What is Monihymn Studios?
My interdisciplinary practice aims to explore where art, design, tech, and communications interconnect. All concepts start out in writing as a poem or brief to embed a narrative focus. Then work to see which medium best emphasizes the narrative. The use of microfiction to accompany audio or visual work, creates sensory entryways into a creative world that aims to be as rich and expansive as Octavia Butler's or J.R.R. Tolkien's.
What do you do at Monihymn Studios?
At Monihymn Studios we deal with speculative design that develops Interdisciplinary theory. We also research and perform creative consultancy. So far, the work has taken the form of illustrations, poems, and audio productions. As the studio develops, I want to expand my work into other domains including books, bot, brand identities, installations and maybe more.
Who runs The Studio?
The studio is currently run by Armoni Boone, an interdisciplinary artist based in New York.
What's a "Monihymn"
noun
A moniker I made up. A shorthand for Armoni in conjunction with a spiritual sound of praise.
(In lore) A being in my creative universe who is responsible for warping reality with its imagination.
When did the studio start?
The initial form of the studio has been around since November 2019 where I started pushing. After going through my journals, the idea of it has existed for a while. Sometimes you just have to work something into existence. Some things can only make sense through practice
Why a Studio?
I wanted something to serve as an anchor for the work I do. The word "studio" implies something that is both grounded and institutional while also being nebulous in its purpose. A graphic design studio may have different motives and processes than an artist's studio. In either case, there is the implication that there is an entity that can handle complexity and is multifaceted. A single person doesn't get that benefit.
Even though it has a sense of an institution, it also has the luxury of organically growing and breathing independent of the artist. I want to experiment with that. With a focus on world-building and educational materials, the studio aims to enhance the ways in which people interact with media, creative self-expression and their multi-hyphenate endeavors.
I wanted to make something with weight that felt larger than me. I write poetry and stories and compose music. I feel like a curated body of work would support this thesis that would justify an interdisciplinary practice to the world. By showcasing low-cost digital tools, workflows and digital comms strategies, the barrier of entry for creative production can be lowered without sacrificing quality
