For The Fear of Missing Out, Lund sought to address a simple yet critical and challenging question: Can art and its production be automated and optimised? In response, he developed a computer algorithm that he personally wrote, drawing from a wide range of artworks created by the most successful contemporary artists.

Through detailed analysis and categorization, step-by-step instructions on how to create the most successful artwork were generated. Lund then followed these instructions to produce the artwork accordingly. This critical approach shares similarities with Institutional Critique, a movement led by artists like Hans Haacke. Lund played with the optimization of the art market, echoing the approaches of artists such as Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst.

For Cultural Matter, Lund revisited The Fear of Missing Out and presented a site-specific exhibition featuring several pieces from the original show. In the exhibition space, Lund recreated some of his algorithmically generated works, including a broken motorcycle and a 9-metre-high rope painted with three fluorescent colours, stretched tightly from the roof to the ground.

Both installations posed challenges due to the constraints of the basement space. Additionally, the video work Curated By was showcased at LI-MA. This piece featured a voice-over pronouncing the names of curators in alphabetical order, accompanied by a continuous stream of photos sourced from the internet.

During the first evening of the exhibition on 18 September 2019, Lund engaged in a discussion with lecturer, researcher, and theorist Florian Cramer. They explored topics such as art world data, post-internet art, and the utilisation of algorithms in creating exhibitions and artworks. The audio recording of their conversation was uploaded to the LI-MA podcast. (link coming soon)

On 16 October 2019, political philosopher and associate professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Gijs van Oenen, addressed the social and cultural implications of algorithms in Lund's exhibition. The thought-provoking lecture sparked extensive discussions with the audience.

About Jonas Lund

Jonas Lund creates works that critically reflect on contemporary networked systems and power structures of control within the art world. His artistic practice involves creating systems and setting up parameters that oftentimes require engagement from the viewer. This results in game-like artworks where tasks are executed according to algorithms or a set of rules. Through his works, Lund investigates the latest issues generated by the increasing digitalisation of contemporary society like authorship, participation and authority. At the same time, he questions the mechanisms of the art world; he challenges the production process, authoritative power and art market practices. Lund earned an MA at Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam (2013) and a BFA at Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam (2009). (updated as of September 2019)

Events

Exhibition: 18 September - 30 October 2019 | 12:00-23:00 | LI-MA Arie Biemondstraat 111, Amsterdam)

Event (1):Cultural Matter: Jonas Lund - Opening event with Florian Cramer | 18 September 2019

Event (2): Cultural Matter: Gijs van Oenen on the Fear Of Missing Out | 16 October 2019

Images in descending order:

• Jonas Lund, The Fear of Missing Out, 2013/2017
• Jonas Lund

Photo & portrait by Jose Miguel Biscaya