The Madrid Urban Digital Art Festival will present its fifth edition from 9 to 31 May with a programme that includes urban exhibitions, installations, immersive projections, workshops, meetings, conferences, live music and open studios all over the city, with special artistic focus on the Carabanchel neighbourhood.
Following the success of the previous edition, the festival is back to explore the contradictions posed by the digital world every day, with each click, tap or scroll. It will delve into the dilemmas caused by our artificial symbionts, addressing algorithms without prejudice and seeking to think collectively about the role of technology in society.
The common theme of the festival is I’m feeling lucky, based on the dichotomy between technological convenience and mistrusting the algorithm. It is based on the help button of the world’s most used search engine, which will be the subject for debate and the human contradictions in terms of the use of algorithms and their results.
The festival will be officially opened on 9 may and the programme will kick off from 10 to 12 May with the support of AC/E Acción Cultural Española, TBA21 Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary and the Vlex music label, which will develop n extensive programme focusing on professionals interested in new artistic practices using technology and new media with conferences, meetings, performances, live DJ/VJs and workshops.
As a new feature, open studios have been organised in the Carabanchel neighbourhood on 12 May, with the opening of the studios of digital artists, such as Mit Borrás, Johanna Jaskowska, Felina HDB, Álvaro Chior, Pau Jimenez or Lola Zoido, among others.
Artists and guests taking part in this edition include names like Adrian Notz, Alejandro Vidal, Ana Drucker, Brooklyn J. Pakathi, Carolina Fernández-Castrillo + Diego Mantoan, Clara Escalera + Marie Caye + Andrés Agulla, Dominique Moulon, Guayaba, Janira Planes, Lauren Lee McCarthy, Lola Zoido, Luis Lecea, Mae Lubetkin, Maria Buey, Mario Santamaría, Mayte Gómez, Molly Soda, Natalia Stuyk, Nina Muro, Petra Linhartova, Rayane Jemaa, Sara Bezovšek, Sarah Sadik, Tabita Rezaire, Vanessa Murrell, Vica Pacheco and Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries, among others.
It is also worth highlighting that this year the festival has launched the largest ever call for digital art in a public space in which artists from all over the world will present works related to this edition’s theme. A jury of experts will select 30 finalists whose work will be displayed on more than 400 Clear Channel digital billboards throughout Madrid during May.
This urban exhibition is linked with the work of Nina Muro, the artist who created the image of the fifth edition of the festival, which will be on display throughout the month on large digital canvases in Plaza de Callao, thanks to the collaboration of Callao City Lights, Cultura Inquieta and Súper 8 Media.
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