Nasal Demons

What would it be like to be a machine? In a society driven by optimization, efficiency and endless (self-)improvement, media artist and initiator of this exhibition Quintus Glerum wonders whether it might feel easier to be a machine. While human lives are contradictory and often irrational, contemporary society increasingly demands qualities associated with machines: productivity, consistency, and constant availability. Adding to this, technological developments throughout history have made us feel replaceable. Unlike humans, machines, whether self-learning or not, are created with a predefined function. Built from ones and zeros they are brought into existence by humans to perform precise tasks. As a result, they do not experience human struggles such as a lack of meaning, crisis of faith, or identity, while our lives remain contradictory, emotional and erratic. But what if a computer programme behaves erratically? When a programme becomes unpredictable due to missing code, programmers refer to it as ''Undefined Behaviour" or, a more humorous synonym, "nasal demons". As a result of the code not specifying what should happen, it could even make demons fly out of your nose, so to speak. The absurdity of this term underscores our expectation that code should be efficient and predictable, qualities against which we unconsciously measure ourselves. This exhibition is part of Museumnacht Amsterdam and Amsterdam Art Week.