Ed. Caja Negra

The cultural impact of Mark Fisher's work continues to grow years after his death in 2017. His tough but always accessible dissection of the system and its endemic problems was captured in essays, posts, and books, such as Capitalist Realism, which gave rise to this conversation. The book explores the dangerous connection between neoliberalism and mental health, almost as a tragic portent of his death, although it is much more than that. In the podcast, Fisher talks about the avalanche of repercussions of the 2008 financial crash, particularly in relation to the idea of capitalism as the only possible framework.

Writer and independent researcher Laura Tripaldi started her career in materials science and nanotechnology. But instead of approaching chemistry through the lens of the microscope, she decided to zoom out to a speculative point of view at the intersection of science, technology, art, and philosophy. In her work, Tripaldi uses the nano scale to challenge preconceived ideas about identity, artificiality, neutrality and reality itself, exploring how technologies construct and transform our bodies, minds, and societies. We talk to Laura Tripaldi about surfaces, interfaces, the intelligence of materials, spider silk, softness, colloids, rocks and technologies of gender.

In this podcast, we ask Brazilian architect, researcher, and writer Paulo Tavares to respond to Audre Lorde’s enduring question: “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” Drawing on examples from projects such as Trees, Vines, Palms and Other Architectural Monuments, and reflecting on what he calls “a moment of shift” in today’s political climate, Paulo develops his notion of “critical proximity” as well as his understanding of architecture as a political field. We also interrogate ourselves about what a sustainable museum should be, while tackling systemic epistemic deficiencies and the politics of narrative.

We dig up some unreleased fragments of our conversation with architect, artist, and curator Paulo Tavares. Reflections that address the role of museums as spaces that shape public discourse, their involvement and relationship with ecology, sustainability, and the climate crisis, and how they can avoid falling into greenwashing rhetoric.