Feedforward. The Angel of History
Cleaning up after the 20th century. What is progress now?
22.10.2009 – 05.04.2010
LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial
Gijón, Spain
Feedforward. The Angel of History addresses the current moment in history where the wreckage of political conflict and economic inequality is piling up, while globalized forces—largely enabled by the “progress” of digital information technologies—inexorably feed us forward. The exhibition title references Paul Klee’s painting “Angelus Novus,” which Walter Benjamin famously interpreted as an “angel of history” transfixed by the wreckage of the past that is piling up in front of him while being propelled backwards into the uncertain future by a storm from paradise
(progress).
The exhibition, curated by Steve Dietz (Artistic Director of the 01SJ Biennial) and Christiane Paul (Director of the Media Studies Graduate Program, New School, NY; Adjunct Curator of New Media Arts, Whitney Museum of American Art) features 29 artworks by 27 artists and artist teams.
The projects are presented, as if in the rear view mirror of progress, in sections relating to five themes:
• The “wreckage” of the 20th century created by wars and conflict
• The countermeasures of surveillance and repression that the state as well as global capital set up in an to attempt to maintain control
• The aesthetics and symbolic language of the media of our times
• The forces of economic globalization such as outsourcing and migration
• The possibilities of reconstruction and agency
Together, the projects featured in Feedforward create a complex picture of the global political and social forces that drive us forward. The exhibition features both the problematic aspects of the present and future, and the potential for collectivity and responsible action. At the nadir of the current global economic crisis, Feedforward is in effect about cleaning up after the 20th century and asks the question, what is progress now?
CURATORS: Christiane Paul & Steve Dietz
EXHIBITION DESIGN: Ángel Borrego – Office for Strategic Spaces
ARTISTS: AES+F, Christopher Baker, Stella Brennan, Paul Chan, Nancy Davenport, Nonny de la Peña y Peggy Weil, Hasan Elahi, Cao Fei, Bárbara Fluxá, Daniel García Andújar, Fernando García-Dory, Goldin + Senneby, Harwood, Wright, Yokokoji, Knowbotic Research + Peter Sandbichler, Langlands + Bell, Jennifer + Kevin McCoy, Margot Lovejoy, Naeem Mohaiemen, Ali Momeni + Robin Mandel, Carlos Motta, Trevor Paglen, Rachael Rakena, Fez Fa’anana, Brian Fuata, Stephanie Rothenberg + Jeff Crouse, System-77CCR Consortium, Piotr Szyhalski, Tamiko Thiel + Teresa Reuter, Carey Young
SYMPOSIUM FEEDFORWARD
The Symposium Feedforward. The Angel of the History, will take part on October the 23 and 24. A panel of experts and artists in new media art will debate about some of the central topics of the exhibition.
PARTICIPANTS: Christiane Paul, Steve Dietz, Sarah Cook, Margot Lovejoy, Tamiko Thiel, Chris Baker, Jose Carlos Mariategui, Stephanie Rothenberg, Angus Cameron, Tiziana Terranova, Piotr Szyhalski, Naeem Mohaiemen, Barbara Fluxá, Esther Leslie, Hasan Elahi, Konrad Becker y Marco Peljhan, Nonny de la Peña y Peggy Weil, Knowbotic Research, Tom Levin, Jaron Rowan y Clara Piazuelo, Tere Badía, Emmanuel Rodríguez, Graham Harwood, Eric Kluitenberg, Daniel G. Andújar, Fernando García-Dory, Carlos Motta, Ali Momeni.
LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial is a space for artistic exchange. It is set up with the purpose of establishing an effective alliance between art, design, culture, industry and economic progress and the goal of becoming a space for interaction and dialogue between art, new technologies and industrial creation. It throws a special spotlight on production, creation and research into art concepts still being defined.
LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial
Los Prados, 121
33394 Gijón (Asturias) Spain
Tel: +34 985 185 577
Fax: +34 985 337 355
info@laboralcentrodearte.org
Opening Hours: Wednesday to Monday, 12 noon – 8 pm
