BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:adamgibbons/ics METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VEVENT UID:23264@offbeat.amsterdam SUMMARY:Art Against the Machine DTSTAMP:20260601T215230Z DTSTART:20260611T150000Z DESCRIPTION:Cyborgs\, hyperobjects and Spaceship Earth popularised the idea that the\ndistinction between nature and culture should no longer be made . The book Art\nAgainst the Machine examines what this implies and argues for distinguishing\nintensifying automation from what we need to live well \, as part of a living\nearth. Join us this afternoon for the launch of th is book. With: Miriam\nMeissner\, Jeff Diamanti\, Sruti Bala\, Monique Pep erkamp.\n\nFrom a position of concern with ecological breakdown\, the book Art Against the\nMachine: Untrapping Life from Profit-Driven Tech Depende ncy inquires into the\nrole of art and theory in relation to the hybridist idea that a distinction\nbetween nature and culture\, between humans and technologies\, and between nature\nand technologies should not be made. It relates the demise of critique of\ntechnology to the rise of space perspe ctives on Earth\, the internet and the\nnetwork economy. This history unfo lds a genealogy of the Anthropocene discourse\nand the proposed aesthetics of an ecology without nature as a naturalisation of\ntechnologisation whi ch does not contest\, but instead intensifies\, the domination\nof nature inherent in the nature-culture dualism.\nThe interrogation of artworks—by Melanie Bonajo and Regina José Galindo—shows\nthat both theory and art tha t understands the need to disentangle humans and\nnature from the machine( s) is vital to how we create futures in the present.\n\nAt the launch\, Mo nique Peperkamp will give a lecture about the book’s thesis. We\nwill then have a panel discussion and Q&A about the usefulness of more\nstructural critique of technology in support of practices of contestation and of\nsoc ial and ecological regeneration.\n\n\nSPEAKERS\n\nMiriam Meissner is an As sistant Professor of Culture and Political Ecology\n(Maastricht University ) and currently a Visiting Professor at the School of Arts\nand Humanities \, Royal College of Art\, London.\n\nJeff Diamanti teaches Philosophy and Cultural Analysis (UvA) and is Professor of\nGlobal History of Sustainable Development (VU)\n\nSruti Bala is Associate Professor in Theatre and Perf ormance Studies at the\nUniversity of Amsterdam.\n\nMonique Peperkamp is a n art historian and cultural researcher and obtained her\ndoctorate at the Amsterdam School of Cultural Analyses in June 2025 (UvA). She\nhas worked as an artist\, mentor\, lecturer and teacher in art history and\ncultural theory (e.g. ArtEZ University of the Arts).\n\nMarjanne van Helvert (mode rator) is a designer\, writer\, teacher at Rietveld &\nDesign Academy. URL:https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/art-against-the-machine GEO:52.3685931;4.8896879 LOCATION:SPUI25 - Spui 25-27\, 1012 WX Amsterdam STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:amsterdam-centrum,books,discussion,ecology,lecture,performance,q &a,spui,theater X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Cyborgs, hyperobjects and Spaceship Earth p opularised the idea that the distinction between nature and culture should no longer be made. The book Art Against the Machine examines wha t this implies and argues for distinguishing intensifying automation from what we need to live well, as part of a living earth. Join us this afterno on for the launch of this book. With: Miriam Meissner, Jeff Diamanti, Srut i Bala, Monique Peperkamp.

From a position of concern with ecolo gical breakdown, the book Art Against the Machine: Untrapping Life fro m Profit-Driven Tech Dependency inquires into the role of art and the ory in relation to the hybridist idea that a distinction between nature an d culture, between humans and technologies, and between nature and technol ogies should not be made. It relates the demise of critique of technology to the rise of space perspectives on Earth, the internet and the network e conomy. This history unfolds a genealogy of the Anthropocene discourse and the proposed aesthetics of an ecology without nature as a naturalisation of technologisation which does not contest, but instead intensifies, the d omination of nature inherent in the nature-culture dualism.
The inter rogation of artworks—by Melanie Bonajo and Regina José Galindo—shows that both theory and art that understands the need to disentangle humans and na ture from the machine(s) is vital to how we create futures in the present.

At the launch, Monique Peperkamp will give a lecture about the bo ok’s thesis. We will then have a panel discussion and Q&A about the us efulness of more structural critique of technology in support of practices of contestation and of social and ecological regeneration.

Spea kers

Miriam Meissner is an Assistant Pr ofessor of Culture and Political Ecology (Maastricht University) and curre ntly a Visiting Professor at the School of Arts and Humanities, Royal Coll ege of Art, London.

Jeff Diamanti teache s Philosophy and Cultural Analysis (UvA) and is Professor of Global Histor y of Sustainable Development (VU)

Sruti Bala is Associate Professor in Theatre and Performance Studies at the Univ ersity of Amsterdam.

Monique Peperkamp is an art historian and cultural researcher and obtained her doctorate at the Amsterdam School of Cultural Analyses in June 2025 (UvA). She has work ed as an artist, mentor, lecturer and teacher in art history and cultural theory (e.g. ArtEZ University of the Arts).

Marjanne v an Helvert (moderator) is a designer, writer, teacher at Rie tveld & Design Academy.

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