Technology is sometimes seen as the opposite of nature and artificial intelligence as a threat to humanity. To the artists of In Search of the Present, technology mainly represents an opportunity to create a new kind of art and a tool for visualizing things that can help us to enrich our relationship with nature and understand our selves better. Curated by EMMA’s Chief Curator Arja Miller and Curator Ingrid Orman, the exhibition explores the complex interaction between humans, technology and nature. Many of the artists draw our attention not only to the potential of artificial intelligence but also to other intelligences found in nature.

The artists of the exhibition deal with contemporary phenomena through processes that combine art, technology and science. However, all of the art works can be experienced firsthand, without having prior understanding of technology.

EMMA’s exhibition offers a varied selection of artworks from the artists Refik Anadol, Dora Budor, Sougwen Chung, Heather Dewey-Hagborg, Stephanie Dinkins, Teemu Lehmusruusu, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Agnieszka Kurant, Brandon Lipchik, Jaakko Pietiläinen, Sondra Perry, Anna Ridler, Raimo Saarinen, Jenna Sutela, Jakob Kudsk Steensen and Lu Yang.

The exhibition will also extend to the Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection exhibition, Touch. The programme of In Search of the Present has been planned and implemented in cooperation with Aalto University, Espoo City Theatre and Helsinki Festival. The exhibition will feature the virtual-reality work Love Simulation EVE: Water Spirits by Eero Tiainen and the EVE work group, which is an independent part of a work that will be shown at the Espoo City Theatre in 2023.