Hito Steyerl's 'The Island' at Fondazione Prada Explores Digital Ambiguity and Truth

At the Osservatorio di Fondazione Prada in Milan, Hito Steyerl showcases 'The Island,' a film and multimedia installation that spans the fifth and sixth floors of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Born in Munich in 1966, Steyerl delves into the concept of truth in the digital era, influenced by quantum physics and science fiction. The film includes insights from quantum physicist Tommaso Calarco and references Darko Suvin, a 95-year-old Croatian academic whose encounter with a tram bombing in Zagreb in 1941 ignited his fascination with alternate realities. The installation critiques the authoritarian nature of technology through algorithmic filter bubbles and acknowledges Nobel Prize winner Osamu Shimomura. Steyerl also reflects on the global political shift to the right and the decline of truth, paving the way for future inquiries into light and music, with contributions such as a notebook from James Bridle.