"The Second-Guess: Body Anxiety in the Age of AI" marks the 10th anniversary of the influential "Body Anxiety" exhibition, revisiting its exploration of embodiment and self-representation in the digital realm. Curated by Anika Meier, Margaret Murphy, and Leah Schrager, this 2025 iteration examines how body anxiety has evolved in the age of artificial intelligence. The exhibition traces the history of human-technology relationships, the rise of selfie and networked feminism, and the shift from fighting censorship on social media to navigating the challenges of deepfakes. Featuring over 40 artists born between 1941 and 2000, "The Second-Guess" showcases works that interrogate photographic truth, identity, surveillance, and the use of media as a tool for empowerment. This exhibition is crucial for understanding the current curatorial landscape of NFTs, as it contextualizes digital art's trajectory from its early days to the present moment, where blockchain and AI intersect. The exhibition unfolds across multiple platforms, including a metaverse (HeK Basel), Substack, and the NFT platform objkt.com, reflecting the decentralized and evolving nature of digital art itself.

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The body remains a site of contestation where power, representation, and identity intersect, suggesting this struggle is ongoing and will evolve with technology.  "The Second-Guess" suggests our relationship with the body in the digital age is one of constant negotiation, navigating the tension between our physical and digital selves, the desire for self-expression and the fear of manipulation, and the potential for empowerment and the risk of control. The exhibition serves as a timely reminder of the importance of critical engagement with technology and the need to continually question how it shapes our understanding of ourselves and our bodies.

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Artist list

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Addie Wagenknecht
Ana María Caballero & Melissa Wiederrecht

Anika Meier

Ann Hirsch

Ann Hirsch & Maya Man

Anna Ehrenstein

Arvida Byström

Avery Gia Sophie Schramm

Faith 'Aya' Umoh

Bianca Kennedy

Carla Gannis

Claudia Hart

Connie Bakshi

Emi Kusano

Natalia Evelyn Bencicova

Gretchen Andrew

Gretta Louw

Kika Nicolela

Kira Xonorika

Lauren Lee McCarthy

Leah Schrager

Lynn Hershman Leeson

Margaret Murphy

Marisa Olson

Martina Menegon

Maya Man

Mel E. Logan & lizvlx (UBERMORGEN)

Monika Fleischmann

Nadya Tolokonnikova (Pussy Riot)

Nancy Burson

Nicole Ruggiero

OONA

Operator & Anika Meier

Remington Chloe Koebel

Sarah Friend

Sougwen Chung

UBERMORGEN

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