Elisa Giardina Papa

Elisa Giardina Papa is an Assistant Professor of Modern Culture and Media at Brown University. Her research-based art practice explores themes of gender, colonialism, and digital economies through large-scale installations, video, and writings. She holds a Ph.D. in Film and Media from UC Berkeley and has exhibited globally at institutions like the Venice Biennale, MoMA, and the Whitney Museum. Her work critically engages AI ethics, censored histories, and marginalized voices, often collaborating with artists like Radha May. Notable projects include “U Scantu”: A Disorderly Tale (2022), a video installation reimagining Sicilian myths, and Leaking Subjects and Bounding Boxes (2022), a critique of AI training methods. Awards include the 2025 Termoli Prize.

Education: Ph.D. in Film & Media (UC Berkeley), MFA (RISD). Previous roles include positions at Tufts University and Rhode Island School of Design. Her research spans AI labor, affective computing, and decolonial archives. Collaborations with Sicilian artisans and global artists highlight her interdisciplinary approach.

Key research areas: AI ethics, feminist technology, postcolonial theory, digital labor. Her exhibitions and publications reflect an intersectional exploration of technology's societal impacts.