Interlaced with conspiracy theories and speculative fiction, Lawrence Lek’s CGI films, installations, and open-world games explore the geopolitical impact of automation and simulation. His cinematic universe is populated with dreamers—intelligent satellites, freedom fighters, fading superstars—searching for autonomy in a future dominated by data. For this discussion about his work, Lek will integrate a live mix of excerpts from his recent films and video games, focusing on Geomancer (2017) and AIDOL (2019), his first feature-length film. These projects revolve around the ideas theorized in Sinofuturism (1839–2046 AD), Lek’s 2016 video essay about the parallels between Chinese industrialization and portrayals of artificial intelligence. 

Watch Lek‘s films Sinofuturism (1839-2046 AD), Geomancer, and AIDOL, available October 19.

Lek is an artist, filmmaker, and musician working in the fields of virtual reality and simulation. He creates site-specific virtual worlds and speculative films using game software, 3-D animation, installation, and performance. Often rendering real places within fictional scenarios, his environments reflect the impact of the virtual on the politics of creativity.

This event is presented by the Berkeley Center for New Media, the Arts Research Center, and UC Berkeley’s Department of Art Practice. 

Participants and topics are subject to change; visit Berkeley Arts + Design (artsdesign.berkeley.edu) for the most up-to-date series information.