MOLAA Presents ARTEÔNICA: Art, Science, and Technology in Latin America Today

The exhibition ARTEÔNICA: Art, Science, and Technology in Latin America Today, showing at the Museum of Latin American Art or MOLAA is one of more than 70 exhibitions that make up the Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide, the nation’s largest arts initiative. 

If you haven’t seen it, now is the time as the exhibition, showing in three MOLAA galleries, runs until Feb. 23.

ARTEÔNICA delves into the rich history and ongoing contributions of Latin American artists working at the intersection of art, science and technology. Drawing inspiration from Brazilian electronic art pioneer Waldemar Cordeiro (1925–1973), the exhibition explores six decades, starting from the 1960s, of Latin American electronic and cybernetic art — the study of how systems control and communicate, and how they use information to regulate themselves.

“At MOLAA, participating in PST Art & Science Collide is a profound opportunity to showcase the remarkable intersections of art, science and technology that have long shaped Latin American creativity. This exhibition is not only a tribute to the visionary artists who pioneered these connections but also an invitation for our visitors to explore how these innovative ideas continue to inspire new generations. Through ARTEÔNICA, we honor the legacy of these trailblazers and open doors to a future where art and science unite to imagine bold possibilities,” said Lourdes I. Ramos, Ph.D., president and CEO of MOLAA.

In Cambiantes, Analivia Cordeiro uses Fortran IV, a programming language, to source random computer-generated dance steps and video instructions for dancers and a video crew to interpret. The purpose is to attend to the relationship between human interpretation and programming. Cordeiro’s computer dance is composed of predetermined and undetermined elements that bring into dialogue the notion of freedom in a controlled environment. 

Dancers in a video take various forms while viewers may step onto a tiled floor in front of the screen to follow the dancer’s steps. Visitors playfully followed along just for a few minutes, sometimes dancing together, as they echoed the dancers on the screen. There’s no direction or even music, only the video and movement to encourage the curious.

There are several other participatory works at ARTEÔNICA, including La has visto …?, 2021-22, by Dora Bartilotti.

This work is an electronic textile installation that alludes to the search for the victims of systematic forced disappearance, via performance in three representative phases. The first phase utilizes colorful, folk-patterned textile strips displaying the names of victims, creating a vocal polyphony as it records viewers’ stating the phrase “Have you seen her…?” Then a mannequin sculpture outfitted with a radio-frequency identification reading system (wireless, non-contact use of radio frequency waves to transfer data and identify objects, animals, or humans) scans the strips, adding viewers’ voices. The public further participates by dismantling the textile and removing strips to render silence. The phases repeat cycling back to the ongoing question, “Have you seen her..?” seemingly offering an unspoken answer.

In addition, a video accompanies La has visto …? in which the artist, Bartilotti, is seen wearing the same poncho-like garment of pink, purple and royal blue with the textile strips that adorn the two mannequins in the gallery. Bartilotti walks through the streets in Mexico, stopping to demonstrate to individuals whose paths she crosses, how her affecting and necessary artwork functions.

A Unique Artistic Movement

The exhibition examines a little-known but significant Latin American art movement where art, science and technology converge. Arteônica creates a dialogue between pioneering artists of the 1960s and 1970s and contemporary creators who carry forward their legacy.

Despite political and social upheavals in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s, including military dictatorships and economic crises, artists continued to expand aesthetic and technological boundaries. Their efforts laid the foundation for a community of artists whose work resonates with critical contemporary debates, including social engagement, Indigenous knowledge, and the exploration of living and autonomous systems.

Arteônica highlights how artists and thinkers across Latin America continue to enrich the intersection of art, science and technology. From computerized dance and autonomous ecological technology to bio art and machine linguistics, the exhibition showcases the diverse artistic expressions that explore the connections between creativity and technology.

This exhibition invites visitors to discover the role that Latin American artists play in shaping global dialogues around technology, culture and social change. Through their innovative work, these artists contribute to new frameworks for understanding art, bothhistorically and geopolitically.

A Collaborative Effort

ARTEÔNICA brings together artists, scientists, engineers and researchers, fostering an environment where artistic and scientific innovation can thrive. The result is a space that not only highlights past achievements but also serves as a knowledge matrix for future experimentation. A bilingual academic publication and an exhibition brochure will accompany the exhibition. Visit MOLAA website to pre-order the book of Arteônica. www.molaa.org

The public is invited to attend ARTEÔNICA: Art, Science, and Technology in Latin America Today. The exhibition offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore this intersection of disciplines. Enjoy free admission on MOLAA free Sundays.

Time: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Feb. 23, 2025

Cost: $10 to $15

Details: http://molaa.org and http://pst.art 

Venue: Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach

Arteônica consists of works of artists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and PeruThe project director of the exhibition is Gabriela Urtiaga.

Details: https://molaa.org/visit