DATAS: The Data and the Sovereign
10 July – 01 September 2025
DATAS: The Data and the Sovereign is an international art and research programme that brings together artists, theorists, and technologists to explore how digital infrastructures, AI, and algorithmic governance impact personal and political sovereignty. In an age where big data corporations and algorithmic systems increasingly shape global political and social dynamics, DATAS uses the lens of art to challenge the normalisation of surveillance, data extraction, and digital control.
In partnership with Goethe-Institut (Germany), Izolyatsia (Ukraine), MeetFactory (Czech Republic), and Tallinn Art Hall (Estonia) we are developing a programme, which consists of several interlinked outcomes:
- a transnational residency involving eight artists from seven countries with expert mentorship throughout the creative process
- a major group exhibition at Galerie Rudolfinum in Prague opening on 10 June 2026
- a final publication that will document the research, artistic practices, and thematic explorations developed over the course of the project
More than a residency, DATAS is a platform for dialogue between artists, theorists, technologists, and the public, cultivating cultural awareness and critical engagement in the age of surveillance capitalism.
ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Following an open call that attracted applications from across Europe, DATAS consortium has selected eight artists or collectives whose works critically engage with surveillance infrastructures, algorithmic governance, and digital sovereignty. The residency programme will unfold across four cultural institutions in Prague, Ljubljana, Tallinn, and online from August until December 2025.
The selected artists are:
- fantastic little splash (residency at Projekt Atol in September and October)
- Tamara Kametani (residency at Projekt Atol in November and December)
- Sfera (online residency hosted by IZOLYATSIA in August and September)
- Critical Tech Group (online residency hosted by IZOLYATSIA in September and October)
- Aron Lodi (residency at MeetFactory in Prague from August until October)
- Mark Cinkevich (residency at MeetFactory in Prague from August until October)
- Jelena Visković (residency at Tallinn Art Hall in August and September)
- Leon Sahiti (residency at Tallinn Art Hall in October and November)
EXHIBITION
On 10 June 2026, an exhibition showcasing the artworks created during the DATAS residencies – alongside other pieces engaging with the project’s core themes – will be held at Prague’s renowned Galerie Rudolfinum, a leading institution for contemporary art known for its ambitious curatorial programmes and international reach. The exhibition will be curated by Lívia Nolasco-Rózsás, whose approach bridges critical theory, digital culture, and experimental art practices.
You can read more about the curatorial concept and the curator here.
Colophon
Co-funded by the European Union as part of the Creative Europe framework.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
DATAS (2025-26) is an assembly convened to amplify unheard voices from Central and Eastern Europe, and Southern Caucasus, reflecting on the relationship between the self, technology, and power. Produced in partnership between Goethe-Institut (Germany), Izolyatsia (Ukraine), MeetFactory (Czech Republic), Projekt Atol (Slovenia) and Tallinn Art Hall (Estonia).
