Things are what they are—but could they be different? Unter dem Titel face value soll die transmediale 2018 diejenigen Werte und Wertschöpfungsprozesse offenlegen, die zu den extremen politischen, ökonomischen und kulturellen Gräben unserer Gegenwart beigetragen haben. Im Angesicht von wachsenden populistischen Strömungen und immer lauter werdenden reaktionären Stimmen innerhalb und jenseits der heutigen Mediensphäre stellt sich die Frage, wie Künstler_innen, Kulturschaffende und Theoretiker_innen ihre eigenen Wertesysteme reflektieren – facing values – und darüber hinaus auf die gegenwärtige Tendenz reagieren können, Dinge in erster Linie nach dem äußeren Anschein zu beurteilen – taking things at face value. Das Festival findet vom 31. Januar bis 4. Februar 2018 im Haus der Kulturen der Welt statt und bringt wie immer eine Vielzahl von kuratorischen Formaten und Arten des Wissensaustauschs zusammen – von Keynotes über Performances und Workshops bis hin zu Screenings.
Infiltrate with Love – In support of Chelsea Manning
Holly Herndon X Jacob Appelbaum X Metahaven
Critical design duo Metahaven have repeatedly participated at transmediale and also contributed to Holly Herndon’s new album ‘Platform’. On the occasion of Polymorphism #14, they created two limited edition long sleeve t-shirt designs in cooperation with independent journalist and internet activist Jacob Appelbaum and Holly Herndon – and supported by CTM and transmediale.
The t-shirts will be available for sale at the event on June 11th, all proceeds will be given to the Chelsea Manning Support Network.
Polymorphism#14: Holly Herndon
June 11, Berghain, Doors 8pm, Start 9pm, Advanced tickets via KOKA36
You can purchase your long sleeve t-shirt online as well.
Holly Herndon
Jacob Appelbaum
Metahaven
Chelsea Manning Support Network
Artists Re:Thinking the Blockchain
The blockchain is widely heralded as the new internet—another dimension in an ever faster, ever more powerful interlocking of ideas, actions, and values. This landmark publication by the curatorial and publishing platform Torque and the art and social change organization Furtherfield brings together a diverse array of artists and researchers engaged with blockchain technology, unpacking, critiquing, and marking its arrival in the cultural landscape. The blockchain’s first and most notorious instantiation is Bitcoin, a highly volatile currency with an equally ambiguous value and cryptic future. Join editors and contributors of the publication for talks and discussions, to explore cryptocurrencies, alternate blockchain applications, and the launch of a free electronic version of the book.
Following the discussion, attendees are invited to buy and barter for the print edition in a live, radically inflationary situation, echoing the current state of cryptocurrencies, to explore a future in which we may increasingly use multiple modes of currency and exchange.
Presented in cooperation with Torque.
Fork-Politics in Post-Consensus Cryptoeconomics
In this forkshop, the Laboratory for Future Cryptoeconomics will identify and work on future histories of data-driven and consensus-oriented cultures by investigating the face value of blockchain narratives. Despite a history of critical debates undermining the concept, consensus as truth exists and thrives in practice today. This is the evident in the emergence of post-truth media societies that have led to changes in society based on foundations of truth that are sustained only through consensus. Cryptoeconomics offers an alternative approach by reversing the incentivization of truth. In the cryptosphere, conflicts are the driving force of innovation; forking is a method of resolution. Conflicts appear in coding communities on a regular basis, and protocols for resolution have to exist in order to continue development. A “fork” in software engineering describes the situation when developers create their own “branch” and start individual development on it.
Presented in cooperation with RIAT.Space.