Drew Trujillo

Bio

Drew Trujillo, born in Albuquerque, New Mexico (the 47th US state), is a 14th-generation New Mexican with Mexica Mestizo ancestors. Trujillo's art embodies storytelling by merging dance with custom technology to sonify movement. His creations have traveled to exhibitions across the United States, Asia, and Europe, where he has also presented and lectured, sharing his expertise in video art, animations, and immersive experiences. Trujillo has a diverse career, having contributed to video games, software development, robotics, and immersive entertainment. He earned recognition as a 2021 SITE Santa Fe Scholar and previously served as the Director of Technology at Meow Wolf, as well as a board member at the Santa Fe Art Institute.

Trujillo received an MFA in Experimental Arts and Technology from the University of New Mexico in May 2024.

In his current role as Computer Science Program Developer & Visiting Faculty at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), he leads the development of an interdisciplinary Computer Science Baccalaureate degree program focused on integrating Indigenous artistic and cultural expression with cutting-edge technology. His responsibilities include designing and teaching computer science courses tailored to Native American and Alaska Native students, combining technological proficiency with cultural heritage. He also oversees program development, supervises internships and work-study programs, and cultivates industry partnerships to provide real-world applications for students, all while ensuring alignment with IAIA's institutional goals and accreditation standards.

Artist statement

My art delves into the sonification of dancers to challenge the conventional dualistic perspective. Rather than opposing forces, I see a seamless blending of our identities akin to gradients and watercolors in flux. This approach weaves temporal, discrete, and linear choreography with spatial, non-linear dreamscapes. Here, dancers rediscover their role as storytellers, passing on narratives to current and future generations as embodied instruments.

Deconstructing dance and musical systems from my Spanish heritage and rebuilding the expressiveness of my Mestizo ancestors, I navigate the liminal space between cultures. This exploration involves dancers embodying instruments and modulating sounds through their movements.

To make this a reality, I've developed a custom application, ¡Otro!, that connects various sensors and electronics the dancers wear with custom patches in sound software. This technology sonifies dancers' movements and positions, discerning proximity to other dancers or specific performance zones, creating a dynamic fusion of art, culture, and technology.