Deep Dive Talks
As additional offer in this learning buffet of the FOUNDING LAB program, 6 Deep Dive Talks in the form of online keynotes and discussions are hosted. Local greats and international experts are invited to introduce students to their areas of expertise, to provide insights into practical applications of digital systems and services. The selection of the Deep Dive speakers was guided by the bigger questions and required realization skills of the Students’ semester projects.
Ryan Wittingslow
Dr. Ryan Wittingslow reveals ‘What Art Does’: A Fresh Perspective on the Functionality of Art
In this talk, associate professor and author Ryan Wittingslow leads us through his life, interests, and studies. With this journey through the different phases of his life, we eventually understand the inspiration behind his latest book ‘What Art Does’. His book is based on society deriving a great deal of cognitive pleasure from asking what artworks mean. And yet, despite the seriousness with which it approaches these questions, they all too often rely on theories of art that fail to adequately explain how art conveys meaning. Ryan’s book proposes a new theory. In contrast to more conventional definitions of art, What Art Does defends the claim that artworks constitute a class of tool. Like other tools, artworks are objects that have functions and that furnish affordances. However, thanks to the particular social and material facts that underpin the creation of artworks, the functions that artworks have and the affordances they furnish are special.
Biography
Ryan Wittingslow is an associate professor at the University of Groningen, a Humboldt research fellow at TU Darmstadt, and a research affiliate of the University of Sydney. He received his PhD in art history and philosophy from the University of Sydney in 2014. Before moving to Groningen in 2016, he experienced modest success as a copywriter, journalist, and magazine editor.
He is the author of the monograph What Art Does, Using Philosophy of Technology to talk about Art (Rowman & Littlefield 2023) and the editor-in-chief of the Philosophy of the City Journal. Most of his research sits at the fertile delta connecting aesthetics, philosophy of design, philosophy of technology, and political philosophy.
Website: ryanwittingslow.com
Oscar Ekponimo
Tech Visionary Oscar Ekponimo: Driving Digital Transformation for Social Impact in Africa
In this talk tech visionary Oscar Ekponimo shared his inspiring story that led him to establish himself as a true entrepreneur in the field of digital transformation. At just 26, Oscar founded Chowberry Inc., a groundbreaking technology-driven social business committed to addressing hunger in Africa. Join us as Oscar delves into his diverse background in software engineering, product design innovation, and startups, showcasing how he leverages technology for positive change. Discover the transformative impact of his innovative solutions, which have facilitated the redistribution of over 1.6 million meals from food at risk of waste.
Biography
Oscar is a driven entrepreneur, business visionary and innovator with a passion for leveraging technology to create positive change. At just 26, he founded Chowberry Inc., an innovative technology-driven social business in Africa, committed to enhancing food access for individuals experiencing hunger. Through strategic partnerships with Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) food brands, his groundbreaking technology has facilitated the redistribution of over 1.6 million meals from food at risk of waste.
Drawing upon his diverse background in software engineering, product design innovation, and startups, he personifies the entrepreneurial spirit and possesses an innate drive to develop groundbreaking solutions and approaches to complex problems. As a true self-starter, he established Africa’s inaugural multidisciplinary design lab, in collaboration with Ars Electronica FutureLab Austria. This visionary endeavor has nurtured a vibrant creative community of over 500 innovators, engineers, technologists, and artists.
Oscar has garnered various award and recognition which include being named as one of Time Magazine’s 10 Next Generation Leaders, named a Rolex Laureate through the Rolex Award for Enterprise, Harvard Medical bestowing upon him the title of Young Pioneer, an acknowledgment by the World Frontiers Forum that highlights his trailblazing approach in the field. The UN/ITU Young Innovators Award, BBC Top 10 Innovations of 2018 sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and inclusion in the Top 10 list of 2022 for Creative Entrepreneurs by 50Next at the Basque Culinary Centre are among other prestigious accolades.
