Presentation + Discussion with Valentina Peri and David Laufer
Artificial Intimacies

We cordially invite you to the accompanying programme to the exhibition Artificial Intimacies, which will offer a deeper insight into the phenomenon of digital intimacy and relationships in the era of artificial intelligence. The programme consists of two parts: a presentation of Valentina Peri's curatorial work, followed by a panel discussion that will elaborate on the key themes of the exhibition.

PROGRAMME
17:00 Presentation of Valentina Peri's curatorial work
Valentina Peri is an independent curator, artist and author whose work focuses on technology, love and intimacy in the digital age. In her talk, she will present her projects Data Dating and The Museum of Dating, which chart the evolution of dating and relationships at the intersection with technology. Special attention will be paid to her research on the phenomenon of online romance scams, which she has discussed in detail in her publications The New Romance Scammer's Instructor and Le Brouteur Galant. What mechanisms of manipulation are used by online scammers and how do these strategies overlap with the functions of AI chatbots such as Replika?

18:00 Discussion: technology and intimacy
After the presentation, there will be a discussion between curators Valentina Peri and Barbora Trnkova, the author of the concept of the exhibition series Your Addiction Is the Message at G99, which from the position of glitch feminism explores artificial intelligence, which she perceives as a detector of the outputs of imagination rooted in dominant subjectivity, and David Laufer, who writes about online masculinities, internet music subcultures, fashion and art in the virtual age. Intimacy and gender in human-chatbot relationships were explored in his master's thesis. Together they will focus on issues related to the impact of digital technologies on interpersonal relationships.

Digital technologies now mediate the way we communicate, experience emotions and form relationships. Artificial intelligence is becoming not only a tool but also an active participant in these interactions. Come join the discussion and together seek answers to the question of what it means to be close in the digital age.

In addition to the aforementioned, David Laufer writes about the impact of macho influencers on young men and their surroundings or the toxic digital corners of gym culture. He works for the art institutions Artyčok.TV and SVĚTOVA 1 and the Ankali club. He graduated in New Media at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University and is the winner of the Vinyl 2022 award for young music publicists.

"About 100 million characters have reportedly been created on the AI chat platform Character.ai. You can chat with anyone - a therapist, a friend, Shrek or the (unofficial) avatar of actress Jenny Ortega. But other chats have also garnered hundreds of millions of interactions: the Mafia Husband, the Violent Boyfriend, the Bullying Wife, the Cheeky Ex-Girlfriend. The desired toxicity of these virtual relationships seems to replicate the toxicity of AI platforms - ruthlessly monetizing our intimate data, loneliness, emotional dependency, and billions of pieces of other people's work. What does gender and intimacy look like in an environment where our imaginations are (almost) limitless? What "perfect" counterparts do users shape, and how do they in turn shape them? And how do queer, trans, or gender non-conforming characters, with whom locals practice dating, coming out, or have their gender identity affirmed, fit in?"

David Laufer

ABOUT EXHIBITION
Contemporary technologies are transforming intimate relationships, deepening emotional experiences, and often increasing loneliness. Online romance scammers, companion AI chatbots and dating apps developers respond to this reality.

The exhibition Artificial Intimacies explores the rise of recreational romance by drawing parallels between the emotional manipulation of romance scammers and the emergence of companion chatbots like Replika. It examines the gamification of dating apps and reflects on the evolving emotional dynamics between humans and non-humans in the age of AI.

The exhibition curated by Valentina Peri (FR) follows the thematic cycle Your Addiction is The Message initiated by the G99 team. Peri is the curator of the traveling exhibitions Data Dating and The Museum of Dating. She is the author of the publications The New Romance Scammer’s Instructor and Le Brouteur Galant. In addition to her own work on digital-age romance and deception, she will present works by Ed Fornieles (UK), Aurora Mititelu (USA), and Ines Sieulle (FR) at G99.

Entrance fee: 100 CZK
Pre-sale: Available on GoOut.