Franceso Mariotti: in pursuit of a hybrid ideal through art, media and nature

Abstract

Not unlike the rest of the world, technological change has had far­reaching effects on Latin America. During the early 20th Century, the impact of technology was on the social imaginary, nourishing artistic, narrative and political utopias in modern and avant­garde spirits. These first experiences outlined the future of technological art in Latin America and its relation to social and scientific disciplines. This panel presents a sight of the development of Latin America in relation to scientific, technological, and artistic developments and at the same time depicts works from some of the pioneers. The three subjects that will be discussed include: the photographic work of Geraldo de Barros, (1949­1951); the initial experimental and new media works of Francesco Mariotti (1968­1980); and, an introduction to the publication “Sighting Technology in Modern and Contemporary Latin American Art”.