FRAMEWORK PANEL #30: Speculative Futures

Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 6-8 PM (EST)

Moderator: Laura McGough

Panelists: Huntrezz Janos, Jeff Kasper, Armando Lopez-Bircann, Jaimes Mayhew, J. Soto

Transformer’s ongoing FRAMEWORK Panel Series returns with FRAMEWORK Panel #30: Speculative Futures – a panel discussion with artists, educators, and activists that explores speculative futures, and the cultural, ethical, environmental, political, and economic systems that will all contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.

The world has experienced numerous major events, including ecological disasters, social unrest, human rights violations, and political turmoil, with increasing frequency within the past decade. As these disturbances occur at a higher rate, many artists, educators, politicians, and scientists have turned to consider the future and evaluate which components should, and should not, be included in this future.

In addition to exploring these components, the panelists will also discuss what the role of art and artists is in ensuring this envisioned future, as well as the impact of technology, surveillance, and social networks are to achieving these goals.

This panel is presented in conjunction with Armando Lopez-Bircann’s solo exhibition, Arma the Oracle: Extended Reality (XR), in which the artist shares their vision of an ethical queer future. This exhibition is currently on view in Transformer’s storefront window, and is presented as a part of Looking In/Looking Out – a series of three solo storefront exhibitions by DC-based artists intended to encourage audiences to look within themselves and outward at the world.

This panel will be held via Zoom, and is free to the public. This panel will include automatic closed-captions.