Digital Sovereignty and Contemporary Art: Cybersecurity Conferences in Pisa
The Cybersecurity Day and LeADS Final Conference (October 10-13, 2024, Pisa) explored digital sovereignty and data regulation, directly impacting contemporary art that relies on AI and blockchain. Artists like Refik Anadol depend on external tech infrastructures (e.g., Instagram, OpenSea), risking loss of control over their works. The LeADS conference discussed GDPR and the AI Act, highlighting that artists like Mario Klingemann face opaque algorithms and regulatory tensions. Artists such as Sougwen Chung and Robbie Barrat navigate legal and creative risks from excessive regulation. NFT security was debated, with Anna Ridler pioneering AI-driven NFTs amid market volatility. Memo Akten and Taryn Southern exemplify human-machine collaboration, while Paola Antonelli advocates for ethical tech integration. The conferences stressed that digital art's future hinges on balancing innovation and regulation, as software (per Lev Manovich) carries ideology. The Dead End Gallery in Amsterdam, billed as the first AI gallery, exemplifies this. Europe seeks a third way between US liberalism and Chinese statism, but the AI Act's practical application remains uncertain.
Key facts
- Cybersecurity Day and LeADS Final Conference held October 10-13, 2024 in Pisa.
- Digital sovereignty and data regulation were central themes affecting contemporary art.
- Refik Anadol's work depends on external tech infrastructures like Instagram and OpenSea.
- Mario Klingemann uses GANs but faces opaque algorithms and regulatory issues.
- Sougwen Chung and Robbie Barrat explore human-machine collaboration with legal risks.
- Anna Ridler uses AI for NFTs, but security and market volatility are concerns.
- Memo Akten and Taryn Southern create interactive installations and AI-generated music.
- Paola Antonelli advocates for ethical and transparent tech integration in art.
- Lev Manovich argued that software carries ideology, not neutrality.
- Dead End Gallery in Amsterdam is promoted as the first AI gallery.
- Europe aims for a third way between US and Chinese tech models.
- The AI Act's practical application remains unclear.
Entities
Artists
- Refik Anadol
- Mario Klingemann
- Sougwen Chung
- Robbie Barrat
- Anna Ridler
- Memo Akten
- Taryn Southern
- Paola Antonelli
- Lev Manovich
- Raffaele Pavoni
Institutions
- Cybersecurity Day
- LeADS Final Conference
- University of Pisa
- Dead End Gallery
- Artribune
- Chrome Experiments
- Arcade Fire
Locations
- Pisa
- Italy
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Europe
- United States
- China