Trevor Paglen's 'Unseen Stars' turns satellites into sculptures at OGR Torino

Trevor Paglen's solo exhibition 'Unseen Stars' at OGR Torino presents non-functional satellite sculptures that reflect on the social and political implications of technology. Curated by Ilaria Bonacossa and Valentina Lacinio, the show opened on October 10, 2020, but was temporarily closed due to COVID-19. The inflatable structures, made of reflective material, are stripped of their utilitarian purpose, asking how satellites would appear if they were art rather than military, commercial, or scientific tools. Paglen's research spans geography and artificial intelligence, aiming to reveal the unseen. The exhibition includes documents and an interview with the artist, part of a new YouTube series 'Meet the artist' by OGR. The works challenge the neutrality of technology, as Paglen states: 'technologies, whether computers or satellites, are never neutral.'