Project Exponential

Process

A dinner party could change everything.

  • Inspiring awe and cultivating belonging

    Ai Weiwei arranged for 1,001 Chinese citizens — farmers, workers, villagers — to travel to Germany for a 2007 art festival. Most would never have had the opportunity to attend such an event, and their presence changed the fabric of the experience. To represent their participation, Weiwei displayed 1,001 wooden chairs at an exhibition.

    Not only the scale of this act but the creative generosity of this work moves me. For these traveling visitors, the journey may never be forgotten. Yet for those who may not have otherwise encountered these sponsored viewers, Weiwei’s work disrupted the notion of who art is “for.”

    I am also reminded for Allan Kaprow’s Fluids (1967), where participants built structures out of ice blocks that melted away within a day and Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate, a mirrored sculpture in Chicago that reflects and refracts the city around it, turning everyday citizens into part of the work. These projects show the power of shared experiences and how a sense of awe can inspire a sense of belonging.

    For me, awe and belonging are intertwined. Belonging isn’t built through speeches or a specific set of instructions. It emerges when people feel connected and are drawn out of themselves into something collective. One opens the door to the other.

    A dinner party might seem like a modest form when compared with Weiwei’s work and large public sculptures, but it carries the same potential. And this is what I seek to create: Shared experiences that inspire wonder and invite people to feel part of something beyond themselves. When I curated events, I’m not setting out to achieve a defined outcome. Instead, I focus my attention on creating a space where curiosity, wonder, and belonging might have seats at the table.

  • What connects us

    Understanding that first and foremost, the life you want to create for yourself, the type of person you want to become, the parts of yourself you’re most excited to develop will attract individuals who will help you get there.

    Realizing that true, authentic connection is expansive. The right relationship discovered at the right time can help you soar, find freedom, create, and see a limitless future.

    Recognizing that relationships are catalysts for growth and independence — for supporting both reckless abandon and providing the foundation to carry the wisdom that comes from experience, failure, frustration, pain.

    Acknowledging that your highest highs and lowest lows are probably different than mine; the value lies in sharing and discovering what these experiences were like for each of us.

    Accepting that at your very worst, you are someone’s pride and joy. Knowing this helps reveal the very best parts of you.

    That through the fog of confusion and longing, we can help each other find shared laughter and bouts of success, punctuated with gratitude and contentment along the way.

    That our mutual appreciation for life — the ups and downs, the hard lessons and the easy ones — may or may not happen at the same time. Your up might be my down, but no matter, when we find ourselves on the same plane, we can share the lessons we learned and the tricks we used to get us through.

    Embracing that this is all really about compassion, about elevating each other and pushing one another to succeed by sharing our struggles and our wins.

    We collaborate because our ideas become greater. Like a brilliant prism, the unique perspectives we each offer leads to undiscovered treasure.

    It’s our gift to find it.

  • The art of community

    Community doesn’t just happen. It takes time and effort and care.

    Amidst routine and packed schedules, relationships deserve a sacred setting. You can’t deny the electricity that encompasses a group breaking bread. It’s an act that has held magic and mystery for centuries.

    Whether the dining table, the running track, the book club, or the coffee group, find your place for sharing and storytelling. The more authentic you can be, the more comfortable your cohort will feel.

    Build a bedrock for meaningful conversation and lasting relationships, a canvas for discussion and deliberation. Look to encourage that spark, that contagious flame that sets ideas ablaze. Serendipity sometimes needs a little push.

    Turn connection into art.

     

  • Celebrate Tuesday

    Many folks believe they need a special occasion in order to organize a gathering. A birthday, a wedding, a holiday, a housewarming. What if you didn’t wait for a reason to bring people together? Tonight sounds like a perfectly great night to introduce some friends in your circle who may not know each other.

    Sound stressful? Focus on creating meaning with the people in your life and let the rest work itself out.

  • The anti-resume

    The kind of people you want to work with don’t want to see your list of interests and accolades. They don’t care about your work history, what schools you’ve attended, what awards you’ve won. They want to know what work you’ve put into the world, what you’ve left behind, where you’re going. The best work stands for itself.

    Your resume is the communities that miss you after you’ve left, the imprint you leave behind. The relationships you’ve forged, the lives you’ve touched, and the work that sparkles with your finesse — this is your resume. When you realize this, you’ll be filled with freedom and independence: titles no longer matter, job descriptions are irrelevant, length of employment fails to indicate your loyalty and value. Your success doesn’t rest in the hands of another.

    Why spend another moment waiting for the phone to ring? You’re worth more than that. What if you created your own tribe, shipped your own art, designed a viable solution? Don’t wait for opportunities that may never find you. Create them for yourself and change lives along the way.

  • Essential ingredients of great dinner parties

    I’ve attended dinner parties with incredibly talented, driven individuals. But for whatever reason, the energy isn’t right. People who should be brainstorming and dreaming together end up at opposite ends of the table. Conversation seems forced and inauthentic. This frustrates me beyond words.

    You want people to tell stories. A dinner can be a long time to sit next to someone in which no connection is shared. Seating matters. Guests don’t need to stay in the same spot all night.

    Introduce individuals from complementary industries. Instigate unexpected relationships. Create a welcoming environment that acts as the backdrop for stories and connection. Deliberate planning is the difference between good and great.

    A seating arrangement is an easy way to convey advance preparation. The right pairing of personalities can focus the energy of the party, and proper introductions is a subtle nod to the talents and expertise of those involved. Seating complementary interests next to each other is a detail appreciated by any dinner guest, and, when planned with intention, can optimize opportunities for individuals to shine.

    When a guest enters a room and knows she’s been considered in advance, a shift happens. Suddenly, her focus changes. She is no longer a passive observer and is encouraged to play an active role as participant.