The A-Symmetrical Imperialistic Data Server, 2018, hand painted silk, metal

Sara Sejin Chang’s (Sara van der Heide) installation comprises several pieces of hand painted silk, which amount to a data server. The old technique is often considered feminine, and the laborious process stands in sharp contrast to the speed of production of digital images and its distribution online. The fluidity and brightness of the fabric and colors brings to mind the shining screens. The visual motif of The A-Symmetrical Imperialistic Data Server is based on the binary system (0’s and 1’s), and ocean waves, which are often used as cooling for servers. This data server, newly commissioned for The Dutch Savannah, derives from the unbalanced distribution of energy and resources across the globe. The asymmetrical power balance refers to large impact on various geographic areas, often far removed from the location of internet users.