TechBrunch: Techno-Spiritualism with Anan Fries
What if a ritual could be a technology for moving through change? Together with artist and curator Anan Fries, we explore techno-spiritualism, their artistic practice, and the inspirations that shaped «New Rituals [for the End of the World]» at HEK.
Checking a notification, opening an app, pulling a tarot card, lighting a candle. Rituals do not only belong to religion or tradition. They can also be small gestures, repeated habits, shared moments or ways of making sense of change.
To mark the closing weekend of «New Rituals [for the End of the World]», artist and curator Anan Fries shares insight into the ideas behind the exhibition. Together, we look at techno-spiritualism: the strange and fascinating meeting point between technology, spirituality, belief and everyday life. Why do people speak about AI as an oracle or even a god? Why are tarot, astrology and magical symbols returning in digital culture? And what kinds of rituals are emerging through the devices and platforms we use every day?
Anan will also speak about their own artistic practice and how they work with ritual, transformation, bodies and technology. After Anan's input we'll move into a collective ritual practice to close the exhibition together: a shared moment to reflect on what we have seen, what we want to leave behind and what we might carry forward.
No prior knowledge is needed. As always, there will be Gipfeli, coffee and tea.
Anan Fries is an interdisciplinary artist working across art, performance and research in Basel and Berlin. Through installations, performances, VR and video works, they explore themes including transformation, reproduction, techno-spirituality and the entanglement of nature and technology. Their practice combines posthumanist and xenofeminist perspectives with a critical examination of technological power structures.