HACKING HABITAT. ART OF CONTROL

HACKING HABITAT. ART OF CONTROL is an international exhibition on the cutting edge of art, technology and social change. 86 internationally acclaimed artists present new and existing work in the former prison at Utrecht Wolvenplein, Netherlands. With Lawrence Abu Hamdan (Jordan), Forensic Architecture (UK), Melanie Bonajo (Netherlands), James Bridle (UK), Felix Burger (Germany), Cristina Lucas (Spain), Centre for Political Beauty (Germany), Johan Grimonprez (Belgium), Susan Hiller (USA), Samson Kambalu (Malawi), William Kentridge (South Africa), Laura Kurgan (USA), Metahaven (Netherlands), Pedro Reyes (Mexico), Stanza (GB), Fernando Sanchez Castillo (Spain), and many others.

HACKING HABITAT presents a highly topical and urgent theme: how we are controlled by high-tech systems and how to restore the relationship between humans and machines. Surveillance cameras observe us, inimitable Google algorithms manipulate our behaviour, our smart phones cast a collective hypnotic spell on us. We risk losing control over our lives to powerful economic and technological institutions. Worldwide, people are waking up to the fact that they need to regain a grip on their lives. Together they give rise to powerful forces of resistance and reclaim their living environment.

High-tech systems and institutions take charge. Smartphones have become the new panopticon with data combinations that establish your identity more exactly than a fingerprint. Surveillance camera’s are hidden in thermostats and are soon to be found in everyday packaging material functioning as hightech listening devices. Algorithms control not only financial transactions but also decide on our digital citizenship. High time to claim back our environment – to hack our habitat.

HACKING HABITAT contributes to a heightened sense of ‘a-whereness’ as a condition to survive in these liquid times of velvet dictatorships. Three filters are presented: Data & Surveillance, Finance & its Logics and Destructive Forces. Throughout the exhibition the violence of predatory systems builds up while the many counterstrikes meander through the prison spaces. The visitor is drown into a dizzying science fiction real time. Artists, hackers, activists and groups of concern make remote control society tangible and show how to use high- and low-technology to our advantage.

Artists
Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Paul Alberts, Halil Altindere, Timo Arnall, Gijs Assmann, Bertille Bak, Aram Bartholl, Eduardo Basualdo, James Beckett, Neil Beloufa, Filip Berte, Joseph Beuys, Melanie Bonajo, James Bridle, Matthijs de Bruijne, Buro Janssen & Jansen, Felix Burger, Daya Cahen, Centre for Political Beauty, Jeremy Deller, Paul Devens, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Martijn Engelbregt, Harun Farocki, Claire Fontaine, Forensic Architecture, Zachary Formwalt, Foundland, Front 404, Kendell Geers, Marco Godoy, David Goldblatt, Johan Grimonprez, Gottfried Haider, Nicoline van Harskamp, Femke Herregraven, Lino Hellings, Susan Hiller,Tehching Hsieh, Binelde Hyrcan, Alfredo Jaar, Jeroen Jongeleen, Juice Rap News, Samson Kambalu, Ali Kazma, Daniel Keller, William Kentridge, Frank Koolen, Laura Kurgan, Thomas Kuijpers, Gebroeders van Leeuwen, Cristina Lucas, Hans van Lunteren/Ienke Kastelein, !Mediengruppe Bitnik, Angelica Mesiti, Metahaven, Molleindustria, Danaë Moons, Kianoosh Motallebi, Everlyn Nicodemus, Navid Nuur, Christian Nyampeta, Ahmet Ögüt, Ronald Ophuis, Charles van Otterdijk, Ansh Patel, Ruben Pater, Claire Pentecost, Pedro Reyes, Renée Ridgway, Evan Roth, Fernando Sanchez Castillo, Setup, Maarten Schuurman, Paul Segers,Andres Serrano, Stanza, Pilvi Takala, Moniek Toebosch, Stefanos Tsivopoulos, Merlijn Twaalfhoven, Dries Verhoeven, Roy Villevoye, Antoine Viviani, Luuk Wilmering

HACKING HABITAT is produced by the Niet Normaal Foundation and the third large scale exhibition after Niet Normaal. Difference on Display (Amsterdam, 2009/10) and Yes Naturally. How art saves the world (The Hague, 2013).

 
For additional information, images or to meet one of the artists or artistic director Ine Gevers, please contact our communication department: Evelien Kroese, T 06 16034150 / evelien@hackinghabitat.com. Click here to find a selection of images.

Practical information for visitors
Opening hours: Wednesday–Sunday 10am–6pm
Other activities: See program offerings on our website.
Information and contact: www.hackinghabitat.com