Abstract

Cosmologists suggest that most of the universe is shaped by dark matter—an unseen force structuring what we observe. Similarly, data is shaped by what remains unobserved: its absences, boundaries, and media negativities. This talk explores the aesthetics and politics of these negative spaces through two projects exhibited at CAMLab: Post_Networks and Artificial Worldviews.

Post_Networks reimagines the web not as a network of discrete nodes, but as a surface shaped by the motion of connections. If points create lines, and lines create surfaces, what might emerge if we shift focus from the nodes to the spaces in between?

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning methods are often referred to as black boxes, indicating that the user cannot understand the inner workings. By systematically querying ChatGPT’s API, Artificial Worldviews maps its internal assumptions—revealing the contours of a synthetic data. Together, these works examine how unobservable structures shape the knowledge we see, and what it means to design with, and against, those invisible forces.

Speaker Bio

Kim Albrecht conducts research at the intersection of data visualization, technology, and culture. He holds a BA in Graphic Design, an MA in Interface Design, and a Ph.D. in Media Theory. Albrecht’s professional journey includes roles such as researcher at the Center for Complex Network Research with Prof. Laszlo Barabasi, Principal at metaLAB (at) Harvard with Jeffrey Schnapp, Faculty Associate at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, and Professor at the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. Since 2025, he has served as Professor of Information Design at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. Known for his exploration of the aesthetic properties of data, his work spans teaching, research, and application.

Exhibition

Data | Art Symposium
Immersive Art Installation @CAMLab
6/11 Wednesday Noon – 1:00 PM, 5:00 – 6:00 PM
6/12 Thursday Noon – 1:00 PM, 5:00 – 6:00 PM
6/13 Friday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Two works by Kim Albrecht
Post_Networks and Artificial Worldviews

One work by Barabasi Lab
La Solitudine delle Moltitudini transforms scientific data into sound and image, using evolving network graphs to generate an infinite electroacoustic score. In this immersive installation, music and visualization merge to explore the emotional and structural impacts of hyperconnectivity.

Event Information

• Free and open to the public
• June 13th (Friday) 10:30 – 11:30 AM ET
• This is an in-person event.

Please note

Advanced RSVP required.