Artist: Dasha Ortenberg

Website: www.dortenberg.com
Exchange: Morocco

Dasha Ortenberg believes deeply in design’s ability to stimulate critical thought, highlight the weirdness of individuals, and reveal uncanny overlaps of (sub-)cultures. Her cross-scalar and cross-media approach to space is the result of a perpetual fascination with modes of human communication, collaboration, and cohabitation. Having emigrated from the Soviet Union as a child, she is driven by a deep gratitude to the United States for having provided the opportunity to pursue her passions and understand her heritage, and works to promote and propagate such opportunities for others.

Dasha holds degrees in Art History and Linguistics (UC Berkeley), and Architecture (Harvard Graduate School of Design). Her formal education is supplemented by a variegated work experience, which includes radio, dance, and archival conservation. In her conceptual projects, pedagogical pursuits, and work for art and architectural practices she strives to combine traditional and contemporary technologies to transform individual narratives and historic cross-currents into socially-impactful spatial experiences.

She leverages the media of documentation, representation, and fabrication to highlight juxtapositions and create conversations that encourage mutual understanding. Her project, A Franchise of Difference, transformed documentation of interviews and sites from a 7,000-mile road trip into videos and architectural concepts represented through A/V and digital fabrication technologies.

The Latest from Dasha Ortenberg

A Cultural Puzzle

A Cultural Puzzle

I am so proud, again, of all the participants as individuals and as teams. There are a few other notable teams that were crucial in realizing these project work: ZERO1, L’Uzine, and the American Consulate in Casablanca. I want to thank them for their help in...

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Works in Progress II

Works in Progress II

The participants have worked so incredibly hard to create insightful and beautiful projects. Clay animals on map from event by the Littorale group. Still from video by Amine Krafi, Loubna El Ghallab, and Taha Azale. With impressive tenacity and efficiency in a short...

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Works in Progress

Works in Progress

After completing and presenting their initial research and another ideation session, participants formed project groups — some related to the previous research, some new. The groups are collecting, creating, designing, iterating, revamping, and installing their...

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American Arts Incubator is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs developed in partnership with ZERO1.

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