situated alongside the 2023 cohort's work. \\ 208 210 \textbf{Winter 2027 -- Summer 2028} & \textbf{Full Installation + Extended Workshops.} Kiosk-mode hardening, 20+ bootable USB drives for visitor take-home, 4 additional workshops, complete documentation, and a translated curriculum (English + Spanish, matching AC's existing translation pipeline). \\ 209 - \textbf{Fall 2028} & \textbf{2028 Demo Day ``We open the gallery.''} A multi-station AC Native installation premieres on the LACMA floor---visitors sit down and play a fully-realized creative computer---and v1.0 of the open-source build pipeline ships, so any institution can stand up the same rig. Public programs introduce the system to teachers, museum educators, and other artists. \\ 211 + \textbf{Fall 2028} & \textbf{2028 Demo Day ``We open the gallery.''} A multi-station AC Native installation premieres on the LACMA floor. Visitors sit down and play a fully-realized creative computer. v1.0 of the open-source build pipeline ships alongside, so any institution can stand up the same rig. Public programs introduce the system to teachers, museum educators, and other artists. \\ 210 212 \end{tabularx} 211 213 \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.0} 212 214 ··· 218 220 Artist fee (24 months, Fall 2026 -- Fall 2028) & \$22,000 \\ 219 221 Studio hardware (dev machines, displays) & \$3,500 \\ 220 222 Installation laptops (5 × \$400 refurbished) & \$2,000 \\ 221 - NuPhy analog keyboards for installation (5 × \$120) & \$600 \\ 223 + Mini Rig portable speakers for installation (5 × \$120) & \$600 \\ 222 224 USB drives, cables, peripherals & \$500 \\ 223 225 Installation fabrication (furniture, mounts) & \$2,500 \\ 224 226 Workshop materials (printed guides, KidLisp reference cards) & \$1,200 \\ ··· 250 252 251 253 \acsubhead{Education} 252 254 253 - \cvline{2013}{Yale School of Art---MFA (Sculpture)} 254 - \cvline{2011}{Ringling College of Art + Design---BFA (Fine Art)} 255 + \cvline{2013}{Yale School of Art, MFA (Sculpture)} 256 + \cvline{2011}{Ringling College of Art + Design, BFA (Fine Art)} 255 257 \cvline{2010}{AICAD New York Studio Program Residency} 256 258 257 259 \vspace{0.3em} ··· 310 312 \acsubhead{Collections} 311 313 312 314 KADIST Foundation, San Francisco\\ 313 - SMK---National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen 315 + SMK, National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen 314 316 315 317 \acsubhead{Selected Press \& Writing} 316 318 317 319 \cvline{2024}{\textit{notepat}, Hacker News (front page)} 318 - \cvline{2023}{Whistlegraph---A new audience for generative art, \textit{Dirt}} 320 + \cvline{2023}{Whistlegraph: A new audience for generative art, \textit{Dirt}} 319 321 \cvline{2023}{Sex: The Whistlegraph Zine, \textit{Sex Magazine}} 320 322 \cvline{2020}{No Paint, Hacker News (front page)} 321 323 \cvline{2019}{Drawing is the best videogame, \textit{The Creative Independent}} ··· 327 329 328 330 \acsubhead{Software \& Platforms} 329 331 330 - \cvline{2021--}{\ac{}---creative computing platform (\href{https://aesthetic.computer}{aesthetic.computer})} 331 - \cvline{2025--}{AC Native---bare-metal creative computing OS (USB-bootable Linux)} 332 - \cvline{2024--}{KidLisp---programming language for generative art (16,000+ programs)} 333 - \cvline{2024--}{\textit{notepat}---polyphonic synthesizer instrument (8,466 lines)} 334 - \cvline{2016--}{No Paint---radical paint program (\href{https://nopaint.art}{nopaint.art})} 335 - \cvline{2016--}{Whistlegraph---collaborative performance software (w/ Camille Klein \& Alex Freundlich)} 332 + \cvline{2021--}{\ac{}, creative computing platform. 5+ years of active git history, 19,000+ commits. (\href{https://aesthetic.computer}{aesthetic.computer})} 333 + \cvline{2026--}{AC Native, bare-metal creative computing OS (USB-bootable Linux). Prototype kernel landed Feb 2026; 2 months of focused development to ship.} 334 + \cvline{2024--}{KidLisp, programming language for generative art (16,000+ programs)} 335 + \cvline{2024--}{\textit{notepat}, polyphonic synthesizer instrument (8,466 lines)} 336 + \cvline{2016--}{No Paint, radical paint program (\href{https://nopaint.art}{nopaint.art})} 337 + \cvline{2016--}{Whistlegraph, collaborative performance software (w/ Camille Klein \& Alex Freundlich)} 336 338 337 339 \vfill 338 340 \begin{center}

