Description

About this speaker series

Discussions of technology often revolve around a loose notion of a future-orientated “innovation,” with little regard about the nature of those imagined futures. This series aims to add a little friction to these sleek ideas about innovative technologies, by providing a platform to discuss the complexities of living in an increasingly technological world. The series showcases experts whose work intersects research methodologies and the creative process and technology. Each featured speaker will deliver a lecture and provide a brief demonstration of their process. Whether they are a research-based creator or a researcher who makes, these speakers do not approach technology as a definitive answer but as a question: How does technology reflect the issues, inequities and injustices in our society and what is there to be done about it? 

About the speaker

Zach Blas is an artist, filmmaker and writer whose practice contends with computational technologies, their industries, and the powers that constitute and animate them. Spotlighting critical inquiry, technical experimentation and concept engineering Blas creates installations that feature moving image and sculpture, films and videos, lecture-performances, publications and web-based media.

Blas has exhibited, lectured and held screenings at venues internationally including the de Young Museum, Tate Modern, Walker Art Center, 2018 Gwangju Biennale, the 68th Berlin International Film Festival, Matadero Madrid, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Art in General, Gasworks, Van Abbemuseum, Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, e-flux, Whitechapel Gallery, ZKM Center for Art and Media and Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo. His practice has been supported by a Creative Capital award in Emerging Fields, the Arts Council England, Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, and the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Blas is an Assistant Professor of Visual Studies in the Daniels Faculty at the University of Toronto (2021–present) and was previously a Lecturer in the Department of Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London (2015–21). Blas holds a Ph.D. from The Graduate Program in Literature at Duke University (2014) and an M.F.A. in Media Arts from University of California, Los Angeles (2008).

Read his full bio here.

Registration is required.

This years session is made possible by The Workshop at VCU Libraries, the Humanities Research Center, the Media + AI Initiative at VCU and the AI Futures Lab. 

Previous sessions in the series: 

Creative Inquiries: Mimi Onuoha (2022)

Creative Inquiries: Bridget Todd (2023)  

Creative Inquiries: Suzanne Kite Ph.D. (2024)

Creative Inquiries: Ann Reardon (2025)

For special accommodations, or to register offline, please contact Ryan Pander, event manager, rbpander@vcu.edu or 804-828-0593.