Zach Blas 

(Toronto, CA)

NIGHT SCHOOL: /// Lacrimae et Iudicium: Two Gods from the Silicon Zone

DESCRIPTION

In this lecture-performance, Zach Blas explores a religious-un/conscious thriving in today's tech industry. Blas tells of a computational world of divine judgment, where artificial intelligence exists alongside corporate gods, mystical glyphs, religious icons, occult sigils, and captured bodies, and where emotional crying is a symbolic language of quantification. 

Renowned artist, filmmaker, and writer Zach Blas will present a brand new performance lecture as part of the NIGHT SCHOOL program for this year's TBA Festival. Blas’ engagement in Portland is in partnership with the MA in Critical Studies program at Pacific Northwest College of Art at Willamette University.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Zach Blas is an artist, filmmaker, writer, and Assistant Professor of Visual Studies at the University of Toronto. His practice spans moving image, computation, theory, performance, and science fiction. Recent exhibitions include the 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art; British Art Show 9; Positions #6, Van Abbemuseum; Uncanny Valley: Being Human in the Age of AI at the de Young Museum; The Body Electric at the Walker Art Center; and the 12th Gwangju Biennale. His 2021 artist monograph Unknown Ideals is published by Sternberg Press.