Fernando Obieta

Fernando Obieta is a Lecturer at the Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art (HSLU) and a Senior Research Associate. He holds a PhD in media theory from the University of Arts Linz, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation's Doc.CH program. His research critiques digital media systems, focusing on feminist ethics in machine design and the contingency of design practices. He is also a conceptual media artist, exploring themes like surveillance, data abstraction, and human-technology interaction through interactive installations and performances.

Education:

• PhD in Media Theory, University of Arts Linz (ongoing)
• Master's in Interaction Design and Transdisciplinarity in the Arts, Zurich University of the Arts
• Computer Science Studies, Focus on Media Technologies

Research Interests: Obieta interrogates how machines perceive humans and vice versa, emphasizing feminist critiques of technology. His work spans installations like blinded by the light (surveillance ethics), for your eyes only (data invisibility), and machines congregating (machine perception). He employs methods such as system error exposure, parameter reconfiguration, and medial translation to challenge technological norms.

Projects & Collaborations:

• Co-founder of VoteLog (Swiss democracy contextualization platform)
• Initiator of so-da.space (Zurich cultural collaboration space)
• Member of intersections (digital diversity advocacy)
• Collaborations with Gregor Vogel on sound installations (HERE/HEAR/WAVE)

Exhibitions & Grants: Featured in events like Ars Electronica Festival and the Jungkunst exhibition series. His work explores transient data, algorithmic bias, and the materiality of digital systems.