This course examines how knowledge is produced in contemporary technoscientific contexts and what it means to intervene in these processes.
Drawing on the work of Karen Barad —particularly her notions of diffraction, intra-action, apparatus, and agential cuts— the course approaches knowledge not as a mere representation of the world, but as a relational and performative process in which practices, instruments, bodies, and contexts actively participate in the configuration of reality.
The program is conceived as a laboratory for critical reading and practical experimentation. It explores the ethical, material, and social implications of contemporary technoscientific systems, with attention to areas such as artificial intelligence, scientific infrastructures, algorithms, data practices, models, and research protocols.
This course is addressed to researchers, designers, artists, and professionals working with technoscientific systems, including AI, data, scientific research, and digital infrastructures. It is particularly relevant for those interested in critical, relational, and non-representational approaches to science and technology.
No prior knowledge of diffraction is required; an interest in experimental and interdisciplinary practices is expected.
The course combines diffractive practices, experimentation with data and systems, shared readings and critical discussions, collaborative work, sessions with invited experts, field visits to scientific infrastructures, and the development of a final relational intervention.
— Karen Barad PhD in Quantum Physics and Philosophy, one of the leading voices in material feminism and new materialisms. Introduces agential realism, merging quantum physics and feminist theory to rethink matter, knowledge and ethics.
— Pep Vidal
Artist and scientist, PhD in Physic Sciences, whose research-based practice examines measurement, scientific systems, and the limits of knowledge.
— Blanca Pujals
Architect and researcher examining borders, techno-scientific infrastructures, and spatial politics through film and installation.
— Lara García Díaz
PhD in Social Sciences, specializing in cultural criticism and art and design theory, focused on academic and artistic research, cultural mediation, and pedagogy.
— Pilar Cortada
Eina Obra director and PhD in Philosophy, artist and researcher exploring creativity as a relational, situated and distributed process.
— Julia Nueno
Researcher and computer designer, exploring digital infrastructures with a critical and speculative approach, working at Forensic Architecture.
— Albert Barqué-Durán (TBC) Artist and researcher, PhD in Cognitive Science, investigating creative technologies and digital art, focused on artificial intelligence and perception.
— Mario Santamaría Visual artist working with installation, photography, video, and performance to investigate how technical and media devices shape contemporary perception and representation.
— Estampa (Roc Albalat, Pau Artigas, Marc Padró, Marcel Pié and Daniel Pitarch) An artistic collective of programmers, filmmakers, and researchers with a critical and archaeological approach to audiovisual and digital technologies.
— Jara Rocha (TBC) Develops her practice in remediation, editing, action research and in(inter)dependent curating, focused on technology for regenerative justice.
M1. Introduction: Intra-action, Diffraction, Apparatuses and Agential Cuts
(How knowledge is produced. Intra-action, responsibility)
— Session 1: Reflection or diffraction? Wave or particle?
07/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Karen Barad & Pep Vidal
— Session 2: Apparatuses and Agential (Cuts: How Phenomena Emerge)
08/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Karen Barad & Pep Vidal
M2. Reading the Cut in Practice
(Through which configurations it is produced. Apparatus, phenomenon)
— Session 1: Differences That Matter
09/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Julia Nueno & Lara García
— Session 2: Configuring and Reading Apparatuses
10/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Mario Santamaría & Blanca Pujals
M3. AI as a Sociomaterial Assemblage (How systems work and decide)
— Session 1: AI as a Distributed Assemblage
13/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Estampa & Blanca Pujals
— Session 2: Data as Emerging from Situated Practices
14/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Albert Barqué-Durán & Blanca Pujals
M4. Scientific Infrastructures as Co-Agents
(How scientific infrastructures amplify these dynamics)
— Session 1: Situated Observation: Visiting the Barcelona Supercomputing Center
15/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Blanca Pujals & Pep Vidal
— Session 2: Diffractive Reading of Infrastructures
16/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Blanca Pujals & Pep Vidal
M5. Relational Interventions and Diffractive Articulation
(How to intervene and articulate without breaking the relational logic)
— Session 1: Consolidating Relational Interventions
17/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Jara Rocha & Blanca Pujals
— Session 2: Tracing the transformations
18/07 | 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Blanca Pujals, Lara García & Pilar Cortada
— Bring and share lunch
From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Faculty and participants from Summer School (Technoscience & Creative Practice)
There are two ways to complete the payment:
— Online – via the following registration link: https://buy.stripe.com/3cI00jazz2So9ljdiNf3a05
— Bank Transfer – to one of the following accounts:
- Arquia Bank – IBAN: ES80 3183 0800 8710 0086 6424
- CaixaBank – IBAN: ES50 2100 0808 1702 0073 9229
(Entity Code: 0456635)
- Banc Sabadell – IBAN: ES66 0081 0150 5500 0132 1537
- Banco Santander – IBAN: ES44 0049 1806 9726 1199 4641
Account Holder: Fundació Eina
Payment reference: “Your full name + S.S.Science”
Discounts:
- 10% discount for members of the Eina community
Registration period:
Open from February 27 to June 15, 2026
Questions:
eina.obra@eina.cat
Organization:
Eina Obra