Over 2021-2, transmediale  mapped out the political agency of refusal, exploring its potential to form new socio-political realities. Beginning with an understanding of refusal through the three key thematic strands of friction, scale, and entanglement, the festival concluded this inquiry by exploring the limitations of refusal through two further thematic strands: belief and compromise. By building an understanding of different modes of refusal and how they intersect, the festival aimed to explore how different tactics of refusal can form an assemblage of collective political responsibilities.

For Refusal included two group exhibitions, four expanded film installations, conference, workshops, residencies, screenings. The below images represent a small selection of images taken from over a year’s worth of programming led by festival director Nora O Murchú.