Leonardo's Submarine 2019

Editor: So, here we have Hito Steyerl’s "Leonardo’s Submarine" from 2019. It looks like an immersive video installation with these large screens hanging in the gallery. It feels a bit disorienting, like the image is broken or glitched, and that grouping of the seats in the middle creates an odd, almost unsettling feeling. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: The title alone sets up an interesting tension, doesn’t it? Linking the Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci to contemporary digital art. For me, this installation is less about submarines in a literal sense and more about the "underwater" currents of the digital age: data flows, political undercurrents, the way information—or misinformation—circulates. Editor: Interesting! So the glitches I saw might be purposeful? Curator: Exactly. Steyerl often uses fractured imagery and deconstructed visuals. I see them as reflections of the fragmented reality we experience through screens and digital networks. And of course, the setting–Venice– is very loaded historically, socially, and environmentally. Consider the implications of presenting images of a sinking city alongside the promise of technology. Editor: That makes me wonder about the public role of art like this. Is it meant to critique these technological undercurrents? Curator: In part, yes. Steyerl's work questions the supposed neutrality of technology, exposing how digital spaces are shaped by power structures, access, and biases. It's asking us to be more critical viewers, aware of the political context of imagery and its distribution. How do you see it playing out within this gallery setting? Editor: Now that you mention it, putting it in a gallery elevates it above simple commentary, forcing a conversation, right? It feels less passive. I didn’t see it that way initially. Thanks for your insights! Curator: And thank you! Thinking about it together always brings fresh perspectives to light.