FLEFF2014|ViralDissonanceCurator’sIntroductionbyDaleHudsonEverydaytermsredefinethemselvesinrelationtodigitaltechnologiesanddistributednetworks.Juxtapositionsoftermscanopentocounterpositionsofideas.ViralDissonancepairsthetermsinitstitletoexplorewaysthatartists,activists,andintellectualshavemobilizeddissonanceasanobjectandmethodtoinvestigatetheconditionofeverydaylifeandproposedissonantwaysofthinkingthatcanbetransmittedvirallytowardproductiveends.Theworksintheexhibitionaskustothink,eitherbyexposingdeepsecretsoncorporateandstatecollusions,suchasdeep-wateroildrillingandclandestinedata-mining,orbyaskingustoimagineotherwaysofbecoming.Ineverydayusage,“goingviral”islargelyequatedwithviralvideos.Itisassociatedwithinternetmemes:ideasreplicatethemselvesandspread,jumpingbetweensocialnetworks.Virusesthemselvesoftenfrightenfortheirunpredictablemovements.EpidemicsviruseslikeSARS,H1N1,andMERSemergeattheintersectionsbetweenhumanandnonhuman,castingchickens,pigs,camels,andbatsas“natural”transmitters.Theyalsoemergeattheintersectionsofscienceandsuperstition.Computervirusesspreadthroughself-replicatingmalwareprograms,disablingproperfunctionality—orevenshuttingitdownthrough“worms”likeCodeRed,Nimda,andILOVEYOUorstealingdatavia“bugs”liketherecentHeartbleedone.Virusestravelquicklyagainstdominantflowsandoftendefyattemptsatisolationandcontainment,makingthemidealcarriersfordissonantideas.Duringthepastfewyears,grassrootsformsofdissonancehaveeruptedfromEgyptandSyriatoSpain,Greece,theUnitedStates,andBrazil.Peoplehavegatheredinthestreetsandinsquarestodemandtobeheardandtobeseen.Theyrefusetobesilencedorerased.Newsmediahaveoccasionallyofferedthemtimeandspacetomaketheirvoicesheardandfacesvisible.PeoplehavealsomobilizeddigitaltechnologieslikeSMSandsocialnetworking,workingaroundandwithinthecontrolofstatesandcorporations.

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TheZapatistasbuiltwebsitesasactivismagainstthedispossessionofindigenousnationsbyneoliberalcorporationswithstatecollusionduringtheearlydaysoftheWorldWideWeb.Followingtheirlead,movementslikeOccupyandLosIndignadoshavegarneredmiddle-classmomentumbyusingsocialmediaalongsidewordofmouth.EventheBDSmovementhasgainedunprecedentedsupportintheUnitedStates,partlydrivenbyblogs,posts,andtweets.GroupslikeAnonymousmobilizehacktivismacrossdivisionsimposeduponusbystates,suchasnationalitypapersandpassports,andcorporations,suchassoftwarelicensesandevenDVDregionalcodes.Socialmediacanhelpdissonantideasbecomeviral,butitalsomakesdissonanceeasiertopolice.Peoplehavespokenagainstdataminingofcitizens,policecorruption,andagainstthefinancializationandmilitarizationofeverydaylifeformillions,andtheyhavealsospokenagainstcorporatecooptionofdissonanceasTwitterorFacebookrevolutions.Dissonanceemergesasclash,tension,disharmony,anddisequilibriumtomakevisibleandaudibleanever-expandingmultiplicityofclashes,tensions,disharmonies,anddisequilibriumshavebecomesointegraltoeverydaylifethattheycaneasilypassunmarkedandseemunremarkable.Dissonancethrivesoncontradictions,movingrestlesslytowardsirresolution.Itintervenesthroughimbalance.Neithernoise,norcacophony,dissonancepairstogethertheincompatiblewithresultsthatsurprise,offend,invite,disturb,andexcite,spurringactionandcreativity.Dissonancesparksandignites.TheworkinViralDissonanceusesonlineplatformstoengageusasmorethanviewersofvideosorGIFs,usersofwebsites,orplayersofvideogamesbyaskingustosharewithothersthroughsocialnetworksandwordofmouth.Theyasktomovevirallyandperhapsreclaiminteractivityasunpredictableandpotentiallytransformative,evenascorporationshijacktheterm“interactivity”tosignifyalimitedfreedomofchoicewithinapredeterminedsetofpossiblereactionsinitiatedthroughhuman-machineinterface.Asviewers,users,andplayers,wehavegrownaccustomtothinkingintermsofanarrowsetofpossibilities.Soundsandimagesappearaccordingtoourkeystrokes,clicksofthemouse,movementsacrossatrackpad,gestureswithacontroller,orblinksoftheeye,butwecannotaffectchange,particularlychangethatwillaffecttheexperienceofothers.Thiskindofreaction-as-interactionremainslargelyoneway,notreallyalteringasomewhatpassiveexperience.ViralDissonanceinvitesustoimagineandcontemplateotherwaysofinteracting—waysofbecomingpoliticizedandself-activated.

