Author Archives: Matt Artz

Matt Artz is an anthropologist, designer, and technologist specializing in AI product development. He is the founder of Azimuth Labs, host of the Anthropology in Business and Anthro to UX podcasts, and co-editor of EmTech Anthropology and the forthcoming Anthropology and AI. His work has been featured on TED, UNESCO, South by Southwest, and Apple’s Planet of the Apps.
ma@mattartz.me | https://mattartz.me | Assemblage Profile
Image of an art fair generated by ChatGPT. The art fair appears to be taking place in a large hall with bright LED lighting. There are several stalls displaying different kinds of artwork, although none are close enough to be described clearly. People are depicted moving in and out of the stalls and across the exhibition hall, which appears busy.

Brush Strokes to Bytes: Anthropological Praxis in Business

Matt Artz October 8, 2024
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The warm December sun had only recently risen over Miami Beach when I found myself in the bustling halls of Art Basel Miami 2021, one of the world’s most prestigious international art fairs. As an anthropologist and tech entrepreneur, I wasn’t there just to admire the art—though there was plenty to admire. I was there to observe and make sense of the intricate dance between artists, gallerists, and collectors in this temporary, high-stakes marketplace. Art fairs like Art Basel Miami are annual events where galleries from around the world converge to showcase and sell their artists’ work. For a few days, the fair becomes the epicenter of the global art market, with thousands of works on display and millions of dollars changing hands. Collectors, curators, consultants, and art enthusiasts flock to these events, creating a frenzy of activity as deals are struck and reputations are made. As I walked through the crowded aisles, the stark contrasts were impossible to ignore. The fair’s layout itself told a story of hierarchy and influence in the art world. Established galleries like Gagosian commanded prime locations near the entrance, their spacious booths bustling with activity. These high-end galleries had paid premium rates for their coveted spots, and it showed in their positioning and the attention they received. Their displays exuded an air of exclusivity, with artwork unlabeled—a silent statement that if you didn’t already know the piece, perhaps you didn’t belong. (read more...)

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An image of DNA molecules

Consumer Genetics and the Capitalization of Hope

Matt Artz September 15, 2020

In the twilight of the last millennium, an audacious scientific project was started by an international team of researchers. Their objective, like the countless scientists who came before them, was to advance humanity. But unlike all of the proceeding projects, this effort would map out what it meant to be human. The project, known as the human genome project (HGP), had the seemingly impossible goal of describing every gene within the Homo sapiens genome and mapping all 3 billion base pairs. If completed, the applications were said to be limitless. From social science research to medicine, the innovation gatekeepers of the world said that our lives would change for the better. But who has benefited from the HGP? Surely all of humanity, right? But at what point, and will it be equitable? These are questions I wrestle with, though I didn’t always. (read more...)

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