Why Famed Artist Rich Tu's Human Response Exhibit is a Must-See

HeadRoom with Dr. Rod Berger

On this episode of HeadRoom, host Dr. Rod Berger invites Rich Tu, a first-generation Filipino American, onto the show to discuss his current exhibit 'Human Response'. Rich is an award-winning designer and artist based in Brooklyn who has worked with several high-profile clients and has exhibited around the world. Dr. Berger delves deep with Rich to ask him about his vulnerability as an artist and how his personal experiences have influenced his work. They explore the convergence of technology and traditional art and discuss the importance of human experiences in AI. The episode also explores the speaker's personal journey of coping with the loss of a loved one, his struggle with taking time off, and his journey toward producing his current exhibit. Key Moments [00:05:02] A humorous approach used to tap into the zeitgeist. Commercial interests involve risk, players, and scope. Showing his work, "Human Response," inspired by his father's passing a year ago. [00:06:51] Using AI for mental health therapy, assembling conversations into a narrative, quantifying emotional responses, creating typographic compositions, and augmented reality filters. [00:13:16] Tu discusses personal insecurities & vulnerability in creative work and how it impacts his relationships. [00:14:27] The process of creating a show and exhibit about one's father, with the help of a curator. The exhibit includes emotional and vulnerable prompts, also including the obituary displayed at the beginning of the exhibit. [00:20:05] A personal mission is to maximize creative skills and push tech in augmented reality and AI, inspiring peers and wanting to make an impact on the creative industry. [00:25:04] Tu seeks authorship through new experiences and learning from great educators. Marshall Arisman's iconic work and emotional energy is mentioned as an inspiration. [00:29:21] The struggle to take vacations even though Tu won a sabbatical and intended to travel but remained working on the show. [00:33:23] Details about the exhibit include: it is open to the public until June 24th, at Dot Gallery located at 370 Broadway in SoHo. Connect with Rich Tu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_tu/ Website: https://richtu.com/

About Rich Tu:

Rich Tu is a first-generation Filipino-American and award-winning designer and artist residing in Brooklyn, NY. He is a Partner and Executive Creative Director at Sunday Afternoon. Previously, Rich has held creative leadership roles at Jones Knowles Ritchie, MTV Entertainment Group, and Nike Inc.

In addition, he hosts the Webby Honoree podcast First Generation Burden, which focuses on intersectionality and diversity within the creative industry, and is co-founder of the COLORFUL awards with the One Club for Creativity, dedicated to creating opportunities for early career BIPOC creatives.

Tu's recent work, "Human Response," is an interactive exhibit about processing grief in the era of artificial intelligence, consisting of dynamic typographic compositions, augmented reality, and an animated short. The exhibit is open to the public until June 24th at Dot Gallery, located at 370 Broadway in SoHo. Curated by Ché Morales and presented by Sunday Afternoon.

Awards and honors include ADC Awards, D&AD, Webby Awards, Telly Awards, CLIOs, Cynopsis D Awards, PromaxBDA, The Shorty Awards, Power of Purpose Award, New York Festivals, ADC Young Guns, PRINT Magazine, American Photography, American Illustration, and The Society of Illustrators among others.

Clients and collaborators include The New York Times, The New Yorker, MINI, NIKE, A24, Budweiser, Paramount, Adidas, Converse, G-Shock, American Express, NPR, NorthFace Purple Label, Coca-Cola, Verizon, Skype, Fuse TV, Alfa Romeo, Bombay Sapphire, and Hamilton The Musical, among others. Also, he has exhibited at galleries and festivals in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, and Miami.