Mothers of Tech

Concept Text:

Mothers of Tech aims to imagine a parallel reality where technology was developed within a matriarchal society.
It is considered that technology started to rapidly develop in the Neolithic period, beginning about 10,200 BC, in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world and ending between 4500 and 2000 BC. This was the time when humanity had started to build settlements and develop agriculture. A large number of female figurines date from the Neolithic, leaving anthropologists speculating whether this is a result of the matriarchal social structures dominating the period.

Three Neolithic female figurines would present themselves as narrators of the work. Each has a different geographical location, and therefore there is a visually different approach to how those societies have observed and idealised the female form. Based on matriarchal societies in the animal world such as honeybees and ants, the three narrators will essentially be telling a parallel history of technology, starting from the Neolithic and ending with our near future.

Given the speculative nature of the work, the visual outcome will be utilising satellite imagery and superimposing 3d models and digital animation. The online work is imagined as an essay and often abstract digital imagery will be mixed with existing historical images of technological innovations throughout history. The three figurines will be made out of paper mache and will be moving across the scenery placed atop of spider robots, indicating that they have evolved with the times. The aim of the work is to question the lightness with which the patriarchal society is taken as the norm, and whether matriarchal future would make for a more egalitarian societal structure.

Bio:

Kristina Pulejkova (1988, Skopje, Macedonia) is a London-based multimedia artist who works at the intersection of art, science and technology. She holds a Magisterium degree (BA + MA) in Painting and Animation from the University for Applied Arts Vienna, Austria (2012) and MA in Art and Science from Central Saint Martins, London, UK (2014).
Her works have been shown at the V&A, The Science Museum, SPACE, Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje (solo show). Selected screenings include MAK in Vienna, ArtCOP21 in Paris, Up and Coming Festival in Hannover, Het Glaspaviljoen in Eindhoven, Tricky Women in Vienna, Film:riss in Salzburg. Kristina is currently the Art and Technology Programme Manager at SPACE and selected for the FLAMIN Fellowship programme.