If, as Yuk Hui suggests, the entire earth has been transformed into a giant technological system, this project zeroes in on one tiny corner of this system, a small town in the Western Cape of South Africa called Genadendal – the Valley of Grace.
A participatory creative research project situated in Genadendal (‘Valley of Grace’), we are inspired by scholar Yuk Hui's concept of 'cosmotechnics', which understands technological thinking as emerging from context-specific cosmological condition. Created by Genadendal youth and South African artists, we ask: how can we articulate our own (hi)stories outside of dominant narratives and imagine our own futures beyond societal constraints? Together, we try to develop a socio-technic imaginary which makes sense to this community;
a radical curriculum which uses lo-fi technologies to challenge dominant historical narratives and imagine decolonial futures.
There's a place where I can be at home. The most beautiful one street town in this land of fear. Here live my friends. Here I learn to stand tall through life and its pain. My Genadendal, where are you? The sun's rays scorch. The river is dry. Sweat runs down me as I approach the horizon. Is technology really the solution? How will I keep the heat at bay when it surrounds me? "The future looks green." I don't think so. My breath escapes me. The infrastructure removes the carbon dioxide. They threaten nature to commit suicide.
