MONSTROUS MACHINES

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EXTENSIONS VOL III

- Text by Ida Schyum - 

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The fear that technology will surpass our abilities and dominate us has made the monstrous machine an archetype in theatre plays, visual art, and literature for centuries. Therefore, both Danish and international artists display works in the online exhibition Monstrous Machines investigating why new technologies often provoke fear, and how this fear impacts our perception of technology.

 

The word monster can be traced back to the Latin word monstrare, meaning to show and gather. Thus, monsters can be understood as creatures who cross borders and assemble opposing parts. Consequently, a number of the works show how monsters’ blur of categories is useful when challenging our perception of ourselves and technology.

 

The online exhibition Monstrous Machines is an extension of a physical presentation at ARoS Public, where the artists show works simultaneously. While some of the works are repeated, others are prolonged virtually with supplementary material. Both exhibitions are curated by art historian Ida Schyum.