Joe Moss's Automated Fantasy Procedure at Matt's Gallery explores digital anxiety through drones and Romantic references
Joe Moss's exhibit, Automated Fantasy Procedure, is showcased at Matt's Gallery in London from 24 January to 15 March 2026. The installation includes small research drones hovering over attendees and features two screens that present a two-channel video depicting fictional human archetypes in diverse settings, such as a GCHQ facility and a beach with undersea data cables. Characters like a horror figure and a Romantic, inspired by Caspar David Friedrich's Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1818), are portrayed by actors. A Roman-style mosaic contrasts with digital components. The installation operates on ten-minute loops, mimicking the act of scrolling on smartphones. Moss differentiates his work from previous artists by recognizing the evolution of the internet, while addressing themes of post-internet art, surveillance, and machine agency.
Key facts
- Joe Moss created Automated Fantasy Procedure
- Exhibition runs 24 January - 15 March 2026 at Matt's Gallery, London
- Features squadron of small research drones performing choreographed flights
- Includes two-channel video with fictional archetypes filmed at GCHQ listening station and beach with data cables
- References Caspar David Friedrich's Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1818)
- Contains Roman-style mosaic as counterpoint to digital elements
- Operates on scheduled ten-minute replays to simulate smartphone scrolling
- Connects to post-internet art traditions with artists like Cory Arcangel, Hito Steyerl, and Petra Cortright
Entities
Artists
- Joe Moss
- Caspar David Friedrich
- Cory Arcangel
- Hito Steyerl
- Petra Cortright
Institutions
- Matt's Gallery
- GCHQ
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom