Nottingham, UK – Silk to Silicon is an art exhibition that examines the link between the history of textile-making and modern computing. Through moving images, fabric samples and graphic design, artist Sebastian Koseda analyses how craft practices have given birth to automation in the past 200 years.
The exhibition follows the evolution of automatic silk weaving to the discovery of the silicon chip, which paved the way for crypto-mining, drone deliveries and data collection. The show examines the legacy of the Luddites, a group of skilled artisans who resisted mechanisation in the early 1800s.
With growing global concerns about the rise of automation, Koseda wonders if a Luddism revival is on the horizon. ‘In the next 10 years we are likely to see more change in automated technology than the last 100 years combined. Automation is ubiquitous, but for how long will workers and machines continue to co-exist in peace?’ asks artistSebastian Koseda.
Exploring the material history of digital innovations, Silk to Silicon grounds technologies like cryptocurrency in the real world. By demystifying abstract concepts in tangible ways, the exhibition taps into Digital Dialogues.
Strategic opportunity
Material objects can help make abstract concepts more concrete. For companies dealing with data, develop tangible materials or experiences to help explain detailed issues or subjects