Edward Shanken: “Deus ex Poiesis: Manifesto for the End of the World, Future of Art/Tech“ | 2/14/20

**NOTE: There are technical issues with the camera during the first few minutes of Shanken’s presentation. Edward Shanken delivers his talk on “Deus ex Poiesis: A Manifesto for the End of the World and the Future of Art and Technology“ at the Center for 21st Century Studies (UW-Milwaukee) on February 14, 2020. Introduction (0:00) Lecture (7:00) Q&A (52:25) Shanken’s talk is a manifesto, a call to action. It begins with a gloomy scenario and the common hope that art can help rescue us from self-destruction. He argues that our culture overemphasizes scientific rationalism and that our survival demands that we develop other abilities. The fundamental question is, what can art and artists do that will ensure that there is a bright future on Earth for all beings? A critique of academia leads to a reconsideration of the trope of “artists as radar” and the role of poiesis in overcoming “technological enframing.” Artistic examples include the work of Roy Ascott, the Elect