Troubled Waters

Valentina Gal immerses herself in unfamiliar territories for her work: from relaxation resorts to dog shows and virtual reality chats. At first glance, they may seem to have nothing in common, but they are all subcultures and places where people 'escape' from their daily reality. Here, Valentina raises questions about what it means to be human. How do we position ourselves in a time where it becomes increasingly challenging to determine what is real? Are we still connected to the natural world, or are we already too entangled with virtual reality? Both the lilies and the images in Valentina's installation come from the digital domain, as does the soundscape specially created by composer Maarten Brijker for this work. The spoken texts incorporated into both the soundscape and the video work draw inspiration from dialogues with artificial intelligence (A.I.). However sophisticated these techniques may be, they are incapable of creativity and empathy. 'Troubled Waters" is a digital meditation exploring how our choices in one world impact another. Valentina's exhibition aims to raise awareness of the positive impact and responsibility associated with modern technology. In a time where discerning reality is challenging, the installation, including lilies and images from the digital realm, questions our connection to the natural world versus virtual reality. The soundscape, created by composer Maarten Brijker, and spoken texts inspired by dialogues with artificial intelligence highlight the limitations of these techniques in creativity and empathy.