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Digital society

By Rhiannon McGregor 24 : 04 : 2017 Digital Technology : Video Games : Neo-kinship

Helsinki – A new exhibition examines the impact of digital technology on the world from a human-interest angle.

ARS 17: Hello World! explores how the rise of digital has shaped society, consumer behaviour and communities
An accompanying digital platform enables users to view pieces from the exhibition online

Receptor by Tuomas Laitinen for ARS 17: Hello World!, Helsinki

Survivor by Reija Meriläinen for ARS 17: Hello World!, Helsinki

Located at contemporary art museum Kiasma, the exhibition features a mix of specially commissioned pieces and older artworks from 35 international artists.

Highlights include Receptor by Tuomas Laitinen, a video installation that examines the rise of digital interfaces as mediators in human-human interactions. Drawing on haptic research conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, Laitinen demonstrates how advances in technology are often informed by human touch.

Reija Meriläinen’s video game installation Survivor, which is inspired by the reality tv show of the same name, examines power dynamics in everyday social interactions. Players navigate a virtual reality (VR) replica of the gallery space, solve puzzles and strategise to avoid being voted out by other players across a series of levels.

The Big Picture

As technology becomes more sophisticated, artists and designers are exploring the potential of machines as facilitators of social interactions and providers of care. For more, read our Neo-kinship macrotrend.