Exhibition
59th Venice Biennale: The Milk of Dreams
23 Apr 2022 – 27 Nov 2022
Venice
Venice, Italy
The Pavilion presents a reflection on the work of the scientist Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi.
His book Kitab Al-Jabr Wa-al-Muqabala, introduced to Europe under the title Dixit Algorizmi, was the first scientific text to present algebra as a discipline independent of geometry and arithmetic. This Latin transliteration of al-Khwarizmi’s name gave us the modern word algorithm. The “innovation accelera- tion” we consider particular to our time is assumed to be the product of a prevalently Western scientific tradition, but reality is more nuanced. It represents the apex of centuries of research spanning multiple civilisations. Dixit Algorizmi—Garden of Knowledge sets out to question the prevailing narrative around the histories and geographies of technological development, exploring forgotten roots and overlooked resonances with distant places, times, and cultures.
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