Anti-crash by Scerbo

4. How do you see the role of art in the face of digital consumption and the data deluge we experience daily?

I view it as one of the few life forms still capable of engaging humans at a level that transcends what has now become the only way to exist in the world: the level of control. Nowadays, the value of existence is realized in its demonstrability, and its demonstrability is actualized in the plausibility of value, which in turn is realized in officially verifiable facts or by an unhealthy idea of competence needed to deserve that value. But this “sick social algorithm” remains at a level of artistic experience comparable to any other social, scientific, educational, or speculative activity, which exploits the algorithm of the digital universe to create a hierarchical structure of resource control. It is still manipulative. The digital landing of strong and free artists, on the other hand, undermines this foundation by exploiting its own roots, using data resources as sap that expands into silicon and reveals its emanation in the powerful vibration of work flowing on the web. Powerful aesthetic syntheses, capable in a nanosecond of nesting in the retina or the auricular membrane of its prey and then making its way to the spinal cord, finally freeing it from the automated control of its own genetic perceptual program.

5. The loss of conceptual rigour in the face of hypersensitivity, as presented in your work, is a powerful statement. Can you elaborate on what led you to this perspective?

In my “career” as an artist, I’ve spent several years indulging in the dangerous craving of visualizing concepts. I spent sleepless nights dissecting the essence of my pieces to reassure myself (and inevitably the “art world”) of some sort of orientation within my universe. But slowly, I realized that this desire for coding was almost always driven by a feeling of inadequacy, typical of those who pursue a grand dream with limited resources to achieve it. Speaking clearly: conceptual art in the hands of those with strong dialectical skills is a tool for manipulating value, both cultural and commercial. Many of the workers in the “cultured” or institutional art world exploit the idea of conceptual depth to fund ideas that convey a “touching” message that can capture attention and captivate an audience. But this type of approach is cool; it’s trendy now because it makes one feel important and culturally prepared. My conceptual work was authentic (albeit limiting for my expressiveness) but seeing that all that remained of my intellectual sensitivity was the satisfied ego of those who exploited my writings to boast about the prestige of being able to understand them hurt me too much, and it also hurt my pieces. That crisis silenced the concepts and unleashed a devastating emotional drill. At that moment, I transitioned from a phase of research to a phase of listening, and I heard what my sensitivity had to tell me. Now, I want to honor it, respect its secrets, make the realm of electrical impulses vibrate and not that of its demonstrative principles.

6. In what ways do you hope the audience will connect with your art, especially in relation to their own experiences with information overload?

I never think about the impact my piece will have on a hypothetical audience. When I create, I simply create. When I finish creating, I try to halt my creative flow, but since I can’t stop creating even when I’m in the deepest sleep, this question will remain unanswered. I would be more curious to know how the public connects with my work without handholds, seeing to what extent interest in art drives a person to genuinely want to interact with a piece of art, without it having been “designed” like an advertisement that ultimately aims to capture attention. It’s about time the public was willing to confront art by expending the necessary energy to do so, putting themselves on the same level as the efforts that an artist makes to create truly significant pieces. Today, almost everyone unconsciously demands to be stimulated and impacted without making any efforts, especially digitally, and often the exchange isn’t fair.

7. What role does chaos and disturbance play in your creative process and final artworks?

Disturbance is the engine of the evolution of my work. Anything that creates instability and confusion, all visual or auditory material that can distract reason from its desire to claim a plausible motivation for what it has created or experienced, automatically becomes a vehicle for an approximation to the unknown. That is a vehicle for a push towards what our human nature fears most: the fear of becoming lost. Well, I’ve gotten lost… or maybe I’ve found myself in a lost place. They say the blockchain doesn’t forget; maybe it’s not ready yet to host something that could cause us to lose ourselves in its memory. To get back to your question: what is the role of disturbance in my creative processes? I’ve lost the value of roles in my shots; I can’t identify the answer now, the role freezes my files, halts my coding. I’m sorry.