Oscar serves as a member of the Advisory Board – Digital Communities to Ars Electronica GmBH Austria and has contributed as a jury member at MIT Solve. Passionate about creating positive change, he continuously seeks opportunities to leverage his entrepreneurial spirit and expertise to drive innovation and address pressing societal challenges with a keen eye for emerging trends and a deep understanding of market dynamics.
Website: chowberry.com
Tega Brain
The Art of Working Machines and Environments
Dive into the captivating world of Tega Brain, an Australian-born artist and environmental engineer, in this enlightening talk. Join us as Tega shares her unique exploration of ecology, data, automation, and infrastructure through innovative digital networks and thought-provoking projects. Tega’s work challenges the boundaries of technology and human connection.
Biography
Tega Brain is an Australian born artist and environmental engineer exploring issues of ecology, data, automation, and infrastructure. She has created digital networks that are controlled by environmental phenomena, schemes for obfuscating personal data, and a wildly popular, online smell-based dating service. Through these provisional systems she investigates how technologies orchestrate and reorchestrate agency. She is an Industry Associate Professor of integrated Design and Media at New York University and her first book, Code as Creative Medium, is coauthored with Golan Levin and published with MIT Press. She lives and works in New York and Sydney.
Website: tegabrain.com
Go Suzui
Go Suzui: My Lesson Learned
Biography
After researching the application of data science to sustainable development at the University of California, Berkeley’s graduate school, he joined a GovTech startup as their first data scientist. He spearheaded business evaluations using statistical causal inference. Later, He was involved in the launch of the behavioural design team that would become the precursor to Godot Inc., where he handled business promotion, predictive modelling using machine learning, and experimental design for statistical causal inference. Subsequently, he co-founded Godot Inc. he was responsible for product development using deep learning, obtaining and maintaining ISMS, and establishing information security measures. He led the establishment of Godot GmbH, a wholly-owned R&D subsidiary in Vienna, Austria, and served as its Managing Director locally.
Website: godot.inc
Marta Peirano
Towards a Future for everyone: De-bunking dominant narratives about AI Technology
Marta Peirano’s talk at the Founding Lab event on January 25th delved into debunking dominant narratives about AI technology in contemporary society. Drawing on examples and research, she challenged the future portrayed by major corporations, emphasizing the need for critical examination and collective rejection of these visions. Peirano urges universities to spearhead the creation of alternative paths that align with a future beneficial for all. Her talk aimed to inspire a reimagining of the societal impact of AI and encouraged the development of inclusive and ethical technological trajectories.
Yoko Shimizu
Harmony in Innovation: Bridging Science and Art
Join us for an inspiring talk by Yoko Shimizu, Head of Creative Business Innovation at Ars Electronica Futurelab. Born in Japan and nurtured in the creative atmosphere of New York, Yoko’s journey has woven together her background in biology and chemistry with a passion for art and technology.
In this Deep Dive Talk, Yoko will share her evolution from a creative director and consultant for technology companies in Japan to the establishment of her own laboratory. Her work in biology-inspired installations has garnered recognition and awards, propelling her to exhibit, speak, and travel globally.
Biography
Yoko Shimizu is a researcher and artist at the Ars Electronica Futurelab, with a background in biology and chemistry. She was born in Japan and raised in the United States, where she was inspired by the art scene in New York as a child.
Her career started as a creative director and consultant for technology companies in Japan. Later, she started her own lab, receiving awards for biology-inspired installations, and has given exhibitions, talks, and performances worldwide.
Yoko currently develops innovative technologies, methods, and installations that combine science and art, and works with companies, government entities, museums, and universities around the globe. Yoko has experience in managing and directing corporate as well as government projects and also provides talks and lectures in international events and conferences.
Website: ars.electronica.art/futurelab/research-symbiotic-creativity
If you have questions or require support, reach out to our team: foundinglab@ars.electronica.art