Powering Ecological Futures

We are living in an era where air conditions and atmospheres enter our awareness and are made explicit. Through rising awareness of global warming and of how we modify our indoors and outdoors climates, it is clear that we must redesign the systems we use for air-conditioning different spheres of our planet’s air. This includes our power supply systems. French sociologist Bruno Latour claims: “As soon as artists, designers and architects are busying themselves with the light element [Air], we are going somewhere. From the philosophical point of view, Air will take the place of Earth as the ‘fundamental element’” (2004a). By looking at two digital artworks, dealing with air conditions and electricity consumption, this article will use the ideas of Bruno Latour and German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk to discuss what role art may play in rethinking ‘air-conditioning systems’.