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Selectedforthejuryprize,BrannonDorsey’sZetamazemovesawayfromdigitallymediatedreactionsandclosertowardsdigitallymediatedinteractionsbyallowingplayerstoalterthestructureofamazeandtoexpressthemselvesbyaddinggraffititothewallsofthemazeordroppingfilesintofolderswithinthemaze’scorridors.Thework’sdissonancecomesfromitspowertoimagineformsofanonymouscommunication.“Zetamazeistheglimpseofastrayrayofsunlightfromanimpendingsunrise,wherecreation,subjectivationandconsumptionareopenfieldsofexplorationandinterventionforall,”explainEduardoCachuchoandBabakFakhamzadeh;“Withthe‘free’spaceoftheinternet,theemergenceof3Dprintingandaneverincreasinglookintocreatingmorerepresentativeformsofgovernment,itisclearthatthepossibilityofviraldissonanceisintheinsertionofdifferentmodesofthinkingintomainstreamchannels.Zetamazeofferssuchanavenue,thoughnotwithoutitsownobstaclestoscale.Howfreeisthespaceofexploration?Howcanaminorityusetheopenformofthesitetodominateitscontent?Thesekindsofquestionsarealsoaliveandactiveincontemporarypolitics,andassuchwefindZetamazeasanintriguingsandboxforthenearfuture.”Participantscanpaintpoliticalslogans—“WeAreAllKhaledSaid”—onthemaze’swallsinthemannerofthegraffitiinTahrirandTaksimsquares.Unlikecommercialmazegames,meanderingaimlesslyoftenbecomesmoremeaningfulthanstrategicplayto“solve”themaze.Notthinkingandactinginrelationtopresetgoalsbecomesaformofdissonance.Dissonancealsoemergesinauto-generativework,suchasRobertSpahr’sCrufts,whichharvestsimagesandtextsfromtheinternetandrecombinesthemtounexpectedends.Spahr’sworkdrawsinformationfromgovernmentalwebsitesanddatabasestoinitiateactsofrejectingpredeterminedmeaningandexposingtheinvisiblestructuresofdigitalmedia,suchasthesignificanceofmetadata,anddigitallymediatedeverydaylife,suchasthecountlessimagesofourselvescapturedbyclosed-circuittelevision(CCTV)surveillancecameras.ThejuryselectedSpahr’sworkforspecialmention:“Spahr’sworkcentersaround

