Post-Digital Intersections

Developed at the nexus of art, science, technology and society, Post-Digital Intersections is a mentoring and cultural mediation project, offering research and art production support to 12 young practitioners from 2 universities in Romania selected through open call, who will collaborate with each other and with international artists and curators from across Europe – Annick Bureaud (FR), Ruth Anderwald + Leonhard Grond (AT), Claudia Schnugg (AT), Dasha Ilina (FR/RU), Jan Świerkowski (PT/PL), Andrei Tudose or Sabina Suru (RO). The red thread of the program follows on post-digital practices and ideas, in a quest of demystifying the digital and finding new collaborative methodologies across fields.

Post-Digital Intersections begins with the Intersecting Realities exhibition hosted at Ștefania Palace, in Timișoara (RO), part of the Timișoara 2023 – European Capital of Culture program. The exhibition presents 6 international artists, opening a wide dialogue of sharing practices and artistic research-oriented approaches, tackling themes surrounding environment, ecology and technological impact on both human and non-human life in contemporary society. 

Following this event, the mentorship network develops both online and offline, offering a framework for practitioners from both the visual arts fields and the humanities. The program will be finalized with an exhibition showcasing their researches and projects developed within the program, hosted at the same venue as the opening show, along with a series of cultural mediation sessions and satellite events dedicated to a transparent and active dialogue with the general public in Timisoara.

The project is developed in partnership with various European centres of excellence, including Ars Electronica Export and die Angewandte – University of Applied Arts Vienna (AT), West University of Timișoara, CESI – Center of Excellence in Image Studies, the Austrian Cultural Forum in Bucharest and Simultan (RO), Leonardo/OLATS and NØ School (FR), and Instytut B61 (PT/PL).

.

International group exhibition
June 15th – July 2nd 2023, Ștefania Palace, Timișoara

Artists & contributors: Anderwald+Grond (AU), Marco Barotti (DE), Kasia Molga (UK/PL), Antoni Rayzhekov (BG/AU), Theresa Schubert (DE), Sabina Suru (RO), Ars Electronica Animation Festival on Tour (AU) 

Curators: Claudia Schnugg (AU) & Andrei Tudose (RO)

“Entering into an era where technology becomes ubiquitous as hardware becomes smaller and more adjusted to easy use and wear on the human body, and digital networks are enmeshed in the everyday workings of human life – invisible to the human eye, unfelt in physical spaces –, post-digital artists move beyond the focus on technology as a medium to explore, but are able to draw from a broad spectrum of media – new and old – to give meaning to their artistic vision. Thereby, the fascination of the digital dissolves into a symbiotic part of the narrative presented to the audience, just as society starts to find new ways of making sense in the meshwork of society, (digital) technology, and natural environment. (…) 

At the same time, in the wake of global and societal challenges, increasingly more artists turn to explore issues where they aim to raise awareness, actively take a role as social change catalyst, open spaces for resonance and critical discussions in the complex systems of fast changing environments, scientific discoveries, and technological development. (…) As such, the opening exhibition is an open invitation for a seemingly random walk through the hot topics of today, from macro issues related to the environment turmoil to digital intimacy and representations of the body connected by the essence of post-digital art production. Navigating freely between mediums and approaches, the selection of artworks builds a red thread that transcends abstract or cryptic concepts, building an experience that the audience can connect and relate to. It is the starting point of a discussion on how we relate, as a society, to the present and where can we, actively and collectively, go from here. It is an origin of inspiration for a young generation of artists, upon which we call through this program, to join and engage everyone with their view of the world – to start building their Youthopia, through art, science and technology.”

[excerpt from concept by Claudia Schnugg & Andrei Tudose]

Read the full curatorial stament here

Alexandra Buiga: Untitled [article only available in Romanian]

Andra Merfu: Post-Digital Intersections [article only available in Romanian]

Eliza Patrascu: At Auntie Gabi

Iulia Kycyku: Making of Nympha Melanoma by Ioana Bartha [article only available in Romanian]

Mihai Milea: A post-digital collage about affective memory [article only available in Romanian]

Miruna Barcan: Navigating the Intersection of Nature, Technology, and Art in a Post-Digital Odyssey [article only available in English]

Post-Digital Intersections is financed by the Ministry of Culture, through the Timișoara Project Center.

The project is part of the national program “Timișoara – 2023 European Capital of Culture” and is financed through the European Echoes program, run by Timișoara Project Center, with funds allocated from the state budget, through the Ministry of Culture.

Post-Digital Intersections is part of Open Practice Society, Marginal’s alternative education platform at the intersection of art, science & technology.

The project is supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum in Bucharest.

Partners:

Ars Electronica Export, die Angewandte – University of Applied Arts Vienna, CESI – Center of Excellence in Image Studies, West University of Timișoara / Arts & Design Faculty, Austrian Cultural Forum in Bucharest, NØ School, Leonardo/Olats, Obsolete Studio, Instytut B61, Asociacion Experimental, Simultan, Ephemair, Goethe Institut, Kozel

Media partners:
Agerpres, Propargarta, The Institute, Vice.com, Spotmedia, IQ ADS, SMARK, Market Watch, Revista Zeppelin, Revista Arta, Radio Romania Cultural, Modernism.ro, Zile și Nopți, Daily Magazine, Ziarul Metropolis, Feeder, DigitizArte, Revista Atelierul, Munteanu, Igloo, Empower Artist Magazine, HAPP, Revista Știinta si Tehnica, Savantgarde.