The International Journal for Digital Art History (DAHJ) organizes the first VR gallery opening on June 24th with the exhibition Absurdist Electronics: Wearable Coping Mechanisms, Techno-Anxiety and Thoughts on Dada.

The largest retrospective of Kathleen McDermott’s work to date, the exhibition focuses on McDermott’s work with wearables, a medium which is especially well-suited to an absurdist response, because the body in relation to technology has historically been subject to conflicting narratives, often limited to the utopia/dystopia binary. Taking inspiration from Dada tactics of using absurdity to blur boundaries and redirect attention, McDermott seeks to promote a more liminal conversation around the future of wearables, subverting principles of control and rationalism, which dominate commercial wearable design.

On behalf of DAHJ, I give an introductory speech to the exhibition, which is organized by Francesca Albrezzi.