A screaming comes across the sky
Drones, mass surveillance and invisible wars
© 'Clouds of Unknowing', 2014. Silvia Maglioni and Graeme Thomson (terminal beach). Video (still)
Drones have become one of the most powerful weapons of war. Remotely controlled by operators thousands of miles away from the theatre of war, they carry out attacks that have left thousands of people dead in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. The exhibition A screaming comes across the sky explores these increasingly invisible military technologies used in wars that are largely conducted secretly and unaccountably.
Hovering above communities, cameras on and weapons loaded, drones have become a symbol of dread: an overwhelming, existential fear that, like a memory of the future, warns us of imminent danger.
The exhibition, and its associated events, zooms in on the shock and awe of drone warfare, and addresses the ethical and legal ambiguity of drones, mass surveillance and war at a distance. It presents the work of contemporary artists who are critiquing the way in which military technology and networks can obscure, conceal and distance us from the political and social reality of warfare today.
The title is taken from the opening line of Thomas Pynchon's novel, Gravity’s Rainbow, which explores the social and political context behind the development of the V-2 rocket by the German military during World War II. Today's technologies of war, such as the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones, and their laser-guided Hellfire missiles, bear resemblance to the V-2 in their ability to operate unseen and to strike without warning.
In the post-PRISM age of mass surveillance and invisible war, artists, alongside journalists, whistleblowers and activists, reveal the technological infrastructures that enable events like drone-strikes to occur. Some of the works here are poetic by nature, inviting the audience to placidly reflect. Others create a more immediate, visceral response, making them physically experience awe and apprehension. As often in tragedy, humour can be the most fearless messenger.
To accompany A screaming comes across the Sky, Dutch design studio and artists Metahaven, that also take part on the exhibition, have created a unique webpage featuring self-generating imagery. To view the webpage click the image
Opening Friday, October 10 at 7 pm
At the opening of the exhibition we may enjoy the concert Estela DJ [+]
Activities programme A screaming comes across the sky [+]
Promotional video [+]
Interview video Juha van' t Zelfde
Interview video Mariele Neudecker
Conference video: Juha van' t Zelfde
Conference video: James Bridle
Production:
In collaboration with:
Curator: Juha van ’t Zelfde, Artistic Director Lighthouse
Artists: AeraCoop (Lot Amorós, Cristina Navarro y Alexandre Oliver), ES / Lot Amorós, ES / James Bridle, UK / Alicia Framis, ES / Laurent Grasso, FR / Roger Hiorns, UK / Silvia Maglioni & Graeme Thomson (terminal beach) UK/IT / Metahaven, NL / Mariele Neudecker, DE / Martha Rosler, US / Roman Signer, CH / Hito Steyerl, DE
Initiation of concept and collaboration: Honor Harger
Exhibition architecture: Miroslav Rajic
Exhibition graphics: Metahaven
With thanks to: All of the artists involved and courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize and Rose Issa Projects, Open Data Institute, Laurent Grasso Studio, Edouard Malingue Gallery (Hong Kong), ADAGP Gallery (Paris), Corvi-Mora Gallery, UK, Gallerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin, Martha Rosler Studio & Galerie Nagel Draxler, Berlin, Gallerie Martin Janda, Wilfried Lentz, Rotterdam.
