[rohrpost] The Feeling of Being Watched

[Andreas Broeckmann]

Dear Carsten,

thank you for pointing this out. I'm also not aware of any "discussion" 
about this case (though I have heard that some people based in Leipzig 
explicitly did not want to go to the opening). I wonder whether some of 
the participating artists who are listed on the website (but who are 
probably not on this mailing list), would have something to say about 
the ethics of this particular sponsorship... (Who else would sponsor a 
digital art show like this? Do you think it would be better if it didn't 
take place at all? etc.)

These moral questions are similar for everybody involved, organisers, 
curators, artists, visitors. My guess is that for some of them it is a 
matter of 'pecunia non olet' ("money does not stink"), and the 
opportunity to show artworks in a (formally, spatially) generous context.

In the absence of a collective (what I think you disappointedly refer to 
as "this list"), decisions and actions are taken individually, 
especially when it comes to issues that affect us individually, like 
paying the bills, or getting a job, or having a name.

Just my two cents worth...

-a


Am 29.04.23 um 18:06 schrieb Carsten Stabenow:
> dear list,
> sorry for beeing maybe too cryptic.
> 
> but for those who might not have heard about this - there is a big media art show running in leipzig at this moment - https://www.dimensions-digital-art.de/
> 50 artists, some iconic works i was looking forward seeing again until i learned, that the main sponsor of this show is PALANTIR - one of the most frightening big data companies in the world.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palantir_Technologies
> 
> for me it’s kind of alarming, that nobody really seems to care that weapon industry (and thats what it is) is funding art shows. did the artists know beforehand?
> there was some press (see below) but it seems there is no real discussion. (at least i’m not aware of.)
> 
> 
> Palentir sponsert Schau zur digitalen Kunst  (faz 21.4.23)
> https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/kunst-und-architektur/walter-smerling-eroeffnet-digitalschau-dimensions-18835926.html?GEPC=s30
> 
> Liebe Kunst, erlöse uns (zeit 21.4.23)
> https://www.zeit.de/2023/17/ausstellung-dimensions-leipzig-palantir-sponsor
> 
> Der Untergang der Kunst (Kreuzer 22.4.23)
> https://kreuzer-leipzig.de/2023/04/22/der-untergang-der-kunst
> 
> Walter Smerling plant neue Ausstellung (süddeutsche 1.3.23)
> https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/walter-smerling-leipzig-digitalkunst-palantir-1.5760664
> 
> Daten als neue Munition (taz 9.3.23)
> https://taz.de/Ukraine-nutzt-KI-von-Palantir/!5917538&s=palantir/
> 
> How the algorithm tipped the balance in Ukraine (washington post 19.12.22)
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/19/palantir-algorithm-data-ukraine-war/
> 
> Palantir wirbt mit KI-Plattform zur Kriegsführung (heise 28.4.23)
> https://www.heise.de/news/Palantir-wirbt-mit-KI-Plattform-zur-Kriegsfuehrung-8981871.html
> 
> 
> have a nice weekend, c.