Hito Steyerl's 'The Island' at Fondazione Prada explores quantum physics, climate change, and science fiction
Hito Steyerl's exhibition, titled 'The Island,' has commenced at Fondazione Prada's Osservatorio in Milan and will be on display until 30 October 2026. The showcase delves into the influence of digital imagery, rising sea levels, and artificial intelligence on human perception, intertwining concepts from quantum physics and science fiction. It presents four distinct narratives: 'The Artificial Island,' which focuses on a submerged Neolithic site found in 2021 by Mate Parica; 'Lucciole,' featuring bioluminescence; 'The Birth of Science Fiction,' which reflects on Darko Suvin's contributions; and 'Flash!,' portraying Suvin's recollection of Flash Gordon amidst the 1941 Zagreb bombing. The installations incorporate 3D scans, documentary footage, and interviews with experts like Tommaso Calarco, fostering a cinematic atmosphere that challenges the role of humanity in both natural and technological contexts.
Key facts
- Hito Steyerl's exhibition 'The Island' runs until 30 October 2026 at Fondazione Prada's Osservatorio in Milan
- The exhibition explores quantum physics, science fiction, climate change, and artificial intelligence through four interconnected narratives
- 'The Artificial Island' section features a submerged Neolithic site off Korčula discovered in 2021 by archaeologist Mate Parica
- Literary critic Darko Suvin's experience during the 1941 Zagreb bombing and his work on science fiction inform the exhibition
- Installations include 3D scans, documentary clips, LED screens, interviews with physicist Tommaso Calarco, and a film with local choir
- Steyerl contrasts 'junk time' of digital capitalism with Neolithic underwater time and geological deep time
- The exhibition synthesizes archaeology, physics, literature, film, and biochemistry into a coherent artistic experience
- Courtesy includes Andrew Kreps Gallery in New York and Esther Schipper in Berlin/Paris/Seoul
Entities
Artists
- Hito Steyerl
- Mate Parica
- Darko Suvin
- Tommaso Calarco
- Osamu Shimomura
- Simon Cartwright
- Darko R. Suvin
- Shimomura
- Sachi Shimomura
- Mark Waschke
Institutions
- Fondazione Prada
- Osservatorio
- Andrew Kreps Gallery
- Esther Schipper
- Aesthetica Magazine
- Osservatorio Fondazione Prada
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Korčula
- Croatia
- Zagreb
- New York
- United States
- Berlin
- Germany
- Paris
- France
- Seoul
- South Korea
- Munich
- Nagasaki
- Dalmatia
- Korcula
- Japan