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whathecalls‘crufts’.Usingautomatedcontentscrapersandcombiningdifferentbutrelatedsourcesintocreating,whatisessentially,‘glitchart’.Hismoreinterestingcreations,likeDataLossCruft(Corruption),corruptregularmediawithdatawhichhighlightsthedarkerunderbellyoftheinstitutionstheyrepresent,questioningthesincerityoftheoriginalimage,makingtheunderlyingcorruptionavailableforalltosee.”Datacorruptionisvisualizedinjpegstosuggestthefragilityofourowndigitalselvesandidentities.LikeSpahr’sCrufts,BenGrosser’sScareMailtakesontheubiquityofsurveillance,particularlyinthepost-9/11UnitedStateswherecitizenrightstoprivacyhavecomeunderthreatexponentiallybystateconcernsoversecurity.ThebrowserextensiontoGoogle’sGmailaddsanautomaticallygeneratednarrativerepletewithpossibleNationalSecurityAgency(NSA)searchtermstotheendofeachemail,sothatinnocuousmessagesseempotentiallysuspicious.MezBreezeandAndyCampbell’s#PRISOMalsoexaminesonlinerealitiessinceEdwardSnowden’sexposureofclassifieddocumentsasevidenceoftheparticipationofcompanieslikeAOL,Apple,Google,Facebook,Microsoft,Paltalk,Skype,Yahoo!,andYouTube,aswellaswearabletechnologies,intheNSA’sPRISMdata-miningprogram.BothScareMailand#PRISOMaskustoquestionthenormalizationofdomesticsurveillanceasapartofeverydaylifeinthecontextofacountrywhoseinternationalclouthasbeenhistoricallyanchoredtoitsdemocraticprinciples.OffshorebyBrendaLongfellow,GlenRichards,andHeliosDesignLabsisaninteractivedocumentarythatdivesintomurkyquestionsthatoftengounaskedaboutoffshoreoildrilling.Ratherthanpresentingasimplifiedlinearnarrative,thedocumentaryrevealscomplexitiestoopenquestions.Usersbecomemorelikeparticipantsbyworkingtheirwaythroughthedocumentary’sarchitecturetoaccessitscontent,promptingreflectionuponourinvestmentinactuallyknowingmorethancorporatetalkingpointsandlegalsettlements.Howfarwillyougo?Comparably,MarkusKeimandBeateHecher’svideosInAbsentiaandAllInclusiveexploreuseperformanceanddocumentationasameanstoconsiderwaysthatrevolutionsandcivilwarsaffecteverydaylife,whethertourismtoEgyptorcollaborationbetweenEuropeanandSyrianartists.Theirpowercomesfromlocationsofdislocationandpresenceofabsences.InamomentofVineandGIFs,thevideosaskustolookandlistenforlongerthansixseconds.HyeYoungKimandTohmJudson’sBomberman2014reworksapopularcomputergamefromthe1980sbyupdatingtheimplicationsofitsgameplayforthe2010s.InamomentwhensuicidebombingoccurnotonlyinplaceslikeLondon,Madrid,Paris,andTelAviv,wherebombsaresometimescommonplace,butalsoinplaceslikeBostonandNewYork,wheretheystillseemexceptional,Bomberman2014asksplayerstoconsiderwhether

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“winning”warsofterrorarenecessarilyvictories.Finally,MiyöVanStenis’sTotallyNotAVirus,TrustMe...I’mADolphin(orI’mADolphin)isawhimsicallookatmomentsofparanoiaovercomputervirusesinaneraofever-temptingclickbait.Theworkasksustothinkaboutnonhumanlifeinthewakeofrecognitionoftherighttorightsoflifeandlibertyforcetaceans,suchasbottlenosedolphins,orcas,etal.,inplaceslikeIndia.

ViralDissonancewascuratedbyDaleHudsonofNewYorkUniversityAbuDhabi(UnitedArabEmirates/UnitedStates)withClaudiaCostaPedersonofIthacaCollegeandWichitaStateUniversity(UnitedStates)andwasjuriedbyEduardoCachucho(Belgium/SouthAfrica)andBabakFakhamzadeh(Uganda/Netherlands).

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JURYPRIZE

Zetamaze2014|BrannonDorseyhttp://zetamaze.comZetamazeisanopen-sourcegameinwhichplayershelpconstructamaze,decorateitswallswithvirtualgraffiti,andfillfolderswithfilestosharewithotherplayers.DrawinguponW.H.Matthews’sMazesandLabyrinths:TheirHistoryandDevelopment(1922),Zetamazeencouragesmeanderingin2014bytranslatingthe“lureofthelabyrinth”into3Dvirtualspace.Interactionwithotherplayersisentirelyanonymous.“Politicalmessages,smilingcats,andmessagesofallkindsinhabitthewallsofthemaze,”explainCachuchoandFakhamzadeh.Wonderingthecorridorsofthemaze,playersencounterfilesandfoldersleftbyotherplayers—andarepromptedtocontributetheirownfilestosharewithothers.“Youfindyourselfuploadingunknowncontent,”theyexplain;“perhapsanacademicarticleyouhadlyingonyourdesktoporthelatestcat-gifsentbyafriend:youyourselfcaninfluencetheexperienceoffuturevisitors.”BrannonDorsey(UnitedStates)worksinadiverserangeofmediumsfromcreativecode,programming,andnewmediaarttosculpture,photography,andfilm.Hisrecentworkutilizesdatabases,customsoftware,andnetworkeddevicestoexpresslargerideasregardingcontemporarycultureandart.

