'If So, What?': A New Fair Pairing Art and Innovation Arrives in the Bay Area, including the Silicon Valley

If So, What? (ISW), a new annual cultural event pairing art and design with sound and innovation in the Bay Area, including the Silicon Valley, is delighted to announce its inaugural edition, which will take place from April 26-29, 2018 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Transcending the traditional art fair model, ISW will create an immersive, multidisciplinary event that invites people to engage with art and design and encounter new experiences that connect people. For its first edition, ISW will feature art, design and technology exhibitions as well as cross-industry panel discussions with visionary leaders, and immersive environments featuring music performances will round up the innovative program.

ISW Founders Sho-Joung Kim-Wechsler and Linda Helen Gieseke were interested in creating a new way to engage the Silicon Valley and the Bay Area community with art and design through an event that reconceives the typical way that people experience art. “We wanted to create a platform of exchange and collaboration by cross-pollinating among cultures, media and aesthetics and to create a sense of newness, and we are very inspired by the creative communities both internationally and here in Silicon Valley,” notes Kim-Wechsler. Gieseke adds “Art and technology share creativity and innovation as core values, and we see tremendous potential for the tech world as the thirst for art begins to grow. We are excited to launch this new platform that will unite the best from multiple industries and present it with a fresh look.”

The interdisciplinary programming will include presentations by leading international art and design galleries as well as collaborations with curators of art, design, technology, and sound. David Gryn, Director of Daata Editions, will create an immersive art and technology showroom, and Nick Lynch, Digital Producer at Obscura and Founder of Lynchini, will present a showroom that brings together art with Artificial Intelligence and video mapping, featuring works by Harvey Moon and Zheng Chongbin. Visitors will also be invited to attend a series of panel discussions about pressing issues relevant to the fields of art, design, and technology, including art and Cryptocurrency or the role of art and artists in society and the work environment, among many others.

This April, ISW will unveil the first-ever Porsche Art Media Installation in collaboration with California Institute of the Arts – a multi-media artwork inspired by and created with a Porsche model, bringing together sound, physical computing, experience design, and interactive visualizations. Further updates on the initiative will be announced in the coming weeks.

About If So, What?

If So, What? (ISW) is a new art and design event that will bring together leaders in the fields of art, design, music, and innovation to create immersive experiences for its visitors. The inaugural edition will take place from April 26-29, 2018 in San Francisco, CA in the Palace of Fine Arts and will feature an international roster of art and design galleries, cutting edge innovation projects, and music experiences. ISW is inspired by the vision to create new and exciting ways for people to engage with art and design and was founded to celebrate the transformative power of art and culture to connect global creative communities.

About the Founders

Sho-Joung Kim-Wechsler is an international finance, art, design, and technology executive who has extensive experiences in building art and design marketplaces, scaling businesses, and leading multiple IPOs in Europe, USA, and Israel. Formerly held positions include Head of Finance, Artsy; Controller/Director of Finance, 1stdibs; Vice President, Private Equity, Fortress Investment Group; and Manager, Transaction Services, Global Capital Markets Group, PwC. Linda Helen Gieseke is an international senior strategy advisor specializing in business development, sales and growth strategies for multinational companies, focusing on expansion into the US market. Linda Helen Gieseke has an extensive track record of transforming Fortune 500 companies and scaling businesses and holds a number of advisory positions. Her former positions include Project Leader, Boston Consulting Group in Germany, South Africa, and the US; and US Expansion Manager for a leading specialist in photo production and art.

Silicon Valley Supporters

Susan Sayre Batton, Executive Director, San Jose Museum of Art Tad Freese, Board of Trustees, San Jose Museum of Art and Managing Partner, Latham & Watkins Garrett Herbert, San Jose Chair, San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association and Managing Partner, Deloitte Silicon Valley Kim Walesh, Director, City of San Jose Department of Economic Development