Sensing the Digital Stockholm Syndrome
A seminar about perception in the post-ontological age
by Luis Berríos-Negrón, with Ayedin Ronaghi, AnnaLeena Prykäri, Rodrigo Nicolas Albornoz, Marija Griniuk
Sensing the Digital Stockholm Syndrome was a seminar I gave for the Master of Fine Arts programme at Konstfack in Stockholm. Together we explored various forms of ‘dissociation’ caused by digitalised memory and social media.
“There is a difference between post-ontology and postmodernism. From a postmodern perspective, the loss of ontological certainty is experienced in the form of a diminished faith in metanarratives and, simultaneously as a return to the possibility of relevance of the body, everyday private experience and the local community. Post-ontology might in fact further enhance the ostensible realness and relevance of the body and its experiences and thoughts. But the realness (or lack there of) is not the issue in post-ontology. Post-ontology dissociates Being from a judgement about what is real and certain.” - Mark Jarzombek
Here is an example of dissociative practices facilitated by social media:
Departing from such effects of social media, we questioned: how are self- and common perception fundamentally transformed by such dissociations, and how does art work in lieu of such embedded effects?
As a background and foreground, we reviewed three texts and an artwork, we received a Q&A lecture via skype, and went on an excursion to Berlin.
- The three texts were the manifesto Digital Stockholm Syndrome in the Post-Ontological Age (2016) by historian Mark Jarzombek, the essay titled Demonstration (2011) by curator Rhea Dall about the work of artist Nina Beier, and the essay Archive and Aspiration (2003) by sociologist Arjun Appadurai.
- The artwork was the video titled Reflecting Memory (2016) by artist Kader Attia.
- The skype Q&A lecture was by Mark Jarzombek.
- And, the excursion to Berlin featured visits with curators Suza Husse, Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, and Lorenzo Sandoval, whom gave us talks about, and a walks through, the respective art and cultural institutions they each have initiated –District, Savvy Contemporary, and T.I.E.R.— respectively.
- Suza Husse hosted us for the entire afternoon of Tuesday 15 of May where she gave us a lecture about her exhibition in Copenhagen Drag Kings, Phantoms, Mirrors, Hands (one hundred years of dis/appearances) at SixtyEight Art Institute (25 November 2017 to 27 January 2018), where Attia’s video was presented.
- Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung gaves us a walk through the art space SAVVY and gave us a talk that focused on the ephemeral, adaptive nature of their archive of German colonialism.
- Lorenzo Sandoval, and his partner Ben Busch, received us at their brand new space that will house for, at least the next three years, The Institute for Endotic Research. We sat together and discussed the future of T.I.E.R. as an artist-run space, that was awarded to them for that three-year period by the Kulturstiftung des Bundes in Berlin.
THE OUTPUT OF THE SEMINAR (in order of appearance):
- Ayedin Ronaghi
The Boy Who Had The Tragedy, 5:55 min
The film deals with narrative journalism’s use of fictionalised stock footage about the war in Syria, and explores the relationships and the blurred lines between the two. What is real and what is not?
SEE AYEDIN’S VIDEO | https://vimeo.com/271439918
- AnnaLeena Prykäri
Digital Stockholm syndrome
– short stories about heritage of trauma
This society is not made for sensitive people to survive.
We are offered strategies for modified versions of ourselves.
Heritage 1:
Have you ever thought, to write down your story?
– I did. Over and over again. Those nights when you were at sleep. And I was alone by the kitchen table. I felt that I no longer could bare that shit. But you kept me alive. Then I burned my letters.
Heritage 2:
– ”…But I think it will go out to everyone who thinks that they can decide over someone else’s body. It`s called ”För ni hatar släppa makten”/”Cause you hate to let go the power.””
– ”I´m so happy that you`re all here. And I think it`s important that I´m here and I am proud.”
/Quotes from https://mariofjell.wordpress.com
Writer’s notes for heritage 2:
April 2018, New York Times posted online article about American teacher who was fired from her position, because she (according the school) ”was promoting a homosexual agenda.” Pointed out teacher had posted a picture to social media of her and her girlfriend — in Finding Nemo outfits.
Heritage 3:
1997. Last day of August. Princess Diana, had died.
[DOWNLOAD ANNALEENA’S FULL TEXT]
- Rodrigo Nicolas Albornoz
Biological Androids, 4:02 min
Biological Androids is a smartphone video intervention in the subway. Related to the Post-Ontological human being captured by the powerful global digitalization of Internet and new technologies of communication. Can the smartphone become a part of our body? Is the Internet ruling the way we relate to each other? Is it becoming our common mind? Becoming us? Turning off the phone it seems to be kind of a phantom pain, as similar to cut a member of the body. We simply can’t live the life without smartphone. Are humans becoming biological androids?
SEE RODRIGO’S VIDEO | https://vimeo.com/271445516
- Marija Griniuk
Log 15.05 Berlin. On Amputation…
I turn to the format of diary as this particular format is most suitable for framing and connecting the ideas, thoughts, inputs.
