Congratulations to All Finalists
Flavoring Knowledge in Emergent Realities
In the concluding session of the SATA panel series, a multidisciplinary group of artist-researchers and technologists explored the intersections of digital capitalism, bio-computation, and urban ecologies. Moderated by Dr. Ashley Lee Wong, the discussion navigated how emergent technologies are reshaping our creative, academic, and social frameworks.
Sustainable Artistic Ecologies and Technical Mediation
Dr. Ashley Lee Wong anchored the conversation by drawing from her extensive research into contemporary cultural economies. As the co-founder of MetaObjects and an expert in cultural studies, she emphasized the necessity of nurturing “long-term circuits of knowledge” rather than succumbing to the rapid “short-circuiting” of attention inherent in modern technological cycles. She presented the concept of the studio as a speculative and pragmatic vehicle for discovery, where the researcher acts as a mediator between artists, technical tools, and institutional structures. Her approach advocates for an “ecology of artistic practice,” viewing the studio as a space for collective learning and the building of trust-based, long-term collaborations that integrate technology into a wider social ensemble.
Biological Computing and Urban Speculation
The panel further explored these themes through the specialized lenses of its guests. Jenn Leung detailed her groundbreaking work in bio-computation, specifically developing Unreal Engine (UE) interfaces to interact with living neurons. Her research challenges traditional binary views of human vs. machine by treating biological systems as active participants in digital simulation. Meanwhile, Shan Wong discussed her investigations into human-urban dynamics. Through projects such as Property Agency and collaborative work with the Foreseen Agency, she demonstrated how 3D scanning and archival practices can be used as tools for social observation and a critique of digital capitalism and urban gentrification.
Collaborative Discovery
The speakers collectively advocated for a methodology of “learning through doing,” where the researcher and the technology evolve together through iterative prototyping. By dissolving traditional hierarchies between the researcher, the machine, and the community, the panel highlighted a future for art-technology narratives rooted in deep engagement and collective imagination.
About Guest Speakers:
Shan Wong
Shan Wong
Shan Wong (@flyingpig.shan ) is an artist-researcher exploring human-urban dynamics within capitalist transformations across physical and digital spaces. As director of SATA, she investigates the intersection of art, technology, and society in Asia. Additionally, as part of the artist duo Foreseen Agency with Kachi Chan, she explores art-technology narratives. Their project Hello World Home, developed during a 2024 residency at the National Asia Culture Centre in Gwangju, examines digital capitalism in Korea and continues to explore the project during their artist residency at Diriyah Art Futures in Saudi Arabia. She is currently an assistant professor at Hong Kong Baptist University’s Academy of Visual Arts.
About Guest Speakers:
Jenn Leung
Jenn Leung
Jenn Leung (@jennnital) is a creative technologist and simulation developer building game engine simulations and real-time streaming tools. Currently her research focuses on developing UE interfaces for living neurons and agent behaviour simulation, with two papers recently published in the MIT Antikythera Journal and a paper on UE-API for brain-on-a-chip platforms presented at NeurIPS 2025.
About Moderator:
Ashley Lee Wong
Ashley Lee Wong
Ashley Lee Wong (@metaobjects), PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies and Associate Director of the MA Cultural Management programme at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She manages the Research Network for Philosophy and Technology and the Technophany journal. Her research explores the contemporary cultural economies for artists and practitioners working at the intersection of art and technology. She is the author of the monograph Ecologies of Artistic Practice: Rethinking Cultural Economies through Art and Technology (The MIT Press, 2025).