Lynn Hershman Leeson’s career involves a lot of firsts. To name but a few, there’s Lorna (1979–1984), the first interactive LaserDisc, in which the viewer manipulates the fate of an agoraphobic woman through a remote control; Deep Contact (1984), the first hypercard touch screen, which beckons you to stroke its display and set a narrative in motion; and Synthia Stock Ticker (2000–2002), an “emotional engine” that syncs with current stocks and alters its female protagonist’s behavior according to market fluctuations. Hershman Leeson is also often framed as a “predictor,” an artist who sees our forthcoming faults, but beyond her role as a technical pioneer in digital art, it’s perhaps more accurate to describe her as an astute reflector. She looks to science, technology, and how it’s affecting us now. She’s also keen to emphasize that it’s not all 1984 and Blade Runner—that is to say, a downhill dystopia—from here.
KW Institute of Contemporary Art