Hans Ulrich Obrist on the Future: Video Games, Ecology, and WPA-Style Art Stimulus
In a conversation with Spazio Taverna, curator Hans Ulrich Obrist shares three pivotal concepts for the future. He foresees that video games will take center stage in the 21st century, predicting that artists will develop games and museums will establish specialized departments; for instance, Serpentine has launched an Arts Technologies department and is partnering with Gabriel Massan on a blockchain-based game set to debut in February 2023. Obrist emphasizes the importance of artists tackling ecological threats, with Serpentine pledging to prioritize ecology in its initiatives. He also calls for a significant art stimulus initiative reminiscent of the Federal Art Project (1935) from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. Currently, Serpentine showcases exhibitions by Kamala Ibrahim Ishag and Barbara Chase-Riboud, titled Infinite Folds.
Key facts
- Hans Ulrich Obrist was interviewed by Spazio Taverna about the future.
- Obrist predicts video games will be the dominant medium of the 21st century.
- Serpentine has an Arts Technologies department working on blockchain games.
- Gabriel Massan's blockchain-based game will launch in February 2023.
- Obrist cites Gustav Metzger's call for artists to address ecological danger.
- Obrist advocates for a WPA-style art stimulus project.
- Serpentine's Radio Ballads (2022) was a community project in Barking and Dagenham.
- Obrist reads Édouard Glissant for 15 minutes every morning.
- Alighiero Boetti advised Obrist to ask artists about unrealized projects.
- Visible World by Fischli and Weiss is a key work for Obrist.
- Jota Mombaça performed on San Giacomo island in Venice for Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo.
- Rosemarie Trockel taught Obrist about protest against oblivion.
- Serpentine currently shows Kamala Ibrahim Ishag and Barbara Chase-Riboud.
- Barbara Chase-Riboud's Infinite Folds is her first European retrospective.
- Obrist advises young curators to be curious and listen.
Entities
Artists
- Hans Ulrich Obrist
- Édouard Glissant
- Alighiero Boetti
- Peter Fischli
- David Weiss
- Jota Mombaça
- Rosemarie Trockel
- Kamala Ibrahim Ishag
- Barbara Chase-Riboud
- Gabriel Massan
- Gustav Metzger
- Theaster Gates
- Jerzy Grotowski
- Etel Adnan
- Bernard Stiegler
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Institutions
- Spazio Taverna
- Serpentine
- Serpentine Arts Technologies
- Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
- Federal Art Project
- Works Project Administration
- New Deal
- St. Laurence (Chicago)
- Rothko Chapel
- Barking and Dagenham
Locations
- Zurich
- Switzerland
- Rome
- Italy
- San Giacomo
- Venice
- Houston
- Texas
- United States
- Chicago
- Illinois
- Barking and Dagenham
- London
- United Kingdom