Art & Technology Come Together at Cutting-Edge Cairotronica Exhibition

The cutting edge of digital art has barely begun to make its mark across the world. We're not talking about simple illustrations on Photoshop - machine learning, artificial intelligence, and mass accumulation of global data can create artistic feats that were literally impossible a couple years ago. You could take a still photo and automatically animate it to literally sing to your tune. Freaky? Yes. Already making the rounds as an internet meme? Naturally. Since 2016, Cairotronica has been showing off this coalescence of art and technology in Egypt, and they're about to do it all over again this April with their third edition titled 'Data is Fiction'.

To be held in Downtown Cairo between AUC Tahrir Cultural Center and The Townhouse, 'Data is Fiction' will see more than 30 artists from 14 countries coming over to display 40 unique pieces of art. The festival was originally scheduled for 2020 before the Coronavirus pandemic went into full swing forcing its postponement. But of course a tech-focused festival will hit back with tech solutions as Cairotronica re-tuned itself as a hybrid festival accessible IRL and online, using a highly interactive platform that will make you feel like you're actually there. There will even be a room for chance encounters with other online visitors through voice and video chat, just in case you're aching for small talk.

'Data is Fiction' will focus on the sort of Black Mirror style questions that we're already living with but are deeply in denial about - how our data is being used, how complicit we are in its use, and how our society is shaped sometimes creating closed feedback loops between data and reality. If you're ready to have your mind blown, the festival will run from April 26th to May 1st.