“Glitch is something that extends beyond the most literal technological mechanics: it helps us to celebrate failure as a generative force, a new way to take on the world.”
― Legacy Russell, Glitch Feminism: A Manifesto
Last November 2022, the whimsical relationship between the Slutty Urbanism collective and the students of the Master’s program within the course of Visual Cultures unfolded. Peter Mörtenböck[1], Helge Mooshammer[2], and Carmen Lael Hines[3] with the student assistant Bilal Alame, have invited two of the slutty urbanists, Letizia Chiappini and Ying Tzu-Lin to organise a seminar and collection of material during the slutty fieldwork. The aim was to explore the interwoven relationship between the architecture of technology and our physical built environment. Together with the lecturer, artist, writer, and organiser working primarily in video and related public formats Benjamin Gerdes, we had a seminar and a closing workshop. We invited students and academics to answer this question: How does the architecture of technology interweave with the physical built environment that we are living in?
We aim to translate notions such as ‘Platform Urbanism’ and ‘the Glitch’ from theory to practice. By observing our everyday life choices and consumerism patterns about the urban space, the main outcome is to collectively reflect upon techno-spatialised practices after the advent of digital platforms. Through the experimental walk, we invite you to observe and take inspiration from your everyday life environment. Our intervention is meant to co-create visual, graphical and/or text materials that will enrich their research file to reflect upon these topics. Through keen observations of everyday life choices, consumer patterns, and their interaction with urban spaces, participants collectively reflected upon techno-spatialised practices in the era of digital platforms.
As the whimsical journey came to an end, the participants dispersed with newfound knowledge and inspiration in their final research file, the final assignment for this course. The impact of this extraordinary event rippled through their lives, igniting a spark that will undoubtedly continue to influence their thoughts and actions.
[1] PETER MÖRTENBÖCK is the head of the Department and Professor of VISUAL CULTURE at the TU Wien, Co-Director of the CENTRE FOR GLOBAL ARCHITECTURE and Senior Research Fellow at Goldsmiths College, University of London.
[2] HELGE MOOSHAMMER is senior scientist, an architect, author, and curator. He conducts urban and cultural research in the Department of VISUAL CULTURE at the TU Wien, is Co-Director of the CENTRE FOR GLOBAL ARCHITECTURE, and Research Fellow at Goldsmiths College, University of London.
[3] CARMEN LAEL HINES is a researcher, lecturer, and curator, based at the department of Visual Cultures (TU WIEN).