UC Berkeley Art Practice
Department of Art Practice at UC Berkeley

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Critical Data Futures Colloquium

  • Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2120 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 (map)

UC Berkeley, Friday, March 18, 2022

Critical Data Futures 

A colloquium co-sponsored by the Human Technologies Futures Group and the Division of Computing, Data Science and Society at UC Berkeley

The unknown potentials of the metaverse are both exciting and terrifying. Technologists and the media have been exploring the implications of a potential shift to user-centered 3D experiences, which could eclipse our familiar two-dimensional ways of interfacing with our screens. Here, urgent questions emerge about who owns the data of our virtual bodies, our movements and online traces, and our virtual β€œhomes.” At the same time, new modes of expression and data manifestation through online characters, animations, digital art, simulations, and machine learning promise to reveal new modes of cultural production and ways of living together. 

Join our panel of media innovation experts including Edgar Fabian Frias, Emma Fraser, Don Hanson, Wade Wallerstein and Richmond Wong to discuss the challenges and opportunities awaiting our curious explorations in this emerging space of critical data futures. 

After the panel discussion, join the colloquium sessions to discuss specific aspects of media production, critical analysis and data stewardship. This event is co-sponsored by the Human Technology Futures Group and the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society at UC Berkeley.

https://criticaldatafutures.eventbrite.com

Schedule:

Human Technology Futures Group Plenary Meeting

9:30 AM to 11:30 AM, Dwinelle 370

​​12:30 PM to 2:00 PM, BAMPFA Osher Theater

Art, Data & Life in the Metaverse

Intro by Charis Thompson

Roundtable featuring Edgar Fabian Frias, Emma Fraser, Don Hanson, 

Wade Wallerstein and Richmond Wong

2:30 PM to 5:00 PM, Anthro and Art Practice (AAP) Building 

Critical Data Futures Sessions

2:30 PM to 3:30 PM, AAP Rooms 275, 285 and 295

Session 1: Metaverse Economies  with Rich Lyons and Kelani Nichole (curation: Greg)

Session 2: Aesthetics of Control with Karen Nakamura and Lisa Wymore (curation: Lisa Wymore)

Session 3: Speculative Fictions with Morgan Ames and Hannah Zeavin (curation: Morgan)

4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, AAP Rooms 275, 285 and 295

Session 4: Trading Shapes in the Metaverse with Jacob Gaboury and Don Hanson (curation: Greg)

Session 5: Mapping Marginalized Voices with Clancy Wilmott and Asma Kasmi (curation: Greg)

Session 6: Alternative Visions: Data Futures/Creative Futures with Shannon Steen and Cathryn Carson (curation: Lisa)

5:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Platform: Sessions Wrap-Up and Reception

Colloquium Reflections by Greg Niemeyer (or Jennifer Chayes)

Register online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/critical-data-futures-data-life-in-the-metaverse-tickets-228620438887

This event is co-sponsored by the Human Technology Futures Group and the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society at UC Berkeley.

Earlier Event: March 15
Artist Talk: Dario Robleto
Later Event: March 26
MFA Open Studios