Bolka + Rosa Menkman

On their first collaboration together, musician, performer and composer Bolka (Matus Kobolka, SK) and the visual artist Rosa Menkman (NL) developed an audiovisual performance co-commissioned by A4 and Elevate Festival in the framework of Re-Imagine Europe.

In their work, both artists explore topics like algorithms, technological errors and glitch aesthetics. During a 10-day residency at A4 in Bratislava Bolka and Rosa Menkman were working intensively on the set-up and content of their audiovisual work about software manipulations of reality. In this audiovisual performance, of which is the first time they collaborated with each other, both artists created virtual worlds using the newest technology and brings a contemporary and critical view on the power of softwares and algorithms.

The pair said a few words about their collaboration: “When working with data we are used to using software. The software however does not only cause the regulation of the data flow but also has the power to deform them into a shape of formatted, “informed” material. Software implements distortion into our perception and gives us the freedom to manipulate its optics and meanings. Therefor there should always be a discussion about the neutrality of the software. We shouldn’t ask whether something is real or fake but rather what is the point of view we are being offered by the software and how biased it is – and also what are our expectations?”

The new work premiered at the NEXT Festival in Bratislava and was performed at Elevate Festival in Graz, Austria in 2020.