The technologies of the contemporary world provide artists with unique tools to create works that reflect the diversity and multifaceted nature of the human personality. In this context, the exhibition Difference Machines becomes a symbol of the fusion of technology and identity, opening new horizons for considering art in the contemporary world.

Of course, many would argue that technology brings not only benefits but also destruction. Many cite the example of www.twinspinca.com and other similar sites where users gamble with Canadian dollars and other currencies. Casinos have become an integral part of the world, but now, some people have to sacrifice freedom because of addiction.

“Difference Machines: technology and Identity in contemporary art”: a unique exhibition in Buffalo 

The exhibition “Difference Machines: Technology and Identity in Contemporary Art” at Albright-Knox in Buffalo, NY, is a unique exploration of the impact of technology on the formation of personal and social identity through the lens of contemporary art.

The exhibition focuses on the use of digital technology to track people, its impact on identity formation, the erasure of boundaries and marginalized communities, and the reassertion of control. Interestingly, the venue itself, a restored warehouse used as a temporary museum space during the construction of a permanent museum, symbolizes the impact of machine designs on social structures.

What to see

Hassan Elahi’s work A Thousand Little Brothers (2014) is featured in the exhibition Difference Machines: technology and Identity in Contemporary Art at Albright-Knox in Buffalo, NY, and is impressive in its scale and symbolism. The canvas, stretched from floor to ceiling, is studded with pigment prints of images that the artist created and posted online in response to surveillance by the FBI, which wrongfully deemed him a threat to national security after the tragic events of September 11. This work is a visual response to surveillance and control by the authorities and effectively transports the viewer into a world of mass surveillance and loss of personal privacy.

A neighboring niche feature works about online surveillance in the 1990s by Keith Piper, who was one of the first activists to voice concerns about government control of online content. The works reflect important social aspects related to the impact of technology on our identity and safety.

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s film “Confidence Level” (2015) is one of the most impressive works in the exhibition. The viewer becomes a participant in the process – a webcam captures your face and produces a percentage match to one of the 43 rural students who disappeared from a teacher training college in Iguala, Guerrero State, Mexico. The work emphasizes the themes of identity, mass surveillance, and control, provoking the viewer to think deeply about the impact of technology on our identity and society as a whole.

Sean Fader’s photographs for the film Insufficient Memory (2020) are visual documents captured with one of the first Sony Digital Mavica digital cameras, released in 1998. These photographs capture the locations where people identifying as members of the LGBTQ community were murdered between 1999 and 2000 while the U.S. Congress was debating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Sean Fader’s work is a kind of documentation of social and political events, emphasizing the importance of remembering the past and fighting for minority rights.

The work Root Picker (2021) by bio-artist Rian Ciela Hammond is an original bioreactor with a digital video that analyzes hormone technology and hidden histories of colonialism in pharmaceutical production. In this work, Hammond addresses the theme of respect for the land, stating that “the virtual landscapes created by the people we move through, as well as the physical lands occupied by humanity, are equally contested. The ongoing legacies of stolen lands, slavery, and the violent expulsion of indigenous peoples shape them.” This work offers an in-depth analysis of the impact of technology on nature and addresses historical aspects of colonialism, emphasizing the relevance of these issues in contemporary society.

The exhibits in the exhibition “Difference Machines: Technology and Identity in Contemporary Art” at Albright-Knox in Buffalo, NY, are complex and multifaceted works filled with profound social and political messages. These artworks actively raise issues of identity, civil rights, and historical legacy, speaking to the importance of art in addressing current societal issues.