Lauren Valley is an artist that believes in the ability of digital media to enact positive social change. A witness to the rise of online protest, she is inspired by the way words, images and videos can “go viral” and mobilize individuals to take action. She works in robotics and video, usually in multimedia pieces that incorporate the two at once. “My current body of work stems from my frustration with the lack of diversity in ‘viral’ online spaces. Sites like YouTube and Instagram advertise themselves as being unbiased and user-driven, but certain hierarchies continue to develop between types of content and even the creators themselves,” expresses the artist, whose work aims to address these biases through the invention of online personas and satirical robotic devices. “I create videos that challenge both the digital spaces I operate within and the expectations placed on me by the viewer.” On a typical day you can find Lauren green-screening and robot-building in a basement, sometimes outside. One of her artistic challenges is constantly being confronted with herself as a “traditional artist” vs. “YouTube personality,” ultimately “operating in a grey area between what viewers expect to see from ‘YouTubers’ and the kind of work I make offline.” Valley divides her time between her YouTube series Junie Genius and her forthcoming resource Electric Women. Junie Genius is a “mad science” series that explores the potential impact of the maker movement on everyday life. Lauren explains, “Drawing heavily upon my experiences as a woman of color working with technology, the character, Junie, attempts to serve as a vehicle for younger viewers interested in technology through the re-envisioning of the white male ‘mad scientist’ trope.” In each successive episode, Junie attempts to resolve a problem through the creation of a robotic device. Meanwhile, her other platform, Electric Women, is an online resource dedicated to showcasing the work of “women of color that use digital media at the intersection of art, science, technology and social practice.” This new project will release the end of the month with the first iteration featuring work from 30 artists and collectives. After the initial release she’ll continue on as curator, continuing to enlarge the circle of contributors over time. In the coming months, Valley will enhance her Junie series, including adding more educational components.
https://www.electric-women.com/