Abraham Evensen Tena

Abraham Evensen Tena is an Assistant Professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), with dual appointments in the Dynamic Media Institute and the Illustration program. He also serves as the Program Area Chair for Illustration, demonstrating leadership in curriculum and academic direction.

His educational background includes a BFA in Illustration (2009) and an MFA in Design and Applied Arts (2020), both from MassArt. These qualifications ground his practice in both artistic tradition and contemporary digital innovation.

His research and creative work focus on interactive and immersive media, particularly virtual and augmented reality, where he explores themes such as bodily autonomy, the gaze, eroticism, social embodiment, and digital privacy. Projects like Bodily Autonomy VR Lab, Model, Muse, Object, and Electronic Votive Objects exemplify his interdisciplinary approach, merging art, design, technology, and philosophical inquiry. His work often critiques societal norms and digital culture, using games and interactive installations as tools for reflection and engagement.

Although no formal academic publications are listed, his creative projects serve as research outputs, exhibited in galleries such as the Boston CyberArts Gallery and presented in public programs like the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s Third Thursday event. These works demonstrate a consistent trajectory in blending aesthetic innovation with social commentary.

• Assistant Professor, Dynamic Media Institute, MassArt
• Assistant Professor, Illustration, MassArt
• Program Area Chair, Illustration, MassArt
• Former Instructor, Rhode Island School of Design
• Game Designer, Pearson Education

Abraham has no listed scientific awards or formal recognitions in the provided text. His advisory roles and grant history are not mentioned, so no details can be inferred. However, his creative projects suggest a strong engagement with research through practice and pedagogical innovation.

He leads and develops experimental art projects that often involve team collaboration, such as Model, Muse, Object (co-created with Melissa Teng), and has utilized platforms like ArtiVive for augmented reality integration. These initiatives reflect a lab-like creative environment focused on digital embodiment and interactive storytelling, though no formal lab name or team structure is specified.