“The Maths of the Secret. Lecture #1” is the first work in an ongoing video series dedicated to money, redefining the lecture-performance format and fostering an intricate dialogue between human expertise and artificial intelligence. Each video explores the theme of money and its historical evolution, delving into specific disciplines. For each episode, I invite a distinguished scholar to engage in discussions, catalyzing contemplation on the history, functions, power dynamics, and the non-neutral role of money in shaping societal transformations. Within each video, the voice and insights of one of these scholars intricately intertwine with images and texts generated by text-to-text and text-to-image models.
“The Maths of the Secret. Lecture #1” examines the relationship between money and art through the eyes of an art historian, Maria Giovanna Mancini. Mancini traces an archive quoting some crucial points, thinkers and artists from occidental art history, looking at the relationship between artist and patrons, art and the art market, and art as a luxury commodity.
“The Maths of the Secret” looks at money as a relational technology that transforms in space and time depending on its origin uses, and purposes. The work thus calls into question the orthodox conception that identifies money as a mere instrument of exchange, a neutral veil. Debt, taxes, stones, cryptocurrency, art market, patronage, central banks and decentralized systems, emancipation, gender and class issues are some of the words that make up the score of this work.
Thus far, I have also collaborated with art historian Adam Hayes (Lecture #2) and philosopher Mara Montanaro (Lecture#3).
