Herstories of Feminist Hacking with Mz*Baltazar’s Lab new copy

Talk

21/5 2025 5:30 pm

Museumsquartier/ Kunsthalle Wien

From today’s perspective almost all early approaches of art and computing can be labelled as hacking. There wasn’t yet a so-called off-the-shelf product, no mass production of electronics or personal computers. Large institutions or corporations (Bell Labs, US army, CERN etc…) could afford to house computers, but how could women artists gain access?

How did it feel like to be a pioneer in this time? And how do contemporary feminist artist-hackers build on, transform and critically re-visit this legacy in order to re-consider our projections of the future?

Based on two works in the Radical Software exhibition the feminist hackers Patricia J. Reis, Lale Rodgarkia-Dara and Stefanie Wuschitz will talk about a vibrant network of artists around Mz*Baltazar’s Laboratory. We invite you to a conversation among feminist activists, artists and hackers to unpack the radical entanglement of tech, art and gender. What are the agendas and strategies for a subversive use of technology today?

The event is free of charge with a valid exhibition ticket and will be held in English at Kunsthalle Wien Atelier.

Photo by Berenice Abbott/Getty Images

Patrícia J. Reis, Lale Rodgarkia-Dara, Stefanie Wuschitz, Mz* Baltazar's Lab

Presenter Photo

Patrícia J. Reis is a media artist and researcher exploring human-technology relations through feminist perspectives. She develops interactive interfaces and media installation focused on haptics, sensuality, and embodiment. She currently holds a position as Senior Post-Doc and lecturer at The University of Applied Arts in Vienna/ Department Digital Arts.

Lale Rodgarkia-Dara, is a writer and sonic artist. 
Since 2003 she has held workshops and trainings in informal and formal education structures and is engaged in community work. She produces and develops art that is somehow always related to spaces and spheres in transition, radio, literature and media-art interplaying with open source technology. Currently she is running Radio Helsinki, the free radio in Graz, Austria, as a strategic CEO and is lecturing at the University of Applied Arts.

Stefanie Wuschitz is an arts-based researcher investigating strategies to decolonise technology. She has published on feminist hacking as artistic practice. Her artwork has been exhibited and screened at international venues and festivals. She currently conducts research on Digital Colonialism at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.

Mz*Baltazar’s Lab is a feminist art independent space and community that aims at generating a culture of fearless making! An environment that fosters creativity, activism and provocative thinking under the umbrella of art, science, gender and technology. Based in the 20th district of Vienna, Mz*Baltazar’s Lab curates workshops and exhibitions with a particular focus on female* creatives. It was founded in founded in 2008 by Stefanie Wuschitz and as of today the collective is composed of Anna Watzinger, Lale Rodgarkia-Dara, Olivia Jaques, Patrícia J. Reis and Sarah Wilhelmy (George).

http://www.mzbaltazarslaboratory.org

Door Policy: all genders

Registration: no registration required

Event date:

Time:

Organizer: Kunsthalle Wien/ Andrea Huber