Popular science fiction works of the twentieth century placed the world of the future in contemporary times, but what kind of future do artists imagine today?

For the last six years, digital artist Lawrence Lek has created an interconnected series of video games, installations, and films that form part of the same ever-expanding cinematic universe. His works address the cultural impact of technological development, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), in East Asia.

Sinofuturism (1839–2046 AD), 2016, is a radical, speculative nonfiction that combines science fiction, documentary melodrama, social realism, and cosmology. By embracing seven key stereotypes of Chinese society—Computing, Copying, Gaming, Studying, Addiction, Labour, and Gambling—the film frames China’s technological development as a form of AI. Set in Singapore in 2065, Geomancer (2017) is a coming-of-age fantasy fiction about the creative awakening of an AI weather satellite that longs to become an artist. What happens when an emotionally aware AI gains the power of self-expression, and when creative genius is no longer in the domain of humanity?

The screening on 3 March will be followed by a post-screening talk in English with Lawrence Lek via video call. The talk will be moderated by M+ Curator of Moving Image Ulanda Blair.

Lawrence Lek (b. 1982, Frankfurt), one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation, specialises in virtual reality and simulation. He creates site-specific virtual worlds and speculative films using video game software, 3D animation, and original music. Probing the relationship between politics, technology, and cultural production, Lek’s works contemplate the future of humanity, the nature of intelligence, and the ethics of non-human existence. In 2021, he received the Hyundai VH Award for digital art.