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JURYSPECIALMENTION

DataLossCruft(Corruption)2013–present|RobertSpahrhttp://www.robertspahr.com/work/dataloss/

CliffDwellers(DroneStudy#4)2014–present|RobertSpahrhttp://www.robertspahr.com/work/cliffdwellers/

Spahr’sCruftseriesareauto-generativeworksthatharvestimagesfromwebsites.Thehackerterm“cruft”referstounpleasantsubstances,superfluousjunk,andredundantorsupersededcode.DataLossCruft(Corruption)insertsthetextcodefromareportoncasualtiesfromcovertdroneattacksinPakistan,Somalia,andYemenbytheUnitedStatesintothecodeforaphotographfromWhitehouse.gov.Filecorruptionoccursattheleveloftheimage,revealingwhatissilencedanderasedfromofficialaccountsoftheU.S.stateanditsforeignpolicy,particularlyciviliandeaths.Comparably,CliffDwellers(DroneStudy#4)harvestsimagesformaCCTVcamerainNewYork,aspartoflargerprojectDroneLandscapes:ImagesofMachineVisiononthehiddentechnologiesandalgorithmsthatconstituteamachinevisionoftheworld.RobertSpahr(UnitedStates)isavisualartist,computerprogrammer,activist,andeducator,whoproducescomputationalartusinggenerativeandproceduralprocesses;digitalandanalogimages;objects;liveartandtime-basedmedia.Hemakesvisualartfromthedigitalleftoversproducedbythemainstreammediaandthoseleftbehindonsocialnetworkingsites,andscatteredacrosstheweb.WorkfromSpahr’sCruftswasalsoincludedintheubuntu.kuqalaexhibitionforFLEFF2008.

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EXHIBTION

#PRISOM2013|MezBreezeandAndyCampbellhttp://prisom.meTakinginvisiblesurveillancetechnologies,includingonesthatweweareveryday,asitspointofdeparture,#PRISOMasksplayertothinkabouttheembodiedandethicaldimensionsofprivacyandsociallogistics.PlayersareimmersedintheHead-MountedDisplay3Dimmersivework,navigatingthesyntheticgameenvironmentbyengagingwithobjects,scenarios,andtextsthatquestiontheplayer’sculpabilityinsurveillanceprogramsembeddedinthelatestcommunicationstechnologies.TheGlassCityofinfinitesurveillancebecomesaprisonrenderedthroughprismsintoavisualinterfacethatevokesBentham’sinfamousPanopticon.

MezBreeze(Australia)hasexhibitedextensivelysincetheearly1990sandholdsawardsincludingthe2001VIFPrize(Germany),theJavaMuseumArtistoftheYear2001(Germany),2002NewcastleNewMediaPoetryPrize(Australia),winnerofthe2006SiteSpecificIndexPageCompetition(Italy),andBurtonWonderlandGalleryWinner2010.MezalsoworksasaDigitalMediaandArtsConsultant,AugmentedRealityScholarandTechnologyandCultureJournalist.

AndyCampbell(UnitedKingdom)istheDirectorofDigitalMediaforOnetoOneDevelopmentTrust(onetoonedevelopment.org)headingupwebsiteandmultimediadesignandworkingonawiderangeofartsprojectsincommunitiesoftenwithchallengingandhardtoreachgroups.Campbellwasajudgein2010/2011fortheNewMediaWritingPrizeestablishedbyBournemouthUniversity;theannualprize,nowinitsthirdyear,issupportedbysponsors,includingDreamingMethods.

