sebastian koseda

'They said Ned Ludd was an idiot boy. That all he could do was wreck & destroy. He turned to his workmates and said: Death to Machines! They tread on our futures and they stamp on our dreams.’
- Robert Calvert

1779. The Luddites waged war against machinery as their craft was threatened by automated looms. They destroyed mechanical apparatus across England in protest against machines 'hurtful to commonality'.

Nearly 250 years later the ghost of Ned Ludd haunts us, his looms weave repeat patterns as we behold the 4th industrial revolution. Are we to witness a Luddite revivalism?

Silk To Silicon is the debut solo show of artist and designer Sebastian Koseda, spotlighting tensions between automation, ethics and environmental responsibility throughout English history and into tomorrow.

Today, exponential acceleration threatens jobs, crafts and livelihoods whilst simultaneously defining new realities. Be futureproof or be futureless.

Supported using public fundings by Arts Council England.

The Silk to Silicon exhibition was originally on display at BACKLIT Gallery, Nottingham, 2022 before being presented in 2023 at The House of Annetta, Brick Lane.

For more information please visit -
https://silktosiliconshow.com

The website showcases key exhibited works and features commissioned essays by Alan Willey and Maya Gulieva and a visual essay by Armando De Cosmos.

Featured in -
Design Week
DesignBoom
Arts Council news
Left lion magazine
Eye Magazine
Art Rabbit
Notts TV - TV interview

Special Thanks To Assemble Studio

Thankyou to the outstanding team that helped me make this body of work a reality -

James Rogers - Sound design
Jake Horgan - Sound Design
Sally Holditch - Weaving Support
Sam Wibberley - Laser cutting & Fabrication
Will Fairbrother - 3d & animation support

KitMapper Team -
Dave Charlesworth
Al Leeming
Benjamin Redgrove
Ashley Yuqi Zhang

Backlit Gallery -
Matthew Chesney
Suzanne Golden
Jazz Swali

Publication Contributors -
Alan Willey
Armando De Cosmos
Maya Gulieva