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The SETI Institute’s Artist in Residency (AIR) program is excited to announce that French-born conceptual artist Laurent Grasso is the winner of the Algorithmic Imaginings residency. This new SETI AIR residency explores the impact of AI technologies on art, science, and society by engaging with topics such as imaginary life, AI futures, Posthumanism, and consciousness. Laurent Grasso was one of six nominees who were invited to submit a project proposal for this residency.
Laurent Grasso creates multidisciplinary works that explore the intersections of cosmology, science, and history. He is the recipient of France’s Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the Marcel Duchamp Prize, and the Meru Art*Science Award in Bergamo, Italy. His work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, the Kunsthaus Basel in Switzerland, the Musée d’Art Contemporain in Montréal, MASS MoCa in Massachusetts, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C.
By drawing on phenomena such as eclipses, auroras, and electromagnetic energy, Grasso’s films, sculptures, paintings, and photographs challenge the viewer’s perceptions by blending historical iconography with surreal, otherworldly imagery. Grasso employs techniques that create ambiguity, using anachronism, hybridity, and shifting perspectives to subvert reality and provoke new ways of thinking. Fascinated by invisible forces—whether political or electromagnetic—he investigates how these powers shape collective consciousness, offering a unique lens on history, imagination, and the unknown.
“I am absolutely delighted that Laurent is joining the SETI AIR program,” said SETI AIR program Director Bettina Forget. “All six nominees submitted exceptional proposals, but the jury was unanimous. We were compelled by Laurent’s intriguing creative concept, his thorough research, and his extensive experience collaborating with scientists and field experts. I’m very much looking forward to working with Laurent and seeing his project develop.”
The SETI AIR Algorithmic Imaginings residency is helmed by internationally recognized media art curator Zhang Ga, SETI AIR program Director Bettina Forget, and SETI AIR program Founder and Senior Advisor Charles Lindsay. Andrew Siemion, the SETI Institute’s Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI Research, and AI researcher Robert Alvarez, who collaborates with the SETI Institute as a mentor for its annual FDL program, bring their science and technology expertise to this residency.
This two-year residency award includes $30,000 in support and an exhibition at the prestigious ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany.
