The Unmined

In his 1999 article “Value and Affect,” Antonio Negri argued that affect might be emerging as the basis for a new conception of value, noting that it is “beyond measure.” Yet, a few decades later, we find ourselves in an era where emotions are calculated, objectified, and accumulated as raw material for profit. From emotional extraction to affective computing, this “mind mining” treats our lived experiences and feelings as commodities for states and large tech companies.

This project, initiated in response to these circumstances, explores the intersections among digital labour, data colonialism, and the rise of “emotional” big data. By reverse-engineering data mining and using procedural modelling, I assume the role of a miner who extracts human sentiments that are overlooked or dismissed as useless in capitalist value systems. In this exhibition, I juxtapose three distinct bodies of work—Mined Minds, The Unmined (sculptures), and Pit—comprising a wall installation, sculptures, and a video projection.