Technobiographic Interventions: Feminist Narratives
and AI in Academic Capitalism
presentation by paula roush
Part of the conference
Re-Evaluation in Feminisms and Contemporary Art
at Middlesex University, London
Friday 13 September 2024
10am -7 pm (GMT)
Book your free ticket via Eventbrite>
Organised by Create/Feminisms, this conference (hybrid format) at Middlesex University aims to explore new directions in feminist research.
"What do we mean by Re-Evaluation?
It could be said all new research contains a "re-evaluation" of past work, but this conference aims to re-evaluate feminist research and enquiry as it has developed over the last 50 years in relation to different local/global dynamics or about certain artists or artworks.
Feminism(s) aim to interrogate existing histories and provide significant corrections to what constitutes "history". Is re-evaluation of artists only a question of reputation and recognition; collective action or how they reference issues of social justice? How have feminism(s)' challenges changed museums' curatorial practices, critical writing and art history? And how has feminism itself been transformed over time? What remains missing from the stories that
we tell today about past an present feminist interventions in contemporary art?
There are many feminism(s), and many generations of feminist scholars, but the definition we intend here is based in politics, not identity. The conference aims to explore different strategies that have been attempted, while offering critique and fresh assessments. We encourage many different voices and perspectives on feminist politics in relation to contemporary art from many parts of the world to apply, as well as diverse and different perspectives of critics, artists, curators and researchers."
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with activity taking place on, beneath,
and along the River Thames.
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Technobiographic Interventions: Feminist Narratives and AI in Academic Capitalism
paula roush
This paper explores the project "’paula’ & Work: A Document on the Machinic Enslavement in Academic Capitalism 2023-24," a critical extension of the exhibition "Women & Work: A Document on the Division of Labour in Industry 1973-75" by Margaret Harrison, Kay Hunt, and Mary Kelly. Engaging with the historical context of feminist labour documentation, "’paula’ & Work" interrogates the contemporary landscape of academic capitalism, identity, and technology within the arts and humanities in the UK.
"’paula’ & Work" responds to the closure of the Photography program at the School of Arts, London South Bank University, amidst widespread threats to arts and humanities departments across UK universities. This decision, occurring post-sabbatical work with Generative AI, situates the project in a politically charged climate, addressing the trauma of precarity and the specific trauma around the loss of professional and academic identity.
The paper re-evaluates specific elements of the original exhibition's curatorial approach along the axis of intersectionality:
- Documentary Approach: Incorporating an AI model trained on self-portraits, "’paula’ & Work" extends documentary methods with contemporary generative AI, highlighting shifts in representation and narrative authority.
- Representation of Female Labour: While the original exhibition portrayed female workers through the artists' lens, this project involves creating AI-generated self-portraits, exploring how digital tools can alter perceptions of feminist queer labour and identity.
- Documents Included in the Installation: The project includes contemporary documents reflecting the precarious state of academic labour in academic capitalism, drawing parallels to the historical documents used in the 1970s exhibition.
- Use of the Archive: Utilizing archival ready-made materials from both current academic contexts and pedagogical frameworks, the project underscores the evolving nature of feminist archival practices and their role in documenting labour struggles.
- Intersectionality and Ageism: Addressing age bias, the project features "AI-centric Curriculum," comprising ninety AI-generated portraits representing speculative roles for the aging artist. This element critiques the marginalization of older individuals in both art and academia, highlighting the ethical implications of AI in perpetuating ageist biases.
Both exhibitions occur in the aftermath of significant labour strikes. "Women & Work" looked at working conditions post-Equal Pay Act 1970, influenced by the 1968 Ford sewing machinists' strike led by women demanding equal pay. Similarly, "’paula’ & Work" unfolds amidst ongoing teachers' strikes over pay and university strikes over job cuts, situating it within contemporary labour struggles in dialogue with the Union.
By revisiting and extending the methodologies of Harrison, Hunt, and Kelly, "’paula’ & Work" highlights the continuing relevance of feminist critiques of labour. It examines how these critiques evolve in response to new socio-economic pressures and technological advancements, offering an emerging perspective on feminist interventions in contemporary art and academia.
This paper contributes to the broader discourse on the re-evaluation of feminist research and its implications for contemporary practices. It explores how feminist strategies from the 1970s can inform current challenges and opportunities within academic and artistic fields, emphasizing the need for intersectional gender and race critique and adaptation in the face of changing political dynamics. Through this lens, the project underscores the transformative potential of feminist art and research in addressing issues of social justice, identity, and labour within contemporary academia.
Related exhibitions:
contact
paula roush ::: paularoush@gmail.com
msdm studio ::: msdm@msdm.org.uk