TALKS
Operational Art 101 – James Wallbank
8.30pm The Dark Inside Venue
A disturbing but essential insight into Russian military doctrine, with particular interest for information warriors. While artists and educators may feel uncomfortable about characterising culture as conflict, be assured that their opponents, peddlers of nostalgic fantasy and engineered disinformation, do not.
10pm Fireside Conversation:
A discussion of the peculiarly self-contradictory, dual nature of digital networks, that seem, simultaneously, to connect and disconnect, to relocalise and to centralise, to inform and to confuse, to promote democracy and to undermine it.
James Wallbank’s practice combines technological, social and environmental concerns. He’s particularly interested in unorthodox methodologies that re-empower marginalised individuals and communities. He founded Redundant Technology Initiative, an arts group working exclusively with trash technology and free, open source software and Access Space, a recycled digital media lab with an open-door policy. He’s also a founding partner of Makers, a high-street shop that makes use of digital manufacture and craft skills to create an independent, local platform for art, craft and design.
There are limited seats in the venue, please arrive in good time
Cyborgs, Sexbots and Sexual Intimacy – Viv Kuh
9.30pm The Dark Inside Venue
In this talk, Viv Kuh will explore the ethics of sex and intimacy, and how they can help us frame the technological shifts in sex culture. Who is driving this technology forwards, and how are they approaching the ethical dimension of the culture they are constructing? Where does consent play in to the pursuit of sex with non-human entities? What does all this mean for human-human sex and intimacy?
Vivienne Kuh works in public engagement at the UK University of Bristol. Raised on a solid diet of 1950s science fiction, she studied philosophy and has spent her career working at the cutting edge of arts and immersive technologies. She is fascinated by the way that humans engage and form relationships with technology and more recently her interests have turned to the ethical implications of our relationship with robotics, both now and in the rapidly approaching future.
The talk will cover aspects of sex, intimacy and violence and will not be suitable for children.
There are limited seats in the venue, please arrive in good time
WORKSHOPS
Intimacy Encryption Workshop – Heath Bunting
6pm. Meet The Dark Inside Venue
In a time of surveillance capitalism privacy requires some radical methods. A workshop in how to communicate secretly over any media using nothing more than taking time to share some special time together. Used very effectively by former fluffy groups such as Irish Republican Army and Palestine Liberation Organization.
Heath Bunting is currently working on project to search for artificial life in the Exmoor Forest shoreline and still recovering from having identical twins http://irational.org/heathbunting/
Survival workshop – Heath Bunting
2pm. Meet Dark Star Lounge
Directed mostly to vulnerable individuals and groups such as artists, who are either at risk or fantasise of risk, this workshop will demonstrate how one can extend time spent outside in non emergency self induced or chance situations. Classic areas such as shelter, fire, water and food will be covered by both outdoor and indoor survival expert. Suitable for all ages.
OTHER THINGS
Listen Very carefully for I Shall Tell You Only Once – Neale Willis
3pm. Meet The Dark Star Lounge
Wikipedia defines data as “any sequence of one or more symbols given meaning by specific act of interpretation”. Join Neale Willis on an expedition to search the natural landscape surrounding Murray’s Monument for data. As dusk falls a computer algorithm will transform this data into a language (of sorts), presenting the data back to the landscape from where it came as part of a performance installation.
Leaning into Darkness – Saffy Setohy & Joanna Young
From 8pm
A one to one guided movement journey, exploring our sensory experience of darkness. Forefronting senses other than vision, we will explore a number of invitations and suggestions which give attention to the specific and special experience of moving into the night.
There will be a sign up sheet on arrival at Sanctuary. Journeys will start from 8pm and each journey will take approximately 20 minutes.
Star Gazing Walk – Elizabeth Tindel. Dark Sky Ranger
8.30pm Meet Dark Star Lounge
After dark, we will have a chance to see the stars in the heart of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park. Biosphere Dark Sky Ranger, Elizabeth Tindal will take you on a Stargazing walk. it will be a great chance to learn about about the stars and constellations and how dark it really gets at night. Please dress up warmly and bring a torch.
sanctuarylab.org 