ATHR Gallery in Jeddah presents After The Machine, an exhibition featuring works by American artist Addie Wagenknecht and the art group Random International. On view until 31 December 2024, the show delves into the evolving relationships between humanity, technology, and artificial intelligence.
The exhibition displays a series of synthetic prints by Random International, derived from Human Algorithm, their performance in which participants emulate a flocking algorithm, moving as a unified machine. These prints, generated using deep-learning image-to-text models, illustrate how AI visualises humans enacting algorithms. The works depict a distorted yet recognisably human-like world and examine the instinctive tendency to find reflections of ourselves in other forms of life. Random International questions the impact of these connections, examining where they foster meaningful bonds and where they expose human vulnerabilities.
Addie Wagenknecht showcases Neutralized Memories, a new series of paintings created using security ink from banknote neutralisation systems. These artworks, inspired by the Rorschach inkblot test, symbolise the gradual fading of memory and identity. The abstract patterns encourage viewers to project their own interpretations, reflecting the subjective and elusive nature of memory. This series poignantly explores the fragility of recollection, particularly in the context of Alzheimer’s disease.
About the artists
Founded in 2005 by German artists Hannes Koch and Florian Ortkrass, Random International is a London-based art collective and studio known for its interdisciplinary approach, blending research, technology, and art. In their practice, Random International channels collective energy mediated via the machine into public co-creation, fostering subjective experiences of consciousness and challenging perceptions of life and connection in the modern world.
Their works have been exhibited internationally, including at the MIT Museum (Life In A Day, Massachusetts, USA, 2022-2023), La Biennale di Venezia (Future / Self, Italy, 2021), and Yuz Museum (Everything & Nothing, Shanghai, 2018). Their art pieces are also part of esteemed public collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA), the Victoria & Albert Museum (London, UK), and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LA, USA), to name a few.
Addie Wagenknecht (b. 1981, Portland, OR, USA) resides in Innsbruck (Austria). She obtained her BS in Multimedia and Computer Science from the University of Oregon in 2001, and in 2008, she graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Interactive Telecommunications Programme with an MPS degree.
Wagenknecht is celebrated for her innovative integration of technology and art in her practice, exploring psychological dimensions. She is a pioneer in mechanised art forms, including drone-assisted painting. Her work revolves around themes of security, automation, surveillance, and power, combining conceptual painting, sculpture, installation, and hacker culture.
Wagenknecht has displayed her works in numerous exhibitions and art events such as Typologies of the Real (CAFA Art Museum (CAFAM), Beijing, China, 2020); NEoN Digital Arts Festival (Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland, UK, 2019); BHP, Betwixt Festival (Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, 2016); and Being Post-Digital, ENDO One Design Week (Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 2015), among others. The artist has undergone several residencies, including Culture Lab (Newcastle University, UK), HyperWerk Institute for Postindustrial Design (Basel, Switzerland), and the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA).
In 2014, Wagenknecht received a Warhol Foundation Grant in 2014, which she used to establish Deep Lab, a collective focusing on privacy, surveillance, social hacking, and art. She is also the co-founder of NORTD Labs, a research and development initiative that produces open-source projects.
To learn more about After The Machine, please visit the show’s official web page.
In addition, you might be interested in reading our articles about three notable NFT female Arab artists and four Middle Eastern AI creatives.