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Offshore2012|BrendaLongfellow,GlenRichards,andHeliosDesignLabshttp://offshore-interactive.com/site/Howfaristoofar?Howdeepistoodeep?Howdangerousistoodangerous?Inthewakeofthe2010explosionofBritishPetroleum’sDeepwaterHorizondrillingrig,Offshoreallowsuserstoexplorequestionsavoidedbytheglobaloffshoreoilindustry,newsmedia,andmostofus.TheinteractivedocumentaryaskswhatmighthappenwhencorporategreedpushestheindustrybeyonditscompetencebyinvitinguserstojourneythroughSpartan208asfirst-personparticipantsinthematerialworldofoil,technology,money,anddisaster.BrendaLongfellow(Canada)haspublishedondocumentary,feministfilmtheory,andCanadiancinema.Sheisaco-editorThePerilsofPedagogy:theWorksofJohnGreyson(2013)andGenderingtheNation:CanadianWomenFilmmakers(1992).HerdocumentariesincludeDeadDucks(2011),WeatherReport(2008),TinainMexico(2002),Shadowmaker/GwendolynMacEwen,Poet(1998),andOurMarilyn(1988),havebeenscreenedandbroadcastinternationally,winningprestigiousawards.GlenRichards(Canada)isavideoproducer/directorwithover20yearsofexperienceworkingwithcommunitygroups,laborunions,NGOsproducingeducationalvideos.HeiscurrentlyworkingonawebnativelaborhistoryofToronto.

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InAbwesenheit/InAbsentia2012|MarkusKeimandBeateHecherhttp://vimeo.com/user6619760/in-abwesenheit

Areconstructionofacollaborationthatwasneverabletotakeplace,InAbsentiaevokesSyriaanditscivilwarintheEgyptiandesert1000kmawayfromDamascuswhereitwasplannedtotakeplace.Twofiguresdressedinblackmoveagainstthelight-coloredsand,laterdroppingandblendingintoapatternofblacksheetsofplasticthatmarkthegroundlikegraves,flashedbydatesandlocationsofcivilianmassacresbystatesaroundtheworld.AllInclusive2012|MarkusKeimandBeateHecherhttp://vimeo.com/user6619760/all-inclusive

InAllInclusive,thecamerapanstorevealalonesnorkeler,standinginanunfinishedconstruction.ThesnorkelerevokesimagesofJeanPainlevéandimagesbyChrisMarker.Asthecameracontinuesitspan,clonesofthelonesnorkelerarerevealedasthesoundofpolicesirensandexplosionsappear.Later,aGerman-languagemalevoiceofahotelierassuresaGerman-languagefemalevoicethatthepoliticalsituationinEgypthasnotdisturbedhisguestsabilityto“indulgeinarichbuffet”since“ordinarytouristlifecontinuesnormally.”MarkusKeim(Italy)andworkedwithvariousmediaoffilm,video,photography,performance,installationandtheaterworks.HelivesandworksinVienna.

BeateHecher(Austria),studiedinAcademyofFineArts,Vienna,andworkedwithvariousmediaoffilm,video,photography,performance,installationandtheaterworks.ShelivesandworksinVienna.

Theircollaborativeworkswereinvitedtotheseveralinternationalfestivalsandvenues.

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ScareMail2013|BenGrosserhttp://bengrosser.com/projects/scaremail/OriginallypartofPRISMBreakup,aseriesofartandtechnologyeventsatEyebeam(NewYork)inOctober2013,ScareMailisawebbrowserextensionthatmakeseverydayemailmessagesappear“scary”todisruptthecontroversialsurveillanceofcitizensandvisitorsbytheNationalSecurityAgency(NSA)intheUnitedStates.ScareMailattachesasignaturetoemailmessagesentthroughGoogle’sGmailintheformofanalgorithmicallygeneratednarrativecontainingacollectionofprobableNSAsearchterms.“This‘story’,asGrosserexplains,“actsasatrapforNSAprogramslikePRISMandXKeyscore,forcingthemtolookatnonsense.Eachemail’sstoryisuniqueinanattempttoavoidautomatedfilteringbyNSAsearchsystems.”ScareMailinvitesustodaretoscare,aswellastoencourageustothinkaboutthescaryactsoffingerprintingbysurveillanceagenciesthattakeplaceconstantly.BenGrosser(UnitedStates)createsinteractiveexperiences,machines,andsystemsthatexplorethecultural,social,andpoliticalimplicationsofsoftware.Hedescribeshisworkasmaking“thefamiliarunfamiliar,revealingthewaysthatsoftwareprescribesourbehaviorandthus,howitchangeswhoweare.”HisworkhasbeenfeaturedinWired,TheGuardian,TheAtlantic,Neural,DeStandaard,HP/DeTijd,andDerSpiegel.

