Alum Trevor Paglen in Conversation with Hito Steyerl in Porto
What is the world anymore? Is it still natural? Is it a scientific fact? Or a techno-theological spaceship set on auto destruct? And why are so many dreaming about leaving it? This debate features two of the most astute thinkers dealing with the textures of technology today: Hito Steyerl (1966, Germany), whose work encompasses philosophical and political themes, who ArtReview in 2017 considered to be the most influential artists in contemporary art; and Trevor Paglen (1974, USA), artist, geographer and journalist, for whom it is crucial to "comprehend the historical moment in which we live, in order to imagine alternative futures." Through their theoretical and artistic works they map the subconscious of the Internet, an exoskeleton that literally engulfs the world.
With each passing day the border between artificial intelligence and artificial stupidity is increasingly blurred. In this debate, moderated by curator and writer Shumon Basar, co-author of The Age of Earthquakes: A Guide to the Extreme Present, Steyerl and Paglen, whose artistic paths touch on points such as moving image and experimental geography, will share their research on the profound transformations that are taking place under our feet, in our skies and often, beneath our skin. Welcome to the world we didn't know we are living in.