You are cordially invited to the launch of C/O Digital in conjunction with C/O Berlin’s twenty-second birthday on July 14, 2022, from 6 – 10:30 pm at the Amerika Haus, Hardenbergstrasse 22–24, 10623 Berlin-Charlottenburg.

A tiny glitch begins to spread across the screen on the wall, blurring the image’s content and finally transforming the static image into a living being. Breaking through the surface of the image and through the screen on the wall, it challenges our perception and the way we see and experience photography. C/O Digital is born.

C/O Digital, the digital sibling of C/O Berlin, is dedicated to the exploration of web-based visual cultures and their forms of artistic expression. Every year it will examine a theme through a series of participatory events and commissioned works by artists that develop networks of topics, strategies, and ideas reflecting current issues.

“Why are we making C/O Berlin a center of the digital? In the past twenty-two years, C/O Berlin has become one of the world’s leading photography institutions. C/O Digital will expand our broad exhibition program at the Amerika Haus by adding a digital realm. In addition, C/O Digital can be experienced at any time outside of Berlin by users all over the world. With this expansion of our physical exhibition program, we aim to reach new target groups while reacting strategically to the new demands made on cultural institutions, a development that has been accelerated by the past two years.”
– Stephan Erfurt, CEO, C/O Berlin Foundation

C/O Digital examines the forms of digital art that are currently firmly based in lens-based media, providing new ways of engaging with it. With “New Values”, this year’s annual theme, C/O Digital will focus both on terms and practices that challenge the traditional understanding of economic contexts.

“The Beisheim Stiftung (Beisheim Foundation) is happy to support the evolution of C/O Berlin into the digital space – with its own digital curator, innovative art productions and new educational formats. For us, the participatory approach of C/O Digital is particularly exciting, as it will invite not only digital natives and art connoisseurs, but also encourage everyone curious to help shape new artistic worlds.”
– Louisa-Dominique Riedel, project manager cultural department, Beisheim Stiftung (Beisheim Foundation)

C/O Digital goes live: join us to celebrate the launch at the Amerika Haus. The evening event, which is free of charge, will also be livestreamed. To access the livestream, please visit co-berlin.org on July 14.

Program

Thursday, July 14, 2022, from 5 pm
Admission starts
(Please note: The house is closed before 5 pm)

6 – 6:40 pm
Introducing C/O Digital
C/O Berlin’s curatorial team will present C/O Digital with artists, designers, and developers.

With
C/O Digital mentors:
Cade Diehm (AUS/DE), expert on data protection, weaponized designer, and antidesign ethicist / Geert Lovink (NL), professor of digital media, media theorist, and web activist / MetaObjects (HK), digital design studio

Artists:
Debbie Ding (SG) / Keiken (UK/DE) / Ayoung Kim (SK)
Studio Hato (UK/HK), web design C/O Digital

Moderation:
Barbara Cueto, digital curator, C/O Berlin
Felix Hoffmann, chief curator, C/O Berlin

Language:
English

7 – 8:15 pm
Screening: The Para-Real
The Para-Real is a third space between the digital realm and our physical world, in which sociopolitical issues, economics, and the outcomes of hardware and infrastructure design collide. The screening of the VRChat documentary, A Wide Screen, will kick off the web series The Para-Real, which is dedicated to the exploration of different subcultures building livelihoods despite platform exploitation. Followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Joe Hunting and privacy expert Cade Diehm.

8:15 – 10:30 pm
Birthday & Launch Party

Supported by: Beisheim Stiftung | DKB – Deutsche Kreditbank AG | experimente#digital – eine Kulturinitiative der Aventis Foundation

July 14, 2022
Launch & Birthday Party: Thursday, July 14, 6 – 10:30 pm

C/O Berlin Foundation

Amerika Haus, Hardenbergstraße 22-24, 10623 Berlin
[District: Charlottenburg | Borough: Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf]

Opening hours for this event: 5 – 10:30 pm

Admission free