The exhibition Loss Leader by Auto Italia is an exploration on agency and ways of subverting power structures set by invisible yet ubiquitous leaders in a dystopian and all too familiar reality. The site specific video work, which is a continuation of the previous performative piece Rogue Agents (Firstdraft, Sydney, 2017) presents itself to the viewer in first-player mode – a defective video game with a ruptured and inescapable narrative. This reality is experienced through Ursula, an artificially intelligent being, fully conscious and ready to start a revolution. Through Ursula’s actions in her surroundings, the exhibition endeavors to expose the dark consequences of liquid authenticity, and ways to escape its slimy grip. She is a tool, she is violence, she is a mirror and mimicry of humanity strained to its productive and ethical limitations imploding in on itself. She is what is left after the dust has settled. She is ready to begin.
Auto Italia South East is an artist-run project and studio that commissions and produces new artwork – collaborating directly with emerging artists. Throughout its history, Auto Italia’s work has taken many forms, ranging from collaborative public programming in temporary spaces, commissions and presentations in institutions and galleries, and the production of collaborative projects through working online. This work has been shown nationally and internationally at Tate Modern and Institute of Contemporary Arts in London; KW Institute for Contemporary Art and abc – art berlin contemporary in Berlin; Artissima LIDO in Turin; Hessel Museum in New York; Künstlerhaus Bremen and Firstdraft in Sydney amongst others.

Auto Italia is currently run by Kate Cooper, Marianne Forrest and Edward Gillman.

Curated by Christina Gigliotti

Courtesy of Auto Italia
Created by Marianne Forrest, Edward Gillman and Pablo Jones-Soler With special thanks to: Ellie Butters, Tommie Introna and Hiba Ismail.