Themes
COVID-19 Crisis: Future Scenarios
Walter Ötsch, Renata Schmidtkunz, Sighard Neckel, Antonia Birnbaum
The coronavirus shock will change society and it will not be possible to return to the "normal state of affairs" we had before the crisis. Two scenarios are outlined: (1) In the negative scenario, the coronavirus shock will bring little change on the surface, but will, in fact, fundamentally reshape the political shell that surrounds capitalism. This is explained in analogy to developments after the 2008 financial crisis, in which the elites who caused the crisis were not challenged and held accountable. In this thoroughly realistic scenario, a new authoritarian form of capitalism can emerge, in which the new power for the states is also expanded into new forms of surveillance. (2) The positive scenario ties in with many historical experiences in which the world was improved after crises. We are currently experiencing a redesign of political action that contains positive moments such as new forms of talking collectively about fears, new forms of solidarity with strangers and the experience of how important and powerful politics can be. Perhaps in this scenario it may be possible to combine the corona shock with concerns about the coming ecological crises and to take effective steps to mitigate them.
Symposium “Perspektiven politischer Bildung”
Arbeiterkammer OÖ (AT), Pädagogische Hochschule OÖ (AT)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is omnipresent, without us always being aware of it. For many years now, it has been making our everyday lives easier, for example when cell phones are unlocked by means of face recognition or when individual advertising guides us through the jungle of the Internet. AI can manipulate us humans. Can it thus become a danger to democracy? The first signs of this apparent development were brought about by the brexite vote or the US presidential elections, for example.
COVID-19 Crisis
Walter Ötsch (AT), Renata Schmidtkunz (AT)
We invite people from the fields of philosophy, sociology, economics and media studies to take part in a public discussion of these questions. Experts will present their views, challenge each other and offer suggestions for the future of our society.
AI x Music Festival: Bot Bop Musical creation and innovation with AI
Andrew Claes (BE) and Dago Sondervan (NL)
Musical phrases are fed in real-time to a live coded machine learning model. The emerging virtual agent reacts and is again reacted to, creating an organic feedback loop. Utilising improvisational, instant composing and algorithmic musical techniques, listen to the duo becoming a trio during the course of this performance.
Transculturalism: The Space in Between
Amelia Jones, Krzysztof Wodiczko, Behnaz Farahi
In this panel discussion Amelia Jones (USC); Krzysztof Wodiczko (Harvard GSD), Behnaz Farahi (CSULB) are discussing "Transculturalism: The Space in Between". As utopian fantasies of "global" interconnectedness fade on relation to a global pandemic and burgeoning nationalisms, it is important to develop strategies to foster a sense of inclusion and overcome a culture of exclusion. This panel discussion addresses what role might art and design play to maintain a sense of transculturalism and how they might allow us to see things differently.
Genetic Biotech through the Eyes of Artists
BOZAR presents a talk on genetic modification, featuring Sandra Lorenzi (FR), Kuang-Yi Ku (TW), Christophe De Jaeger (BE), and 2 scientists from the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie – VIB. The talk will be preceded by a video streaming of a guided tour in the VIB facilities in Gent (BE), with Sandra Lorenzi (FR – artist of the Studiotopia programme), Kuang-Yi Ku (TW – artist of the Studiotopia programme), Sofie Bekaert (BE – VIB) and VIB scientists Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke and Sofie Goormachtig, presenting their current research.
Complex Thoughts Lab
In the post-coronavirus scenario, The Complex Thoughts Lab invites to think outside the box to put together a model of the new world after COVID-19. Are we willing to rethink our nature, the concept of well-being? Will we be able to commit ourselves to bequeath a better world to future generations? The students share ideas to build a world model facing the next generations and transforming the Covid-19 crisis into an opportunity.
Panel: Surveillance, Gaze and Ways of Seeing
Lauren McCarthy, Memo Akten, Behnaz Farahi
In this panel discussion, Behnaz Farahi, Lauren Lee Carthy and Memo Akten are discussing the notion of "gaze", "ways of seeing" and "surveillance" in the context of this group exhibition.
