Excerpts from Asunder

Excerpts from Asunder presents visual materials generated in the Asunder project.

There is a growing interest in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to critical environmental challenges. “Asunder” responds to this by situating this approach as a literal proposition. The project combines state-of-the-art climate and environmental simulation technology, a 144 CPU supercomputer and machine learning image-making techniques, to realise a hypothetical 'environmental manager'. This environmental manager proposes and simulates future alterations to the planet to keep it safely within planetary boundaries, often generating completely unacceptable or absurd results. In doing so, “Asunder” questions assumptions of computational neutrality, our increasingly desperate reach for techno-solutionist fixes to planetary challenges, and the broader ideological framing of the environment as a system.

Title: Excerpts from Asunder

Medium: Video Installation

Artists: Tega Brain, Julian Oliver, Bengt Sjölén

Year: 2019

Location: On display at Pedion tou Areos

Credits: Asunder was commissioned by the MAK for the VIENNA BIENNALE 2019.

Glossary: artificial intelligence (AI), simulation technology, machine learning (ML)