Wang & Söderström’s "Techno Mythologies" at Christian IV’s Brewery in Copenhagen marks a pivotal moment in contemporary art, where technology's omnipresent influence is questioned and reframed through sensory engagement and speculative narratives.
The exhibition positions itself as a response to the dominant, corporate-driven stories that have shaped our relationship with technology. By creating immersive, multi-sensory environments, the artist duo seeks to reconnect audiences with the physical aspects of technology, challenging the sterile and often disembodied nature of our digital age.
One of the exhibition’s key influences is Donna Haraway’s seminal work A Cyborg Manifesto (1985), which proposed that technology could dissolve traditional binaries such as human/technology and nature/culture. Wang & Söderström’s installations manifest this vision by integrating augmented reality, 3D animation, and physical structures that blur the lines between the organic and the synthetic. In their hands, digital tools become a means of reconnecting with the body and the material world rather than further distancing us from them.
The historic setting of Christian IV’s Brewery adds a profound layer of meaning to this dialogue between the past and future. With its collection of 16th to 18th-century royal sculptures, the space creates a striking juxtaposition between the physicality of history and the virtual possibilities of the future. The craftsmanship of the past, embodied in plaster and stone, finds a modern counterpart in Wang & Söderström's meticulously crafted 3D-printed installations, which evoke the tactile yet futuristic nature of their practice.
"Techno Mythologies" invites visitors to reconsider not only their personal relationship with technology but also the societal narratives that guide this relationship. By fostering a more corporeal, intimate connection with digital tools, the exhibition suggests that we can reclaim agency over the stories we tell about technology and, by extension, reshape our collective futures.
