Cardenas’ most recent artwork, and what I believe to be one of their most interesting, is their Local Autonomy Network which is usually known shortly as Autonets. On its website, Autonets is described as an “artivist project” (a hybrid of artist and activist) which suggests that this art project functions as a form of activism. Autonets uses new technologies as an anti-violence tool of communication for women, queer and transgender people, and people of colour. Rather than looking to the police or other people in authority for help, who are often of no help to queer people and people of colour, Autonets explores how members of marginalized communities can help take care of each other. The “background” section if its website states that “Autonets empower communities to become more autonomous through collectively agreed on networks of communication.”
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| image via autonets.org |
Autonets are mesh wearable electronic garments that alert everyone else wearing the mesh garments in the network when they are activated. These garments can be activated when someone needs help or is in a dangerous situation and doing so sends their location to other people in the network. Despite being fully-functioning, the likelihood of such electronic garments being readily produced and easily accessible for women, queer folks, and other minorities isn’t very likely, especially in the near future. As such, Autonets exists as a series of performances, workshops, and presentations as much as it exists as a functional art object. While I understand how this technology is being used, and the radical effects it can have on marginalized communities, I cannot accurately explain how the technology behind the Autonet mesh garments work. According to its website “the first two series of prototypes use Xbee wireless transmitters, led lights and electroluminescent (EL) wire to be able to send direction and distance information.”
In an interview, Cardenas explains their inspiration for Autonets: “I wanted to make safety devices as art that were designed for me and my community so that I could feel safe walking home at night because I did not feel safe walking home at night. Regularly, on a daily basis, I don’t feel safe. I have to really think about my safety as a trans person living in L.A.” Autonets also intends to be an independent form of communication, that is, one that does not rely on corporate or state-based technologies and as such is less vulnerable to surveillance. While Autonets is just one of Misha Cardenas’ art projects, I think its performance and workshop based medium, its creative and innovative use of new technologies, and its focus on marginalized communities and identities is a an excellent overview of their art work as a whole, which is very relevant to our course content.
