Gradshow XPUB 2019

Text

Upsetting Settings presents graduation projects initiated by Alexander Roidl, Alice Strete, Angeliki Diakrousi, Joca van der Horst, Natasha Berting, and Zalán Szakács. The concept of this exhibition arises from the idea of the default setting, a situation in which a specific mode of interaction is selected automatically, pre-configured to work out of the box without the need to tinker with its underlying apparatus. Every system comes with default settings predefined by its creators, and most of the time, these settings remain unchanged by us, the users of such systems. These defaults do not represent our needs but are possibly the materialisation of biases from the system's makers, from corporate or political interests, from a society at large. The projects engage with the concept of default modes and propose interventions in their core structure/source/root so as to start thinking collectively about better places from which to begin. You are invited to become root users, active listeners, smart speakers, intentional eaters, counter trolls, sensorial spectators!

Upsetting settings results from a year of research done at the Experimental Publishing (XPUB) master in Fine Art and Design program of the Piet Zwart Institute. XPUB is a two-year course that prepares students to critically engage with societal issues and social practices within the fast changing field of art, design and cultural production. More specifically, XPUB focuses on the acts of making things public and creating publics in the age of post-digital networks. XPUB’s interests in publishing are therefore twofold: first, publishing as the inquiry and participation into the technological frameworks, political context and cultural processes through which things are made public; and second, how these are, or can be, used to create publics.

One-liners

Alexander Roidl

Poetic Software challenges the default mode of software as a tool where functionality and productivity are predominant through an intervention that involves software as a non-functional, emotional, and cultural object of artistic practice.

Alice Strete

Is it time to eat, or is there no more time to eat? questions the default mode of techno-solutionism through an intervention that subverts the culture of reviews, peering through the lens of food to shed light onto an ideology built on patterns of authoritativeness and bland lifestyle choices.

Angeliki Diakrousi

Let's Amplify Unspeakable Things challenges the default mode of authoritative voices, that establish exclusive speech platforms, through an intervention that creates a safe space for excluded voices to be explored, in situated meetings and on an online audio archive.

Joca van der Horst

The Smart Speaker Theatre questions the default mode of smart speakers as digital assistants, through an intervention that involves kidnapping a Google Home and having it interrogated by a team of rogue speakers and by you, their user.

Tash Berting

Instant Warnet confronts the default mode of who is included and who is excluded in contemporary social media spaces through an intervention that uses play and performance to turn the tables on networks of harassment online.

Zalán Szakács

Eigengrau challenges the default mode of rituals in the club space through an intervention that involves a collective experience while creating a transcendental oneness for body and soul through help of light, sound, and space.

Programme

12/07 FRIDAY: OPENING & PRESENTATIONS

19:00 Welcome
19:15 Presentation by first years (15min)
19:30 2nd year student #1 (Joca) (10 mins, 5 min transition)
19:45 2nd year student #2 (Alex) (10 mins)

20:00 Break (45 mins)

20:45 2nd year student #3 (Natasha) (10 mins, 5 min transition)
21:00 2nd year student #4 (Alice) (10 mins, 5 min transition)
21:15 2nd year student #5 (Angeliki) (10 mins)

21:30 Break (40 mins)

22:10 Zalan performances presentation and performance as finale
22:40 Drinks with DJ Naam (Dennis de Bel): (Slash)
02:00 END

13/07 SATURDAY: WORKSHOPS & PERFORMANCES

10:00 Open doors
11:00-12:00 MEAL REPLACEMENTS 101 – Alice Strete
Location: UBIK
FREE screening/discussion, max 10 participants, no RSVP necessary

‘Is it time to eat, or is there no more time to eat’ is a desktop film inspired by my research on meal replacements, the most prominent techno-solutionist creation in terms of food. In this short gathering, we’ll be discussing the main points raised in my video around these products’ alleged potential of solving problems, as well as ponder upon their role within societies which value the authoritative roles of tech innovators, and their potential to impact the way humans live.

12:00-13:00 INSTANT WARNET WORKSHOP – Natasha Berting
Location: UBIK
FREE workshop, max 8 participants, no RSVP necessary

‘Instant Warnet’ is a live action, role-playing game which pokes and prods at networks of harassment on social media. During this game session, players will be invited to assume fictional identities on Instagram, and perform various tactics to talk back to online toxicity. The aim of this collective performance is to experiment with new responses to the many forms of trolling and overall policing that minorities (especially women) so often have to deal with online.

13:00-14:00 AMPLIFY ANGRY VOICES – Angeliki Diakrousi
Location: Slash Gallery and surrounding area
FREE workshop, max 10 participants, no RSVP necessary

This workshop will be about channeling our gendered ‘angry’ voices in public space. It will take the form of a short play, based on an initial discussion about personal experiences from moments of unspoken angry thoughts. We will capture them in sentences and use them as input for responses within an ‘angry’ dialogue. Our temporary act will be recorded and then played back, outside of Slash gallery. This public moment will be a chance to listen and expose the outcome of our collective process. The produced material will be included in an online audio archive, with the potentiality of re-broadcast or use for future workshops.

13:30-14:00 EIGENGRAU – Zalan Szakacs
Location: UBIK
FREE performance, no RSVP necessary

The audiovisual experience features a custom-made LED circle, that in the timespan of 12 minutes takes the audience through a non linear time of five mental states: Deep State, Anticipation State, Weird state, Higher State and Relaxation State. This narrative is made visible through the pre-programmed motion of blue light gradients, referring to the colour of screen light. Eigengrau frames the negative space, and therefore it generates an illusion of non-material space. The installation offers a suspension from the isolation and digital saturation of contemporary society.

±15:00 - 17:00 Graduation Ceremony at WORM CENTRAL STATION. We must finish at 18:00.

Links

Gradshow concept and title pad: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/gradshow_xpub_2019
Gradshow equipment:
- https://hrnl-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/gonai_hr_nl/Ea-FtyLM0bxConA_hN7f1t4Bm406iloDAkF1Y5OGUAqaAg?e=b9joaE
- ~~https://pad.xpub.nl/p/grad_show_2019_equipment~~
Gradshow programme/production: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/grad-programme
Publication Spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mT3UDxkBieiy8Vb12tUbLu3Y3fXEhvl4/view?usp=sharing

Xpub address

Hogeschool Rotterdam - WDKA

t.a.v. PZI Leslie Robbins, WH 4.141

Wijnhaven 61

3011 WJ Rotterdam

ISBN info

TODO: Add ISBN numbers, check page numbers and titles

ISBN Form catalogue

ISBN/EAN: PUT ISBN HERE

Titel: Upsetting Settings - Graduation Catalogue

Ondertitel: Piet Zwart Institute, MFAD Experimental Publishing 2019

Sectietitel: n.a.

Deeltitel: n.a.

Auteur: Natasha Berting, Angeliki Diakrousi, Joca van der Horst, Alexander Roidl, Alice Strete, Zalán Szakács

Redacteur: n.a.

Bewerker: n.a.

Illustrator: n.a.

Corporatie: n.a.

Vertaler: n.a.

Uitgever: XPUB

Bibliografische imprint: XPUB

NUR-code: 656

NUR-omschrijving: Vormgeving en design

Reeks: n.a.

Reeksnummer: n.a.

Druk: 1

Illustraties: Nee

Aantal pagina's: 76

Taal: Engels

Verschijningsvorm: Paperback / softback

Verschijningsdatum: 12-07-2019

ISBN Form Thesis