Webs Of Power: NatureaCulturea

The message of the project

The project, titled Webs of Power: NatureaCulturea, intricately weaves together elements of tradition and innovation, forming a tapestry of interconnected narratives. Rooted in the ethos of resistance, it merges human craftsmanship with technology through the TC2 Jacquard loom, tracing its lineage back to the origins of binary code. Bérénice Gaça Courtin’s alphabet serves as a vessel for hidden messages, blending ancient symbologies like the Basque witch "Sorjin" with the Slavic goddess of weaving "Mokosh."

Words and symbols are placed to illustrate an imaginary old version of AI, it being a “Natural Intelligence” coming from a fusion of diverse entities from nature and culture.

Drawing inspiration from Donna Haraway's notion of cyber interconnectedness, and Starhawk’s vision of ecofeminist network. It redefines the relationship between data, nature, and culture, showcasing the symbiotic collaboration between artist, machine, and material. Moreover, the project breathes new life into forgotten traditions, such as utilizing Latxa wool from local sheep breeds on the brink of extinction, alongside innovative bioplastic threads derived from food waste, crafted at the Basque Biodesign Center's Biolab.

The idea behind the project

The project at the Basque Biodesign Center is a convergence of historical narrative, technology, and artistry. Inspired by the intricate coding mechanisms of the Enigma machine and personal experiences with coding messages, the artist embarked on a creative journey to explore the stories of women in technology throughout history, from ancient weaving traditions to contemporary innovations.

Drawing upon five years of experience with Jacquard looms, the artist envisioned a project where human data and codes could be materialized through weaving, bypassing conventional production processes. Collaborating with the lab team, expertise from diverse fields like weaving, fashion, biomaterials, and ceramics converged to create a sculptural piece. By utilizing 3D-printed ceramics and weaving techniques, the artist translated their alphabet of symbols of resistance into tangible forms, embodying the stories of unknown resistance figures like the Basque witch "Sorjin" and the Slavic goddess of weaving "Mokosh." These folk figures are there to question how they are both “creating and tearing apart communities" in the text from Hito Steyerl "Is the Internet dead?".

What next?

The project aims to delve deeper into transgenerational and transgeographical narratives of resistance, emphasizing the importance of slow craftsmanship in an accelerated world. The envisioned future includes a range of pedagogical and interactive sculptural pieces and textiles for Museum institutions, Galleries, and opened to collaborations with other designers, allowing visitors to engage with the stories and even contribute their own narratives through the artist's alphabet and creative techniques. Through encrypted and algorithmic textiles and patterns, the project seeks to merge craft practices with concepts that connect people and enhance their histories, offering a platform for personal expression and interpretation. The objective is to materialise personal data, in a world where images are massively produced.