Vela Projects | Our Calves Demand a Wolf

The exhibition titled Our Calves Demand a Wolf takes inspiration from a Russian expression, which finds its biblical equivalent in Proverbs 17:19: “Whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.” This means ambition often leads to disaster. The proverb resonates with numerous examples of human hubris, both ancient and modern. Our Tower of Babel demands the confusion of our tongues. Our unsinkable ship demands an iceberg. Our nuclear weapons demand annihilation. Our technological process demands a hotter planet with rising seas and forest fires.

In this exhibition, Schofield zeroes in on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a particularly compelling symbol of the age-old Promethean error. Developers promise that AI will provide cheap, risk-free labour, optimize decision-making, and offer unbaised solutions to the world's problems. Howeverm unforeseen consequences have arisen, fostering a culture of distruct around this new technology. As AI becomes more adept at analyzing and mimicking human-like behavoir, the sense of not knowing whom or what to trust deepens.

This exhibition runs physically at Vela Projects from 25 October - 7 December 2024