One could say I am the mother of the Internet in Yugoslavia, the mother of this domain.
—Borka Jerman Blažič
Berlin-based artist Aleksandra Domanović has garnered international acclaim for her tangentially researched works on the history of media and technology. Titled after a turn of phrase by groundbreaking computer scientist Borka Jerman Blažič, Mother of This Domain presents a number of recent works by Domanović that use speculative narratives to reveal deeply personal connections between people and technology—specifically women and technology.
By weaving together the work of pioneering female programmers, the marginalized position of women in sci-fi and cyber-feminism, and her own personal narrative—a narrative that corresponds directly to the rise of the Internet and the collapse of her home in the former Yugoslavia—Domanović's works both reveal and obfuscate a sense of historical truth. While the artist is not quite of the “born digital" generation, the Internet forms the backbone of her process. Indeed, Domanović's research strategies and the narrative connections she develops—driven entirely by her own history and interests—reveal much about how we construct knowledge and public discourse, whether personal, political or historical, in the age of the Internet.
Aleksandra Domanović: Mother of This Domain is organized by Plug In ICA, Winnipeg and guest curated by Caitlin Jones. Presented in partnership with the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.
