Rules of Engagement – 10th November

Happy to announce that I’m curating a new programme called Rules of Engagement for the Open Data Institute’s annual Summit on November 10th. The programme features new commissions from Nick Briz, A.M. Darke and Everest Pipkin. By seeing people as more than just data points, Rules of Engagement asks those with power to reimagine how we engage with data, advocating for an ethical data future for everyone.

The Open Data Institute (ODI) arts programme Data as Culture harnesses the critical and unexpected voices of artists in response to ODI’s research. The current research and development programme looks at sustainable data access and building trust through certification, and creating data infrastructure for common challenges.

Rules of Engagement is curated by guest curator Antonio Roberts who was inspired by the numerous scandals involving data towards the end of the 2010s. The artist’s work will be integrated throughout the ODI Summit 2020 – Data | Futures and online.

Commissioned artists Nick Briz, A.M. Darke and Everest Pipkin interrogate the systems that have allowed unethical use of data. Through their work, the artists ask important questions that all of us should be considering, such as why could there be mistrust in current data practices or should data collection even be considered in the first place and who are the people or communities impacted by data misuse.

The artists have taken a very open approach, exposing ‘black-box’ AI systems, showing what technology says about us; challenging people who work with data and those who are subjects of systems that use data to reflect on their own biases, which may influence how data is used and collected.

Nick Briz – howthey.watch/you

Nick Briz’s commission, howthey.watch/you exposes the tracking technology built into our everyday experience of internet browsing. In this online work, the artist discusses this technology and asks important questions about its uses beyond fingerprinting and, ultimately, tracking.

A.M. Darke – ODI R&D Artist in Residence

As Research & Development artist-in-residence, A.M. Darke is researching a new work which will confront us with the biases and prejudices embedded into algorithmic systems which govern everything from credit ratings to criminal convictions. The artist is seeking to create a system imbued with their own biases, to expose how algorithms are extensions of its programmers. They want to reveal the uncomfortable truths surrounding algorithms’ far-reaching consequences, particularly for people from marginalised communities. During the Summit, they will take part in an in-conversation with curator Antonio Roberts discussing the challenges of creating such work while consistently working within a data ethics framework themself.

Everest Pipkin – Shell Song

Everest Pipkin’s Shell Song is an interactive audio narrative game about corporate deep-fake voice technologies and the datasets that go into their construction. The game explores physical and digital bodies and voices, asking what a voice is worth, who can own a human sound, and how it feels to come face to face with a ghost of your body that may yet come to outlive you.

All of the commissions and residency details can be found on the ODI’s Data as Culture website.

All of the commissions and residency will launch at the Summit on 10th November and will then be available to the public by 11th November. Check back here on 11th November or follow me on Twitter/Instagram for links to the artworks.

Thanks to Hannah Redler-Hawes and the ODI for the invitation to curate this programme, I’m really happy with the artworks!

Thinking Out Loud

‘Thinking Out Loud’ is the fifth Data as Culture art exhibition at the Open Data Institute. The exhibition is built around the practice of the 2016 ODI Sound Artist in Residence, Alex McLean, with a group of artists, designers, makers and musicians that he has collaborated with. Openness and processes of making – where any end results are left partly undone – are at the heart of many of the projects on display. The exhibition draws connections between the ways in which humans have captured, encoded and distributed data, and made it meaningful through pattern throughout history. From pre-Columbian Quipu and the ancient art of weaving to computer software environments, it introduces us to creative notions of code, and the ways in which it can carry both language and thought.

The exhibition features artists and makers who are driven by radical intentions to expose the inner workings of the systemic structures we live with. We are encouraged to engage with these ourselves through art, software, folk songs, glitch aesthetics, chance encounters and knitted jumpers.

Artists: Felicity Ford, David Griffiths and Julian Rohrhuber, Ellen Harlizius-Klück, Dan Hett, David Littler, Alex McLean, Antonio Roberts, Sam Meech, Amy Twigger-Holroyd

Curated by Alex McLean and Hannah Redler

Thinking Out Loud launch, 14th July

On 14th July I traveled back to London (I might as well live there) for the launch of Thinking Out Loud at the Open Data Institute.

‘Thinking Out Loud’ is the fifth Data as Culture art exhibition at the Open Data Institute. The exhibition is built around the practice of the 2016 ODI Sound Artist in Residence, Alex McLean, with a group of artists, designers, makers and musicians that he has collaborated with. Openness and processes of making – where any end results are left partly undone – are at the heart of many of the projects on display. The exhibition draws connections between the ways in which humans have captured, encoded and distributed data, and made it meaningful through pattern throughout history. From pre-Columbian Quipu and the ancient art of weaving to computer software environments, it introduces us to creative notions of code, and the ways in which it can carry both language and thought.

Copy Bomb at Thinking Out Loud

Included in the exhibition is one of the Copy Bombs, which was previously exhibited in Permission Taken at Birmingham Open Media, and a new work, data.set. The piece presents data on digital exclusion as an abstract data visualisation.

data.set at Thinking Out Loud

data.set at Thinking Out Loud

data.set at Thinking Out Loud

It was my first time seeing my work in the space and it looks great! My thanks go to Hannah Redler and Alex McLean for including me in this exhibition, which also features work from Felicity Ford, David Griffiths and Julian Rohrhuber, Ellen Harlizius-Klück, Dan Hett, David Littler, Alex McLean, Sam Meech, and Amy Twigger-Holroyd.

The opening also included performances from myself (performing my Sonification Studies piece), Algobabez and Canute. If you weren’t at the launch event or didn’t catch the EulerRoom livestream you can catch it again below:

The exhibition continues until 31st March 2017 and can be viewed by appointment only. Contact dac@theodi.org to book a time slot to go and visit.

Thinking Out Loud, 15th July 2016 – 31st March 2017

From 15th July 2016 – 31st March 2017 some new work of mine will be included in the group show Thinking Out Loud at the Open Data Institute in London.

thinkingoutloud

‘Thinking Out Loud’ is the fifth Data as Culture art exhibition at the Open Data Institute. The exhibition is built around the practice of the 2016 ODI Sound Artist in Residence, Alex McLean, with a group of artists, designers, makers and musicians that he has collaborated with. Openness and processes of making – where any end results are left partly undone – are at the heart of many of the projects on display. The exhibition draws connections between the ways in which humans have captured, encoded and distributed data, and made it meaningful through pattern throughout history. From pre-Columbian Quipu and the ancient art of weaving to computer software environments, it introduces us to creative notions of code, and the ways in which it can carry both language and thought.

The exhibition features artists and makers who are driven by radical intentions to expose the inner workings of the systemic structures we live with. We are encouraged to engage with these ourselves through art, software, folk songs, glitch aesthetics, chance encounters and knitted jumpers.

Artists: Felicity Ford, David Griffiths and Julian Rohrhuber, Ellen Harlizius-Klück, Dan Hett, David Littler, Alex McLean, Antonio Roberts, Sam Meech, Amy Twigger-Holroyd

Curated by Alex McLean and Hannah Redler

One of the Copy Bombs will be exhibited in addition to a new piece, data.set, commissioned for this exhibition. Viewings are by appointment only, contact contact dac@theodi.org to arrange a viewing.