STUDIO
The lab, and the person running it.
Studio Lab BH is a systems research lab modeling invisible human systems, with affect as its first field of study. The studio is also the research practice of Brendon Hawkins, whose work moves across art, computation, product, and social theory.
Modeling invisible human systems.
Studio Lab BH is a systems research lab. We build computational models, instruments, and environments to understand and shape invisible human systems — especially affect.
Our work sits at the intersection of research, design, and engineering. We publish papers, ship instruments, and release diagrams as first-class research artifacts. Everything we make is built to be read, cited, and used.
The lab’s core axiom is simple. Affect has value. It is a structured, measurable, collective phenomenon, and treating it as such unlocks a class of problems that current models can’t touch.
- FIELDSContinuous systems, invisible forces, emergent behavior.
- FLOWDirection, velocity, attractor, repulsion, transformation.
- LAYERSTemporal depth, superposition, uncertainty.
- MEASUREMENTAxes, scales, calibration, evidence.
CURRENT FOCUS
AFFECTIVE COMPUTATIONAL GEOMETRY
Affective Computational Geometry is the lab’s core research thesis: emotion has geometry, geometry can be computed, and computation can be perceived. The work develops models for understanding affect as a field with direction, intensity, structure, and transformation over time.
COLLECTIVE FIELD DYNAMICS
Collective Field Dynamics studies how emotion moves across populations, platforms, and environments. It treats collective affect as a measurable system shaped by signals, feedback loops, memory, velocity, and drift.
EMOTION AS FIELD
Emotion as Field treats emotion as a spatial and relational condition rather than a fixed internal state. The work studies how affect gathers, moves, intensifies, dissipates, and reorganizes across bodies, environments, platforms, and time.
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.
- 01
LEAD WITH DESIGN THINKING
Identifying emerging trends, noticing intuitive patterns, and exploring abstract concepts to define the foundation of research and projects.
- 02
DATA FOUNDATION
Using data to validate and guide research, projects, and experiments, building on insights from design thinking.
- 03
COLOR AS LANGUAGE
Exploring color’s fundamental role in perception and its significance across human, ecological, and biological systems.
- 04
CULTURE HAS VALUE
Emphasizing culture’s foundational role in shaping human theories, social constructs, and engagements.
- 05
MEDIA AS COMMUNICATION
Leveraging media to engage with culture, share theories, and promote projects, integrating it deeply into the research process.
- 06
ENGINEERING DNA
Emphasizing a problem-solving mindset, where every project and research effort is guided by engineering principles to address and solve problems.
- 07
FLUID BOUNDARIES
Adapting the practice to address emerging problems, ensuring flexibility and growth over time.
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
- FOUNDERStudio Lab BH
- FOUNDING BOARD CHAIRPIT Lab at CUNY
CURRICULUM VITAE
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
RESIDENCIES & FELLOWSHIPS
- 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
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
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
COMMITTEES
- Out in TechPittsburgh Leadership
- Hearst UX GuildFounding Member
SELECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- PresentHearst 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
CONTACT
- EMAILbrendon@studiolabbh.xyz
- INSTAGRAM@studiolabbh ↗︎