Sebastian Gonzalez Quintero

MFA ’21 Film/Video

My creative work responds to personal concerns and interests about climate change. Specifically, I am interested in exploring ideas about the human impact on the environment and our relationship with nature.

Three types of explorations are foundational to my creative process. First, the exploration and intervention of outdoor urban spaces. In the urban context, where it is easy to get used to the negative impacts of humans on nature, I find the opportunity to develop interventions in specific spaces, aiming to use their particular conditions as a vehicle to raise questions about larger environmental issues. Second, exploring the intersection of art and technology as a realm for reflection, speculation, and research about climate change. Finally, harnessing the potential of interactive media to emphasize and materialize the human agency in the environmental crisis.

As a result of my creative process, I develop works that use moving image, interactive media, video-installation and site-specific intervention as mediums to engage the public with environmental matters.

In Charles River Underwater Sounds, I build upon my interest in the Charles River by investigating its underwater soundscapes. This installation presents sound recordings collected from various locations along the river and at different times of the year, revealing an unfamiliar aspect of the Charles River to the public.

By connecting underwater sounds with images of the recording locations, the installation invites the public to consider the relationship between underwater soundscapes, events in and above the water, human activity, and the built environment.



Sebastian Gonzalez explores climate change and environmental issues through moving image, interactive media, and site-specific interventions. Raised in Bogotá, Colombia, he earned a B.A. in psychology and a graduate certificate in photography from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sebastian holds an MFA in Film & Video from MassArt, where he taught as adjunct faculty for the Film/Video and Studio Foundation departments. He is currently a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Design and Media at Northeastern University.

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