Office of Experiments.
Neal White and John Beck

History

Office of Experiments is a critical art institution that was established in 2004 by artist Neal White to undertake collaborative art projects. Office of Experiments launched as a marginal institution with a focus on the experiment, temporality and technoscience, and was shaped by the conceptual reach of his digital art practice into the expanded field of contemporary art. It is shaped by a period when social art practices, institutional critique and collective projects were being developed in relation to non-academic or undisciplined research.

Office of Experiments is currently led by Neal White with John Beck, a writer and academic. They have been working more closely since White joined joined the University of Westminster in 2016.

Office of Experiments associates also include; Gail Davies, Lisa Haskel, Erik Kearney, Steve Rowell, Harry Smith and Tina O’Connell.

For more please read or see;

John Beck interview with Neal White around the work of Office of Experiments, that featured in the Book; Cold War Legacies; Systems, Theory, Aesthetics published in 2018.

The projects developed between 2004-2023 included collaborations with: N55, DK (2004-6), Katrin Soldhju, DE (2006), Nicolas Langlitz, DE (2006), Jens Hauser, DE (2006), Steve Rowell – USA  (2008-), Lisa Haskel, UK (2008-), Gail Davies, UK (2008-), Mike Kenner, UK (2008-), John Hill (2010), Luce Choules, UK (2012), Tina O’Connell, IE (2012-), Dominic Walker, UK (2015), Rob Smith and Rebecca Birch of Field Broadcast (2014),  Anna Troisi, IT (2015-18), Anna Santomauro, IT (2016-), Claudia Lastra, UK (2016-), Alec Steadman, UK (2016), John Beck, UK (2016 -), Monsoon Assemblages, UK (2020-21), Deep Field Project; Diann Bauer, USA and Jol Thoms, CA (2020-) Bill Thompson, USA (2018-), Erik Kearney, IE (2008-) and Harry Smith (2023-).

Thanks

Whilst our research is undertaken as far as is possible through autonomous approaches, we have been supported by many of our collaborators who work within and across different disciplines, institutions and funding models in the arts and University sector. Our projects have been funded through grants but also by the research time paid for by these organisations and networks, and a lot of our ongoing activity was undertaken from enthusiasm for the projects and its meta practices in relation to non-academic or undisciplined research. We therefore thank all the organisations and individuals who support our vision, and are dedicated to the support of independent, autonomous and anomalous research.

Arts Catalyst (UK), Zone2Source (Holland), Portikus – Hochschule für Bildende Künste Städelschule, Frankfurt am Main – (Germany), The Latham Estate (UK), O+I (formerly Artist Placement Group) (UK), The Centre for Land Use Interpretation (USA), The Henry Moore Foundation (UK), Arts Council of England (UK), Camberwell Offsite Projects (UK), John Hansard Gallery (UK),  Max-Planck Institute (Germany),  FACT, Liverpool (UK), B-Side (UK), Museum of London (UK), Heritage Lottery Fund (UK).