Gods of Calculation

Imagining reparatory justice by means of supercomputers

Diane Cescutti

Ruth Patir

French artist Diane Cescutti explores the speculative idea of technology transfer as reparatory justice. The project imagines five supercomputers—absent from Africa despite the continent’s role in providing raw materials—offering their processing power to an unnamed African nation.

These machines create “twin” supercomputers on the continent, yielding prophetic results interpreted by avatars, the titular Gods of Calculation.

The work is an immersive shrine of metal, fiber, and handwoven textiles, with five deity avatars emerging from screens, accompanied by thematic songs and prophetic monologues. Viewers’ interactions provoke cryptic responses, blurring computation and divination.

In December 2025, Diane Cescutti and her mentor, Ruth Patir, will convene at C/O Berlin for a condensed work-stay to further develop Cescutti’s project, and will host a public event at the institution.

The final production of Gods of Calculation will be unveiled at the Forecast Festival, in March 2026.