Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm DK
I see it so you don’t have to

Installation

Exhibition : “Disobedience in the Digital Age”

From October 23 to December 13, 2026
From Wednesday to Sunday, 2pm to 7pm

Friche la Belle de Mai
, La Tour, 4th floor
, Marseille

This work upends traditional power dynamics by using AI—and more specifically, machine learning—to amplify the voices of the micro-workers it typically exploits. Hidden behind screens and algorithmic processes, the humans working in the shadow of the machine face poor working conditions, time pressure, and automation processes designed solely to optimize the machine’s performance. As a result, they suffer from mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, and depression, stemming from their exposure to disturbing content and endless repetitive tasks. The artist worked closely with content moderators who shared their firsthand experiences with work-related mental health issues.

The work is a 2 x 3-meter wall hanging made of cotton and viscose, created using machine learning (diffusion) and woven on a Jacquard loom. By combining machine learning and Jacquard weaving, the work explores the history of industrialized labor practices and their connection to contemporary work with digital data, as both have an impact on workers’ mental health. The work examines how AI-driven labor echoes the labor dynamics of the First Industrial Revolution, when textile workers endured harsh conditions to ensure that Jacquard looms never stopped running. Governments intervened at that time to protect workers’ rights. Today, how can we prioritize the mental health of the people behind the machines?