Fotomuseum Winterthur | Online Events | Wednesday, 12.04.2023, 19:00–20:00
Screen Walk with Computational Mama
Computational Mama
Computational Mama, aka Ambika Joshi, will share her observations about the absence of mother-like figures in recent AI-generated imagery. Employing the figure of the mother as a strategy to generate prompts for diffusion models and machine learning algorithms, the artist reproduces as many possible ideas around mothering, motherhood and birthing as the AI model can imagine. Through her process, Computational Mama reconfigures the technological discourse on imaging systems around the social relations of care and chosen families.
In Screen Walks, a series of live-streamed explorations of digital spaces, selected artists and researchers investigate artistic strategies taking place online. The project gives an insight into practices using the screen as a medium. From re-contextualising pictures found on online marketplaces and uncovering data brokers’ invisible circulation of images to analysing in-game photography and the social, political and economic implications of games – Screen Walks examines various approaches, offers a behind-the-scenes look at artists’ work and uncovers new, current and forgotten digital spaces. Screen Walks is a collaboration between The Photographers’ Gallery in London and Fotomuseum Winterthur.
Biography:
The moniker Computational Mama was created in late 2017 when a bed-ridden, heavily pregnant mama-to-be decided to learn creative coding. Computational Mama’s work explores live coding and teaching as a form of camaraderie, friendship and self-care. On her Twitch stream, she teaches the basics of creative computation and new approaches to computational thinking. Her streaming series Coding with Friends is rooted in creating inclusive spaces for womxn makers to explore creative computation.
Ambika currently lives in Udaipur, India, with her 5-year-old son in a multi-generational household of all women. She is a co-instigator of dra.ft, which explores emergent ideas of text and its future, as well as a co-founder of Ajaibghar Cultural Services. She was awarded the Processing Foundation Fellowship in 2021 for the second season of Coding with Friends and has been featured in Casey Reas' list of generative artists doing interesting work. Her work has been showcased at India Art Fair in 2022 and Vorspiel/transmediale & CTM in 2021.
Screen Walks has launched a subscription model called Folders. Via a personal folder, subscribers receive access to exclusive content such as digital artworks by the artists participating in Screen Walks. Subscribe to Folders!
In Screen Walks, a series of live-streamed explorations of digital spaces, selected artists and researchers investigate artistic strategies taking place online. The project gives an insight into practices using the screen as a medium. From re-contextualising pictures found on online marketplaces and uncovering data brokers’ invisible circulation of images to analysing in-game photography and the social, political and economic implications of games – Screen Walks examines various approaches, offers a behind-the-scenes look at artists’ work and uncovers new, current and forgotten digital spaces. Screen Walks is a collaboration between The Photographers’ Gallery in London and Fotomuseum Winterthur.
Biography:
The moniker Computational Mama was created in late 2017 when a bed-ridden, heavily pregnant mama-to-be decided to learn creative coding. Computational Mama’s work explores live coding and teaching as a form of camaraderie, friendship and self-care. On her Twitch stream, she teaches the basics of creative computation and new approaches to computational thinking. Her streaming series Coding with Friends is rooted in creating inclusive spaces for womxn makers to explore creative computation.
Ambika currently lives in Udaipur, India, with her 5-year-old son in a multi-generational household of all women. She is a co-instigator of dra.ft, which explores emergent ideas of text and its future, as well as a co-founder of Ajaibghar Cultural Services. She was awarded the Processing Foundation Fellowship in 2021 for the second season of Coding with Friends and has been featured in Casey Reas' list of generative artists doing interesting work. Her work has been showcased at India Art Fair in 2022 and Vorspiel/transmediale & CTM in 2021.
Screen Walks has launched a subscription model called Folders. Via a personal folder, subscribers receive access to exclusive content such as digital artworks by the artists participating in Screen Walks. Subscribe to Folders!
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