Van Newman

Van Newman (they/he) is a screenwriter and strategist whose work explores how technology shapes power, identity and desire through the lens of queer and trans communities of color.

Divest

Day & Night: The Emerging Aesthetics of New Wave Neo-Luddism

I followed a DJ to a phone-free, clown-themed dance floor and stumbled into a living experiment in neo-Luddism. From luxury dumbphones to sweaty nights off-camera, two aesthetics of opting out are emerging: “luxury low-tech” and “phone-free presence”.