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system/public/lacma-2026/index.html

··· 763 763 764 764 <span class="drop">What happens in the grant period.</span> 765 765 766 - <p>Two public events, one sentence each. <strong style="color:var(--pink)">At the 2027 Symposium we boot the cohort</strong> — every laptop in the room becomes an AC Native instrument from a single USB stick, and a public KidLisp workshop takes participants from first line of code to a running program on the museum floor. <strong style="color:var(--pink)">At the 2028 Demo Day we open the gallery</strong> — a multi-station AC Native installation premieres on the LACMA floor, and v1.0 of the open-source build pipeline ships so any institution can stand up the same rig. Everything between those two events (hardware expansion, workshop curriculum, translated documentation, paid helpers) is structured to make those two sentences true.</p> 766 + <p>Five years of work on the website (19,000+ git commits, 17,000+ KidLisp programs, 2,800+ handles) gives us a platform that already breathes. Two months on AC Native (kernel prototype landed February 2026) give us a kernel, a shutdown strobe, a native <code>code</code> command, and a first public capture. The grant turns that kernel into something a museum and a classroom can run. Over 24 months we expand AC Native compatibility from one laptop to five, build a multi-piece boot menu, design a 3-level KidLisp workshop curriculum (the card format Casey and Lauren used at UCLA, translated EN + ES), harden kiosk mode, press 20+ USB drives for take-home, and ship v1.0 of the open-source build pipeline so any institution can stand up the same rig.</p> 767 + 768 + <p><strong style="color:var(--pink)">At the 2027 Symposium we boot the cohort:</strong> every laptop in the room becomes an AC Native instrument from a single USB stick, and a public KidLisp workshop takes participants from first line of code to a running program on the museum floor. <strong style="color:var(--pink)">At the 2028 Demo Day we open the gallery:</strong> a multi-station AC Native installation premieres on the LACMA floor, and v1.0 of the open-source build pipeline ships alongside it.</p> 767 769 768 770 <p style="color:var(--dim);font-size:0.88em;margin-top:1.4em">The full 500-word pitch and statements live in <a href="https://aesthetic.computer/lacma-2026/lacma-2026.pdf">lacma-2026.pdf</a>.</p> 769 771 </section> ··· 810 812 <div class="feat"><b>Boot</b>USB → Linux kernel → custom C runtime as PID 1. No systemd, no compositor, no browser. UEFI only, x86_64.</div> 811 813 <div class="feat"><b>Graphics</b>DRM dumb-buffer rendering (no compositor). Nearest-neighbor upscale for the chunky-pixel aesthetic. Optional SDL3 GPU backend.</div> 812 814 <div class="feat"><b>Audio</b>ALSA at 192 kHz. 32-voice polyphony. 8 waveforms — sine, triangle, sawtooth, square, composite, harp, whistle, sample. Room reverb, master drive.</div> 813 - <div class="feat"><b>Input</b>Raw evdev: keyboard, mouse/trackpad, touch, gamepad, NuPhy analog keys. Camera + V4L2 + QR scanning via quirc.</div> 815 + <div class="feat"><b>Input</b>Raw evdev: keyboard, mouse/trackpad, touch, gamepad, analog key support. Camera + V4L2 + QR scanning via quirc.</div> 814 816 <div class="feat"><b>code - AI partner</b>Built-in <code>code</code> command spawns <strong>Anthropic's Claude Code</strong> as a PTY subprocess inside a native terminal emulator. Modify a piece without leaving the OS.</div> 815 817 <div class="feat"><b>MIDI</b>USB MIDI (in + out) and UDP MIDI broadcast. notepat transmits polyphonic MIDI live to other hardware and other AC Native stations.</div> 816 818 <div class="feat"><b>TTS</b>Flite speech synthesis (male + female voices) integrated into the audio ring buffer. Pieces can speak.</div> ··· 874 876 <div class="feat" style="border-left-color:var(--pink)"><b style="color:var(--pink)">Paid event helpers</b>$3,000 · workshop TAs + install/take-down at Symposium and Demo Day</div> 875 877 <div class="feat"><b>Studio hardware</b>$3,500 · dev machines + displays</div> 876 878 <div class="feat"><b>Installation laptops</b>$2,000 · 5 × $400 refurbished</div> 877 - <div class="feat"><b>NuPhy analog keyboards</b>$600 · 5 × $120</div> 879 + <div class="feat"><b>Mini Rig portable speakers</b>$600 · 5 × $120</div> 878 880 <div class="feat"><b>USB + peripherals</b>$500 · drives, cables, adapters</div> 879 881 <div class="feat"><b>Installation fabrication</b>$2,500 · furniture, mounts, signage</div> 880 882 <div class="feat"><b>Workshop materials</b>$1,200 · printed guides + KidLisp reference cards</div>

system/public/lacma-2026/lacma-2026.pdf

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