Book Club: The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. Le Guin

NEW DATE: OCT 31

What we are reading:
The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969).

Science fiction writing has inspired scientists and engineers to come up with everything from space and underwater travel to massive multi-player online role-playing games. It is therefore an obvious place to look for creative inspiration and food for thought when it comes to the next generations real-life technology. This book club, we take inspiration from our Techfestival session—Speculative Now(s): Engaging with Sci-Fi to Understand and Develop the Future of Tech—and discuss one of the most iconic sci-fi masterpieces by Ursula Le Guin, as well as the role of sci-fi in imagining the future.

We are very excited to have as co-host Majken Overgaard programme manager at Catch. Catch is exploring and developing new ideas at the intersection of art, technology, and design. Majken has focused on synergies between art & technology throughout her professional career, and in her independent curatorial practice she is focused on feminist activism within art and tech. For this book club session she will give a short intro to an art/tech/sci-fi project she has developed in collaboration with other artists, technologists and feminists - touching upon the influence of Ursula Le Guin.
https://www.catch.dk/

About the book:
"The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary's mission to Winter, an unknown alien world whose inhabitants can choose--and change--their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Exploring questions of psychology, society, and human emotion in an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of science fiction."

About the venue:
We are particularly excited to be hosted by Art Hub Copenhagen, as encourage welcome discussions on how artists can renew our perspectives on the world and become a major driving force in a visionary development of future society.
https://arthubcopenhagen.net/