In the last week of November 2024, I was invited to Xiamen for a Curatorial Seminar in the context of the Jimei × Arles Festival for Photography and Moving Image, organized by the Thee Shadows Photography Art Center. Ever since I first met Huang Yong Ping at Cabaret Voltaire almost twenty years ago, I have always been curious to learn more about Xiamen Dada. So this invitation was a very special opportunity, all the more so as Lin Chun, one of the founding members of Xiamen Dada, was also there and I had the chance to meet him personally. Besides meeting and exchanging with the very dedicated and experienced participants and organisers, I was also very lucky to find a group young curators and artists from the Axis Art Project who are revisiting Xiamen Dada today.
I was honoured, and of course extremely delighted to be part of this Xiamen Dada context, therefore my presentation in the Curatorial Seminar tried to bridge the gap from Dada to AI, which is not only my personal curatorial history. My English presentation was extremely well translated simultaneously from English into Chinese, and also later in a report by Zhao Fan, one of the participants, which you can read below. Zhao Fan has also researched and translated the original Xiamen Dada book "'85 New Wave Archive" ('85 新潮档案) for me, so that I can delve even deeper into the subject.
Here the announcement text by the organisers:
"In the lecture "From Dada to AI," renowned curator Adrian Notz takes us on an insightful journey through the dynamic intersections of art, technology, and philosophy. This session offers a fascinating glimpse into his two-decade-long curatorial journey, evolving from engagement with the historical Dada movement to pioneering explorations in artificial intelligence. We begin by delving into Notz's 15-year involvement at Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich, the birthplace of the Dada movement, where his work with exhibitions, lectures, and performances profoundly shaped his understanding of Dadaism’s impact on art and thought. Discover how mastering Dadaist principles led Notz to seek new directions, eventually guiding him to artificial intelligence, a bold new frontier. Being a part of the AI Center at ETH Zurich until Spring 2024, Notz shares the complexities and excitement of exploring this unfamiliar yet intriguing domain, reminiscent of his initial encounters with Dada. In his role, he still fosters interdisciplinary collaborations bridging art and science, with a specific emphasis on AI, showcasing cutting-edge projects, where artistic creativity meets scientific advancement.
This lecture will provide an enriched perspective on the fluid interplay between traditional art movements and contemporary technological innovations. It will offer an in-depth understanding of how curatorial practices adapt and thrive amidst changing intellectual landscapes through Notz's experiences and insights."
Here you can find the whole lecture «From Dada to AI» that I gave at the Curatorial Seminar, in Chinese.
