Viral Anxieties in Art and Antiviral Technology

In 2000, PC users were plagued by a computer worm known as the “ILOVEYOU” virus, which was spread via email and targeted tens of millions of people. Three years later, artist Sneha Solanki created an installation piece inspired by the virus titled “The Lovers” at the German media art festival transmediale. The piece simply consisted of two computers networked with only one another. At the beginning of the installation, one of the computers is infected with a virus, and each computer terminal displays text from a separate love poem. Dr. Kimberly Knight will give a reading of “The Lovers” that uncovers the dark and romantic history behind the artwork and focuses on the fragility of the human operating system. By exploring interconnections between the viral in human bodies, computers, and art, Dr. Knight will connect Solanki’s work to contemporary antiviral technologies that attempt to mitigate anxieties around the viral using data and automation to shape responsible behavior. She will ask who or what is ultimately being protected, and at what cost?