Threads of Assumption: the Biases You Weave

Presented by Studio 170 @ Goethe-Institut Boston.

What is your normal? Threads of Assumption: the Biases You Weave is an interactive performance and installation by artists Maria Finkelmeier, Sofie Hodara, U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, and Martha Rettig. The work responds to real stories about experienced bias, gathered on a virtual, anonymous conversation platform and analyzed by natural language processing artificial intelligence (AI). The resulting exhibition is a visual, sonic, and tactile representation of human truths and errors. The project asks us to reconsider our assumptions surrounding bias and what we accept as normal. How can we expect machines to extract meaning from what we don’t understand?

Over the past 3 months, stories surrounding gender bias were collected from 22 conversations between two individuals. Each conversation was analyzed for emotional content and thematic language and transformed, by AI, into datasets. For the artists, the concept of weaving this rigid data and the human experience became essential at every turn, similar to the way tactile weavings are made, with a tense warp and threaded weft.

The exhibition is centered around an interactive, room-scale loom, while hanging weavings, spoken word poetry, projections, and original musical composition will allow attendees to learn about and reflect upon the gathered data.

The interactive installation is open Thursday, June 24, through Sunday, June 27, with live music and poetry performances on Thursday and Saturday. Attendees are invited to explore the space, share their own stories, and engage with the artists on site, adding their interpretation of normal into the art. RSVP to the performances is encouraged, but not required.

Thursday, June 24
6:00-8:00 PM: Installation open
6:30 PM: 20 minute performance by Maria Finkelmeier and U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, followed by Q&A with the artists (Please RSVP here)

Friday, June 25
12:00-2:00 PM: Installation open

Saturday, June 26
12:00-2:00 PM and 7:00-9:00 PM: Installation open
7:30 PM: 20 minute performance by Maria Finkelmeier and U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, followed by Q&A with the artists, moderated by J. Cottle (Please RSVP here)

Sunday, June 27
12:00-2:00 PM: Installation open

This project is made possible (in part) by a Live Arts Boston grant from the Boston Foundation.

• 
  Sponsored

  Affordable Spanish Classes in Boston (in-person and online courses) | BASE

  Monday, May 06, 2024 goes until 05/25

  Boston Area Spanish Exchange (BASE)
• 
  Sponsored

  WBUR Earth Week Events

  Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 goes until 04/26

  WBUR CitySpace at The Lavine Broadcast Center

Sesh by The Boston Calendar | Advertise Terms | Privacy Policy | About