Alien Matter

alien matter

Within the scope of ever elusive – thirty years of transmediale, the special exhibition "alien matter" will be on view at Haus der Kulturen der Welt from 2 February to 5 March 2017. The exhibition is curated by Inke Arns and co-financed by Berlin LOTTO Foundation.

“Alien matter” refers to man-made, and at the same time, radically different, potentially intelligent matter. It is the outcome of a naturalization of technological artefacts. Environments shaped by technology result in new relationships between man and machine. Technical objects, previously defined merely as objects of utility, have become autonomous agents. Through their ability to learn and network, they challenge the central role of the human subject.

Approximately 20 exhibiting artists from Berlin and around the world will present works about shifts within such power structures, raising questions about the state of our current environment and whether it has already passed the tipping point, becoming “alien matter.”