TECHNO TERRAIN | SHOWROOM

EXPANDED.ART is pleased to present the international group exhibition TECHNO TERRAIN: NATURE IN THE AGE OF THE METAVERSE in collaboration with objkt.one to explore the dynamic relationship between nature and the digital realm. The exhibition curated by Anika Meier for EXPANDED.ART takes visitors on a journey through a mesmerizing fusion of AI-driven digital art, nostalgia-infused landscapes, and the limitless possibilities of the metaverse.

TECHNO TERRAIN is an invitation to contemplate the intersection of nature and technology. Through captivating artworks by 16 artists, it reimagines our connection to the natural world, challenging conventional perceptions and delving into the depths of our collective nostalgia.

Drawing inspiration from art history and retrofuturism, TECHNO TERRAIN celebrates the rich heritage of artistic movements while embracing the innovative techniques of digital creation. The artworks on display seamlessly blend organic elements with futuristic aesthetics, inviting the visitor to witness a harmonious coexistence between the natural and the virtual.

In an era where the boundary between the digital realm and nature becomes increasingly porous, the artworks of yesterday’s pioneers and today’s avant-garde showcased in TECHNO TERRAIN. NATURE IN THE AGE OF THE METAVERSE bring forward this intersection, revealing how artists navigate and reconcile these two worlds.

The evolution of artistic appreciation of nature is evident when we look at Heinrich Heidersberger's work. Heidersberger symbolizes the era when artists were closely associated with nature; he caught snow crystals for the world to see.

Hans Dehlinger's TREE_16 ON_BLUE is a technicolor dream that melds nature and the digital; it is an ancient tree tailored for the 16:9 screen, illuminating the interconnection between the organic and the synthetic. Helena Sarin channels a heartfelt tale of cultural heritage, stitching memories of childhood summers in the Soviet 1980s into THE ROAD TO FREEDOM. Her animated quilt, an embodiment of national identity, stands as a testament to resilience.

Patrick Tresset’s seaside depiction in PORNIC, ATLANTIC OCEAN and qubibi's tree take us back to times where the sea and earth could have existed before or after humanity, reflecting a constant and timeless relationship between man and nature. In a profound merge of the past and the digital, Skye Nicolas's SHUNDO ODDISH alludes to Japanese yōkai art while showcasing a Pokémon. This amalgamation draws on Japan's rich history and the current age of AR games. We're led into a world where the mythical and digital coalesce in natural settings.

Dev Harlan captures the passage of time with relics of technology—using computer monitors and e-waste juxtaposed with natural elements—speaking to the continuum of progress and its intersection with nature. Kalen Iwamoto, in collaboration with Wen New atelier, dives deep into the human psyche and its place in the metaverse. They visualize the dynamics of human presence and absence, leaving traces of nostalgia and potential.

Moreover, artists like aurèce vettier and Margaret Murphy demonstrate how AI can create nature. Vettier's plants, although fictional, remind us of real botanical wonders, while Murphy's AI-recreated landscapes bridge past photographic works with future possibilities.

Jurgen Ostarhild invites us into a dance between German romanticism and ironic distancing, while OONA's MOTHER OF questions identity and ownership in the crypto art realm. Chris Coleman, in DEMORPHIC, paints a vivid picture of human extraction from the Earth, reminding us of the consequences of our actions. Rick Silva's CONTROLLED BURN depicts a future marked by alien technology and apocalyptic vibes, while Connie Bakshi's SUBLIMINAL SPECIES mirrors a spiritual quest, pondering identity, erasure, and reclaiming silenced histories.

Lastly, DIGITAL DEATH by Claudia Hart reimagines the notion of life and decay in the digital realm, highlighting the ephemerality of existence in this ever-evolving world.

Join us on this journey, where history, art, and technology converge, leading us to ask: in an age where reality is continuously being redefined, where do we find the essence of nature?

Text: Anika Meier (co-written with ChatGPT-4)

Artists: Connie Bakshi, Chris Coleman, Hans Dehlinger, Dev Harlan, Claudia Hart, Heinrich Heidersberger, Kalen Iwamoto, Margaret Murphy, Skye Nicolas, OONA, Jurgen Ostarhild, Qubibi, Helena Sarin, Rick Silva, Patrick Tresset, aurèce vettier

The NFTs will drop on 31 August, 6 PM CET on objkt.one.