The Fragmented Self

During six months, the artists and students met regularly to share their research, inspiration sources and feedback. Their thematical approach focuses on the fragmented identity constructions that occur in our multimedia society. At the end of the trajectory they present their outcome during a public happening.

At the entrance of the building, the guests receive a quote that relates to the subject of the exposition: technology and identity. Throughout the exposition, you can try to relate your experiences with this quote. On the top floor, decorated as living room and where drinks will be served to establish a friendly and relaxed environment, you will be asked to reflect on your given quote and to enter in a personal Socratic Dialogue with Jurian Reinartz.

On you way up you’ll experience several artistic installations and scientific reflections on the subject. Brian den Hartog made several video installations, including The Crash, which forms a journey from that what we perceive as physical reality to that what might lie beyond. How can we define ourselves when everything around us, the structure of the reality we trust, is coming loose?

Skander Ouni will present his research on the technologies we develop for people with disabilities. How do they relate to society? Next to an animated film, Skander will create some circumstances in which the audience gets to experience what it’s like to have a disability. In what way could the technologies we develop to live with a disability become an advancement of the human body in general?

Amanda Smets shows the relationship between language and identity. Today, with the help of technology, we are able to express ourselves in many different languages. However, technology has its limitations. Translating is a creative process and this creativity is lost when technology intervenes. Only humans have the skills to ensure that the difficulties of translation are overcome, and guarantee the beauty of the language shines through.

Deborah Smets explored how technological progress and the rise of new media have an extensive impact on our lives, including the cultural field. We can ask ourselves the question whether these work restrictive or not. Do we use media to enrich ourselves culturally or does it take away our cultural experience? Do we lose the value of (cultural) experiences by recording them? And finally: is this mainly related to the internet and its interactive nature? Deborah collaborated with artist Roel Heremans and wrote a scenario for the audience to participate in a role-play to explore this subject.

Rens Jonker collaborated with Benjamin Vandewalle to visualize spatial movement patterns by using commonly available tracking technology (Google Maps), and demonstrating how usage of Google Maps navigation in an urban setting can give the user tunnel vision.

Nazanin Fakoor will show her installation ‘Light Drawing’, an ephemeral drawing created by the reflection of light rays from a mirror sheet. It is shaped by the circumstances of the surroundings and the movements of the spectators. Feras Daouk created an auditive experience with soundscapes for each separate space to that connects the spaces on the artistic path the audience will follow.

Join us to discover installations, performances, conversations... or just to have a beer with us on the rooftop terrace!