The Shadow Database: Activism, art, and aspiration within urban regeneration

Keene, Tom

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/113429 Copy

Description

Title

The Shadow Database: Activism, art, and aspiration within urban regeneration

Author(s)

Keene, Tom

Issue Date

2021-10-26

Keyword(s)

• database
• art activism
• council housing
• urban regeneration
• government
• Critical Technical Practice
• Simondon
• Foucault
• software studies
• Cressingham

Abstract

This visual essay presents Database (E)state, which is an artist and activist-led PhD research project that explores the role of relational databases in processes of urban regeneration. The essay addresses the proposed demolition of Cressingham Gardens Estate by Lambeth Borough Council, in South West London, in the UK. By depicting the problems associated with accessing, comprehending, and creating a resident-controlled ‘Shadow Database’ of Lambeth’s databases systems, the essay points to the material, ethical, and political implications of database technologies in residents' lives. This articulation draws from art practice, philosophical theories derived from Gilbert Simondon and Michel Foucault, and also histories of database technologies. The act of creating the Shadow Database, therefore, combines theory, art, and activism as a means to make human and technical components of Lambeth’s databases more accountable to residents.

Series/Report Name or Number

Media-N, vol. 17, issue 2

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/113429

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21900/j.median.v17i2.767

Copyright and License Information

• Copyright 2021 Tom Keene
• This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

Owning Collections