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Bomberman20142013|HyeYoungKimandTohmJudsonhttp://tohmjudson.com/gamedesigns/BOMBERMAN2014/BOMBERMAN2014.html

InspiredmyHudsonSoft’spopularBomberman(Japan1983),amazegameinwhichplayerskilltheircompetitionanddestroyobstacleswithbombstolevel-upandwin,Bomberman2014isacriticalgamethatpromptsplayerstoreflectupontheactofbombing,inotherwords,killingpeopleforpoints.WhereasBomberman’soriginaliterationwassetinananonymousmaze,Bomberman2014issetinrecognizablelocationswherebombershavedestroyedpropertyandinjuredandkilledhumansandotherformsoflife:OklahomaCityin1995,Madridin2004,Londonin2005,Mumbaiin2008,andBostonin2013.Playershaveonebombandonelife,leavingthemwiththedecisiontoinjureandkillinnocentbystandersorwarnthemoftheimpendingexplosion.Unsettlingthetypicalconventionofwinningmyamassingthelargestnumberofpoints—inthiscaserepresentingpeopleinjuredorkilled,Bomberman2014proposesthat“winning”mightcomethroughlosingthegamebyconventionalexpectations,thatis,byinjuringandkillingthefewestnumberofpeoplebystrategicallysituatingone’sicon.

HyeYoungKim(SouthKorea/UnitedStates)isavideoperformance/installationartist,whoseworkinvestigateswhatshecalls“humanexistencewithphysicalandpsychologicaltracesbyintegratingtraditionalart-makingtechniqueswithexperimentalvideoandinteractivity.”HerworkhasbeenexhibitedinGermany,SouthKorea,andtheUnitedStates.SheteachesatWinston-SalemStateUniversityinNorthCarolina.

TohmJudson(UnitedStates)worksinacousticandelectronicmusic,collaboratingwithartistsonaudio,video,installation,anddance.HiscompositionshavebeenperformedinBrazil,France,Germany,Italy,UnitedKingdom,andthroughouttheUnitedStates.Hisfirstalbum,stilllife,isavailablenowoncdbabyandiTunes.HeteachesatWinston-SalemStateUniversityinNorthCarolina.

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TotallyNotAVirus,TrustMe...I’mADolphin(orI’mADolphin)2013|MiyöVanStenishttp://miyovanstenis.com/dolphin/Likeothermalware,computerviruses“infect”software,files,anddrives,renderingcomputerlessusefulorutterlyuselessanddisruptingtheInternetasaplatformforsharinginformation.AninfectedcomputermightrendertheInternetinert,transformingitintoan“Internert.”Unlikecomputerworms,TotallyNotAVirus,TrustMe...I’mADolphin(orI’mADolphin)declaresitsinnocencegraphicallywhileacodewindowrevealsacomputerworm(ILOVEYOU.txt.vbs)incode.Sincewenolongerrequire“clickhere”instructionstooperateGUI(graphicaluserinterface),I’mADolphinasksustothinkaboutthemachineactsthatweinitiatebyclickingourmouseoninnocent-lookingimages,particularlytheclickbaitoftantalizingimagesandsuggestiveheadlines.MiyöVanStenis(Venezuela)transformsthetechnologicalinterfaces,operatingsystems,andsoftwareoftheInternetintoaestheticcontemplationstoquestionrelationshipbetweenhumansandmachines,andbetweenpoetryandcomputationalscience.Throughexperimentalwork,machinesandcomputationsexpressingthemselvesin“akindofhyperbolicreflectionoftheirworld,”a“performativeactionwherethevalueisthehumanactioninpursuitoferror,theunexpected,creatingameetingpointbetweenthehuman,themachine,theerrorandtheundeniabledesireofpoeticbeauty.”