Brendon Hawkins
Brendon Hawkins is the founder of Studio Lab BH and Interim Founding Board Chair at PIT Lab at CUNY. His work builds computational frameworks for affect: how emotion behaves as a structured system across populations, platforms, environments, and time.
His practice is interdisciplinary by design. He trained as an artist and works as a technologist, with a background spanning art, research, product, and emerging technologies. Prior work centered on time, identity, language, and culture as systems; current work formalizes affect as a missing layer in how we model human experience.
Based in New York. Formative roots in Pittsburgh. Studies ASL. Reads widely.
Current affiliations
- Founder
- Studio Lab BH
- Founding board chair
- PIT Lab at CUNY
Curriculum vitae
Residencies & fellowships
- 2026Public Interest Technology Research FellowCUNY, New York, NY
- 2020–21FINE ResidencyChildren’s Museum of Pittsburgh
- 2020Field Work Gallery
- 2019Creative and Social Impact FellowKelly Strayhorn Theater
- 2019DistilleryBrew House Association
- 2019Visiting ArtistLegacy Arts Project
- 2018Bunker Projects
Workshops
- 2026Making AI Make Sense Together: Designing a Critical AI Research Commons with NYC Open DataSchool of Data: Data Week
Public speaking
- 2025Queer Tech Stories Across GenerationsPayPal HQ
- 2025Building Products in the Age of AIHearst
- 2024Speculative: Designing for the day after tomorrowHearst
- 2021Designing TechnologyBloom Institute of Technology
- 20191440 Artist PanelMattress Factory
- 2018Visiting Photography CriticPoint Park University
- 2018The Illusion Of The Queer Black AmericanArtist Image Resource
Solo exhibitions
- 2026ACG By Studio Lab BHThe Space, New York, NY
- 2024Three DegreesIndustrious, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2019#ShowUpMattress Factory, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2018UntitledBunker Projects, Pittsburgh, PA
Group exhibitions
- 2025PIT Lab × Beta NYC Pop-UpThe Oculus, New York, NY
- 2020Seeking TruthBrew House, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2020ChannelPittsburgh Children’s Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2019The Self, Realized: Queering the Art of Self-PortraitureBrewhouse, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2018The House We BuildImagebox Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2017Welcome HomeFuture Tenant, Pittsburgh, PA
Commissions
- 2018Guest of HonorCarnegie Museum of Art
- 2018#ShowUpMFMattress Factory
Published work
- 2020Worst Title EverCover Artist · Aaron Jones
- 2018Cali CodPhoto Editor · The Tenth Magazine
- 2017Hidden FlameEditorial Photographer · NeuNeu Magazine
- 2017WonderlandEditorial Photographer · Fucking Young
Performances
- 2019Stone Wall: 50th AnniversaryAndy Warhol Museum
- 2018The Warhol Shop Talk: Black Joy, Masculinity, & BarbershopsAndy Warhol Museum
- 2018My People Queer ArtKST Alloy
Committees
- Out in TechPittsburgh Leadership
- Hearst UX GuildFounding Member
Select professional experience
- Hearst Television · Technical Product ManagerEmerging Technology — AI, rapid prototyping, research
- Candid · Product ManagerAPI — Apple Pay API, GraphQL API, Demographics API
Education
- 2023B.S. Information Assurance and SecurityAmerican Intercontinental University
- 2021Certificate, Web Development and Computer ScienceBloom Institute of Technology
Media & press
- 2025Showing Up: Brendon Hawkins on Art, Technology, and Community AccountabilitySyncing Up Podcast · Out in Tech
- 2020MuseumLab opens line of communication with Channel group art exhibitionPittsburgh City Paper · Amanda Waltz
- 2019LGBTQ+ artists assert their identities for The Self, Realized: Queering the Art of Self-PortraiturePittsburgh City Paper · Amanda Waltz
- 2018Five stand-out stars from new all-black fashion mag Neu NeuDazed Magazine · Kemi Alemoru