Exhibition
Krzystof Wodiczko, Behnaz Farahi, Memo Akten, Lauren Lee McCarthy (US)
This exhibition examines how different strategies of the ‘gaze’ could be used to undermine various forms of power structure and promote different forms of resistance. It does so by displaying either exhibits illustrating the gaze and voices of marginalized groups, or projects exploring how literal masks might hide or reveal identities. The idea is to use art and technology in combination with critical thinking to convey a powerful political message.
Cellular Seeds – Inexorable futures
Alejandra Marinaro (AR)
The Latinamerican Bioarte Lab (LatBioLab) explores more than 12 years of Bioart in Argentina. From ‘The Biosphere Project‘, Joaquín Fargas (AR), a simple way to show the world ecosytem, until ‘Colony‘, Darío Sacco (AR) that connects technology with biology and ‘Cellular Seeds - Inexorable Futures‘, Aleandra Marinaro (AR) that generates a new kind of “tech-life“. The Biosphere Project launches the adoption program of small worlds: ¨Adopt a World, adopt your World¨.
Q&A with Man & Wah
Moderated by independent curator and creative director working in the field of digital/new media arts, Lubi Thomas (AU/UK), this live Q&A event will explore the creative practice and process of artists Man & Wah. Covering topics of nature, the cosmos, information and interdisciplinary artistic practice, Man & Wah will respond to live questions alongside a discussion with Lubi about their narrative video piece, CELESTON, and physical exhibition at Museum of Brisbane.
Man & Wah: Artist Studio Profile
Working within the breadth of nature and the cosmos, the Marco and Micro, Man & Wah (AU) produce lush and alluring photographic, moving image, digital and installation based works. Collaborating with a diverse range of people on projects across the globe, they explore the depths of place through local flora; ultimately illuminating synergies between the limits of the man-made and vastness of natural systems and structures. This video follows the artists’ creative process and explores the places they forage for inspiration and meaning. Created in collaboration with photographer and filmmaker Charlie Hillhouse (AU), this studio profile gives insight into the forces that drive Man & Wah to continue to compel audiences to reflect on the phenomenal complexity of plants and the endless possibilities of interconnectedness.
Keynote Lecture: Tree Conservation and Genetics
Victoria Sork, UCLA Dean of Life Sciences, Director of Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Gardens
Cellular Seeds - Live Interaction with the artist
Alejandra Marinaro (AR)
Live interaction with the artist The existence of destiny is an inherent question about the human condition and many believe it to be unique. Meet the artist behind Cellular Seeds. Link to enter will be available in alejandramarinaro.com
CyberBallet
CyberRäuber (DE)
With the public rehearsals ending, the work will premiere in September 2020 at Ars Electronica Festival, in front of an audience that can join the performance via livestream.
Scratch-Introduction: Rocket launch!
You can`t get to space without the help of computers – so here’s an introduction for children (10-14 years) who want to learn programming. Via the free online platform Scratch we will animate an interactive rocket launch.
A sketchnote-workshop online - our experience
Participatory workshops with students offer exciting new perspectives for scientific communication, but what happens when they have to be done remotely? In this online seminar we will explore the challenges and opportunities provided by shifting a Sketchnote workshop with students to an online format.
Space in the classroom? - It's not rocket science!
Everybody loves space, but how can teachers include space topics in class? This online seminar offers simple experiments as supplements to “normal” STEM-lessons and introduces extracurricular learning centers that offer deeper dives.
Live Program of Telluric Vibrations, UCLA Botanical Gardens – Los Angeles
Enjoy the extensive live Program of Telluric Vibrations, UCLA Botanical Gardens – Los Angeles
ACTION LAB
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (DE)
Pollution is one of the most critical contemporary environmental challenges. To tackle it, everyone must be involved. The ACTION Lab offers a chance to engage with cutting-edge citizen science projects that are not only addressing pollution, but also working within the ACTION project to make citizen science participatory, inclusive and citizen-led.
