On Drone-Systems and their Strategies

An investigation at Kunstquartier Bethanien:

17th of April 2015 (17.30-21.30), 18th of April 2015 (16.00-20.30) Studio 1, Mariannenplatz 2, 10997 Berlin, Admission: 5 Euro 

Opening event of the Disruption Network Lab, directed by Tatiana Bazzichelli, in cooperation with Kunstraum Kreuzberg /Bethanien.

This two-days event will present keynotes, panel presentations, round tables, and a film screening. By bringing into a dialogue a former drone operator, investigative journalists, criminal law researchers, filmmakers, activists, artists and critical thinkers, we want to reflect on the power of drones in surveillance contexts, on the progressive automatism of conflicts, the invisibility of military operation applications, and their consequences on the civil society. Furthermore, we want to analyze the scary fascination of the unknown that surrounds drone-systems, discussing on the application of drone technology and surveillance tools as input for political, social and artistic criticism.

The first modern battlefield unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Israeli Tadiran Mastiff, flew in 1973, but only recently drones started to be used as a pervasive weapon for military purposes, adopted within the United States by the military, and the CIA after 9/11, and primarily applied in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. Alongside, drones are used as technological tools by DIYers, as sources of areal documentation by journalists and filmmakers, as delivery systems by corporations, getting accessible for widespread usage by civil society.

What are the politics and the regime of power beyond drone-systems? Which are the consequences both on militant networks and civil society of an increasing automatism of conflicts? Can we track down the hidden strategies that move target-killings? Can we understand better drone technology? This event combines reflections on the political and technological infrastructure of drone-systems, the use of them in massive and weaponised military programmes, and the artistic and activist response to this.

With the support of the Free Chelsea Manning Initiative Berlin.

Speakers:

Brandon Bryant (former drone operator and US Air Force veteran, founder of the Project Red Hand, US) John Goetz (investigative journalist, DE)

Ebaa Rezeq (blogger, Palestine-Gaza) Asmaa Al-Ghul (Palestinian feminist journalist, Palestine-Gaza) Chantal Meloni (criminal law researcher, IT/DE)

Laura Lucchini (journalist, IT/DE) Tonje Hessen Schei (filmmaker, director of the film

“DRONE”, (NO) Jack Serle (data journalist, Bureau of Investigative

Journalism, (UK) Dave Young (artist, musician and researcher, IE) Marc Garrett (activist and curator, UK)