Internet Core. Aesthetics of Digital Disaster

Within the context of contemporary art, and more specifically Internet art, we can question what stage we are currently experiencing and what challenges we face as cultural agents. The category of “post-Internet art” initially proposed a paradigm shift in which the Internet became an omnipresent element in artistic practice. Over time, this approach led to the commodification of certain works and the consolidation of a specific group of artists in the art market. Now, under platform capitalism and Clearnet activity, we yearn for a change in the ways in which we, as artists, engage within the infrastructures of the Internet.

The term “core” emerges on Internet platforms like TikTok and Tumblr, forming part of the trend of “aesthetic movements” with a deeper commitment to urgent global concerns. “Aesthetics” are a visual expression of a particular identity or culture in relation to digital platforms. It is in this constant artistic practice of archiving images to build the core that we want to focus our attention. The “Internet Core” represents the condition in which art defends aesthetics as forms of anti-capitalist critique and resistance to the system, fostering a digital artistic exodus to smaller virtual communities (such as Mastodon, Signal, Telegram, Discord, or Substack), marking a divergence from the post-Internet era, which was driven by influencers and broader public exposure.

In this gathering, we will explore this condition through discussions, artistic actions, and screenings by various artists and researchers. The conference will take place on April 3rd from 16:00 to 20:00 at Santa Mònica and on April 4th from 16:00 to 20:00 at Hangar.

Program April 4th – Hangar

4 pm – Introduction
With Ezequiel Soriano and Diana Millán

4:15 pm – THE VOID
Presentation by Jordi Viader on The VOID, UKRAiNATV, and the Red Stream Art.

4:45 pm – Roundtable with Laura Tabarés, Azahara Cerezo, and THE VOID
A conversation between Laura Tabarés, Azahara Cerezo, and The Void on digital art projects outside urban centers. The artists, researchers, and curators will discuss physical and digital migrations, dark forests, and collective politics, connecting with THE VOID.

5:30 pm – Break

5:45 pm – Screenings
Ian Margo and Alicia Arévalo will present audiovisual pieces in a small film forum to reflect on and discuss digital aesthetics.

6:45 pm – Break

7 pm – The Image Factory (AI Party)
Multimedia artists and “magicians” Yagomaligne, Carlos Carbonell, and Majin Don Patch will create an interactive pop-up installation to organize, manipulate, transform, and distort their saved image folders. For one hour, they will showcase their image-processing methods in a live session, activating homemade AIs, video-generation LORAs, and mechanisms for sharing memes via radio.

8 pm – Closing

Practical Information

Date: April 4, 2025
Time: 4 – 8:15 pm
Venue: Sala Ricson, Hangar
Full program link

Free event, no prior registration required
Organized by Ezequiel Soriano, Diana Millán, and Geert Lovink.
Initiated by the Institute of Network Cultures (Amsterdam) with the participation of Santa Mònica and Hangar.