CHAIR: Victoria Vesna
Drones have entered the public consciousness over the past decade and are most commonly associated with surveillance and military action. Recently, technology has rapidly advanced with drones increasingly being designed to be hidden from radar by mimickingthe appearance and behaviour of wildlife. Even drones used by hobbyists frequently raise ethical issues regarding privacy. The installation, Stealth Drones, asks the viewer to reflect on these technological developments and to consider the clandestine possibilities of drone technology.
Stealth Drones is comprised of seven embroidery hoops hung in formation. Each hoop contains fractal patterns and ornamentation embroidered in white thread. The hoops are presented on a black velvet backdrop, much like the display of traditional lace work. At regular intervals UV lights are activated in the exhibition space. The embroideries react to the UV light by revealing technical blueprints of small multicopters within them. Once the regular room lights switch back on,the stealth drones disappear.
Through the act of appearing/disappearing the juxtaposition of embroidery (traditionally associated with femininity) and contemporary engineering and artificial intelligence (typically coded as masculine) comes forth. This prompts the viewer to consider the gendering of new technologies as well as associated discourses of expertise and technological progress.
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Andrew McGregor has an eclectic background in the not-for-profit and social enterprise worlds drawing from his expertise as a filmmaker, inventor, writer, chessboxing champion, entrepreneur, frequent TEDx speaker, mentor, Highlands games athlete, photojournalist, bagpiper, magician, Curator of MindshareLA, and a founder of The Tiziano Project. |
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LASER (Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous) Talks is Leonardo's international program of evening gatherings that bring artists and scientists together for informal presentations and conversations. LASER Talks were founded in 2008 by Bay Area LASER Chair Piero Scaruffi and are in over 30 cities around the world. To learn more about how our LASER Hosts and to visit a LASER near you please visit our website.
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The mission of the LASERs is to provide the general public with a snapshot of the cultural environment of a region and to foster interdisciplinary networking.
570 Westwood Plaza, Building 114, 5th floor
Presentation Space, CNSI (SOUTH)
Hybrid / Los Angeles, CA 90095
United States