Adrian Pijoan: Paranormal Belief as Social Practice

Adrian Pijoan, an artist from Albuquerque, delves into themes like Bigfoot, UFOs, and the paranormal, viewing the supernatural as a form of social engagement rather than a matter of factual accuracy. His artistic endeavors include films, performances, and interactive installations, grounded in firsthand research, such as attending conferences on UFOs and Bigfoot, as well as alien abductee gatherings. Pijoan's alter ego, Dr. Howard, has performed at venues like Espacio Escultórico UNAM in Mexico City, where he facilitated attempts to connect with extraterrestrials. In Bogotá, he worked with the alien-themed street performers Clan Depredador for the 2025 film '1000 beetles a fern a crow.' His 2024 installation, 'The moon is full and so are all our inboxes,' reimagined Albuquerque's City Hall as a fictional Department of Unexplained Phenomena, featuring an interactive phone line (505-768-4747) for sharing paranormal stories. Noteworthy projects include the 2022 short film 'Slow Dance,' which reflects on romantic dynamics at paranormal events, and the browser animation 'Believe in us but not too much' (2022). Pijoan's work highlights belief as a relational concept, navigating the blurred lines between reality and fiction.