How does a machine see the world? Is what it perceives akin to what we feel or what a bat senses through sound waves? British artist Lisa Barnard’s first major project in four years, You Only Look Once . After Nature Prize 25, grapples with these questions. The exhibition probes the complexities of human and machine perception while questioning the ecological shadow cast by technological progress.
Barnard’s research begins at Southern California’s Salton Sea, once a World War II military testing ground and now a hub for lithium mining and economic ambitions. By exploring this fertile yet ecologically depleted landscape alongside traces of military surveillance, the artist reveals the cyclical nature of history. The exhibition weaves together photography, an immersive video installation, AI-generated imagery, and archival materials to tell a complex, non-linear story.
The title, You Only Look Once (YOLO), refers to an AI algorithm used for object detection in autonomous vehicles. Drawing parallels with bats’ echolocation, Barnard examines how technology perceives the world. She underscores that machines merely “look” but cannot truly “experience.” Highlighting the interconnectedness of global crises, the exhibition prompts a timely question amid the climate crisis: Can technologies be sensitive to the world they inhabit, beyond mere efficiency?
Curated by Katharina Täschner, the exhibition lays bare the parallels and disparities between human, animal, and machine consciousness. Hosted at C/O Berlin, it demonstrates that perception is not just a way of understanding the world but also a means of shaping it.
Exhibition Details:
Venue: C/O Berlin, Berlin
Dates: September 27, 2025 – January 28, 2026
Curator: Katharina Täschner
Note: After its debut at C/O Berlin, the exhibition will travel to the Crespo Foundation in Frankfurt in spring 2026.
