I had the pleasure to talk at this conference organised at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.

Reclaiming Agency in the Age of AI: Afro-Feminist Ethics, Digital Colonialism and Counter-Epistemologies

The conference Critical AI Studies situates Artificial Intelligence within the framework of Cultural Materialism, Critical AI Studies, Black Studies, and Afro-Feminism, approaching AI as a socio-technical formation grounded in data extraction, labour regimes, and global power asymmetries. Central to this perspective is the recognition of data labour as a foundational yet largely invisible component of AI systems, encompassing practices of data generation, annotation, moderation, maintenance, and care. 

Alida Sun’s work strongly speaks to the topics in my project and
questions we discuss here at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. So I felt extremely
honored that she was with us, at the Anatomy hall. We had the chance to have
a Q&A with her afer her lecture.
Alida Sun is based in Berlin at the moment, but has international
art exhibitions, like for example a large solo show in New Delhi.
Alida Sun builds audio-visual instruments that transform her
movements into visuals and sounds. With a background in coding
and tech culture she enjoys coding as a physical process to create
art. This way coding turns into a physical ritual. It reminds us of the
times when art was tangible, hardwired into craft.
When iteration was necessary for crafting and was an embodied
experience. When Alida Sun thinks highly appreciated forms of
self expression in patriarchal society, like tech production, with
highly undervalued forms of self expression, like textile
manufacturing by women weavers in India, she outlines women’s invisible and underpaid
labour.
I want to quote Alida Sun:

“The hierarchy of the two [art versus
craft] is deeply entrenched in patriarchy and colonialism.”

You can follow her Instagram account „alidasun“ to discover a new art
piece there every day since 2500 days.

Embodied Code Ritual Resistance

Alida Sun will explore play as research methodology, data as material for somatic inquiry, and reclaiming computational heritage from tech bro oligarchs trying to steal our past and future.

Photo Credits: Silke Maier. Embodied Code Ritual Resistance

DEUTSCH
In ihrer künstlerischen Forschung experimentiert Alida Sun mit Spiel als Forschungsmethode, Daten als Material für somatische Erkundungen sowie mit der Zurückeroberung unserer Computer-Kultur aus den Händen der Tech Bro Oligarchen, die versuchen, Vergangenheit und Zukunft zu stehlen.

15.APRIL

15.4.2026 von 17.45 – 20.00

ANATOMIESAAL

ARTIST STATEMENT / short bio

Alida Sun is an artist and technologist based in Berlin and New York. Her practice integrates presence, resistance, and adaptation in the age of algorithms. Every day for over 2,000 days and counting she has hand coded a new generative artwork spanning installation, sound, textiles, architecture, choreography, and light.

Her works have been exhibited in museums and galleries including UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, bitforms, Unit London, as well as media art festivals around the world.

Abstract:

How can critical code and free open source software community empower artistic imagination while resisting Big Tech’s complicity in war and imperialism? How do we sustain creative practices in the age of algorithms beyond planned obsolescence and proprietary subscriptions? This lecture offers insights from over 2,500 consecutive days of hand-coded art by Alida Sun, who maintains an international career using intentionally secondhand salvaged tech well over a decade old. We’ll explore play as research methodology, data as material for somatic inquiry, and reclaiming computational heritage from tech bro oligarchs trying to steal our past and future.

DEUTSCH

Wie kann die Critical Code und Open Source Software Community künstlerische Projekte empowern und gleichzeitig Widerstand gegen Big Tech’s Komplizenschaft in Krieg und Imperialismus leisten? Wie können wir im Zeitalter der Algorithmen kreative Praktiken am Leben erhalten, jenseits der eingebauten Sollbruchstellen, ohne uns der Kommerzialisierung vollends zu verschreiben? Dieser Vortrag gibt Einblick in ein Projekt, in dem dem Alida Sun über 2500 auf einander folgende Tage kunst-basierten Code programmiert hat. Alida Sun ist eine international renommierte Künstlerin, die bewusst second Hand, und veralterte Computer weiterverwendet. In ihrer künstlerischen Forschung experimentiert Alida Sun mit Spiel als Forschungsmethode, Daten als Material für somatische Erkundungen sowie mit der Zurückeroberung unserer Computer-Kultur aus den Händen der Tech Bro Oligarchen, die versuchen, unsere Vergangenheit und Zukunft zu stehlen.

Bio:

Alida Sun is an artist and technologist based in Berlin and New York. Her practice integrates presence, resistance, and adaptation in the age of algorithms. Every day for over 2,000 days and counting she has hand coded a new generative artwork spanning installation, sound, textiles, architecture, choreography, and light. Her works have been exhibited in museums and galleries including UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, bitforms, Unit London, as well as media art festivals around the world.

It was specifically a great honor to have a deeper exchange with Fieke Jansen and Niels van Oever (Critical Infrastructure Lab) and Judith Veenkamp (Waag Foundation) who invited me to Amsterdam.

Together with Patricia J. Reis I was invited to give a lecture in Amsterdam at the historical building in which VOC was founded. A sad memorial of centuries of colonialism. But the audience was wonderful, asking many fantastic questions and sharing about their own art and research critical of extractivism and aiming for decolonial tech in the arts. In the audience there were wonderful people like the author of „The Art of Hacking“, Julie Laczko and the artist Zach Furst who created the compost.cc project, the artistic researcher Selena Savic and many others, who also later joined our workshop. The workshop was held at critical infrastructure lab at Amsterdam University.

The second part of the workshop was held at WAAG FOUNDATION. At their future lab in the heart of Amsterdam. It was an amazing experience to meet so many excellent artists, activists, digital rights activists, scholars and theorists.

After these events I had a project meeting with Dorine van Meel (Earthbound Hardware Workshop) Anja Groten (Hackers and Designers, University of Amsterdam) and Heerko van der Kooij (Hackers and Designers). After this real and physical meeting we had an online working session with students and Indonesian artist Ismal Muntaha.