AGENDA 2030 Workshops
AGENDA 2030 was a series of workshops that utilized conspiracy theories as a research method. Participants, using basic AI tools such as ChatGPT, Stable Doodle, and Stable Diffusion, created conspiracy theories on topics of their choice. This unique approach was based on the "Interrogative Conspiracy Theory" method I developed, which uses the speculative and analytical powers of conspiracy theories to explore complex phenomena.
Concept, realization and facilitation: Kat Zavada
More about the method: www.katzavada.com/Interrogative-Conspiracy-Theory
This method, created during my collaborative project 'Before They Delete This' with artist Letta Shtohryn in 2021, combined speculative investigation with the intricate structure of conspiracy theories. It highlighted the complexity and controversial nature of such theories, transforming them into a stimulating intellectual exercise. This method not only produced an engaging narrative but also helped analyze and understand layered problems that escape conventional academic scrutiny.
Participants in the workshops deeply engaged with this methodology, producing a variety of outcomes ranging from intricate diagrams and thoughtful texts to compelling mini video essays. These creations encapsulated the participants' explorations and understandings, framed within the captivating allure of conspiracy theories. Through AGENDA 2030, we examined the thin line between wild speculation and the pursuit of hidden truths, offering a fresh perspective on research and narrative creation.
Support: The AGENDA 2030 workshops were supported by the 2024 Creative Scholarship of the City of Krakow.
About the author:
Kat Zavada
Hot academic chic🔥 Artist, curator, and internet researcher exploring socio-political dreaming through speculation and technology. Member of Nerdka collective and grantee of the 2024-2025 Fulbright Junior Research Award.
She is currently pursuing a PhD in Cartographies of Digital Monarchies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. She also holds an MA in Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art) from The Glasgow School of Art. Her research spans tech utopias & dystopias, South China Morning Post newsletters, Reddit memes, and digital monarchies. She is intrigued by the network state concept, the politics of software, digital identity, data collection as exercises of power, as well as post-work imaginaries🛠️👩🏻💻.
Recent projects include:
Cartographies of Digital Monarchies (PhD thesis, Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow)PEREVIRKA – Resistance Infrastructures (research project with the Nerdka collective) Metaverse Consulting (performative lecture and performance at Unsound Festival with Martix Navrot).