Unconventional Computing

In the organizer's words:

In this lecture, Ralf Baecker (HfK Bremen / Berlin) explores alternative forms of computation, control and communication through the lens of his artistic practice and research. On a journey through string machines, artificial neural networks, emergent systems and fluid metal machines, Baecker delves into the material and conceptual layers of the digital. From the visualization of hidden technological infrastructures to the investigation of concepts of material intelligence, the lecture unfolds as a reflection on performative complexity and the poetics of computation.

"Conversations on Art and Media" is a new lecture series with invited guests from the extended field of media art and theory, jointly organized by members of the HfG Karlsruhe and the ZKM. In the summer semester 2025, the series is dedicated to unconventional concepts and materializations of computers as well as alternative ways of dealing with them. In view of the quasi-monopoly position of large tech companies and powerful default settings and standards, the lectures and discussions will explore the question: To what extent can computers look or work differently? In what ways can we think differently about computing machines, perceive them differently, deal with them differently or change them?

Further information on the HfG website.