Karla Tobar is an artist and researcher at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). She has published scientific articles, lectured at international conferences and participated in several exhibitions at museums and art centres in Europe and the Americas. Her work explores the influence of planned technological obsolescence in art and its possibility as a starting point for artistic production. Humans and machines connected by mistake to bring about other ways to develop aesthetic processes.
During the residency in Wrocław, the artist developed a project that began in 2016 in Bilbao. The aim was to generate an artistic action that presents an alternative view on public space and architecture in different destinations around the world. The project, carried out in Wrocław, revolved around an urban component: the bridge. First, the artist researched historical events and structural changes to these urban components. After that, a performance-action was carried out together with a local artist. Both artists walked around the city with a DIY scanning device. Using the material gathered, the artist designed two works to create an installation piece: a documentary video of the action in Bilbao and Wrocław, and two large works printed and painted on plastic, featuring scanned images of both cities.
The works were presented within the framework of the international conference “City and Culture” in Wrocław from 20th to 22nd September 2017.