Notes on Wellbeing and Affective Resistance in Times of Cognitive Capitalism
Florencia Portocarrero

Wellbeing can be defined as a state of dynamic equilibrium between the objective world – the material conditions of life – and the subjective world – our mind and body. Throughout history many discourses have sought to mediate the relation between subjectivity and the social and objective circumstances, in order to maintain a sense of purpose in life. However, in the context of cognitive capitalism and its global mercantilist imaginary, wellbeing has emerged as a category of political-economic analysis well as a powerful industry, aimed at the mass manufacture of a subjectivity over-adapted to the system and even open to self-exploitation. Through the presentation of different artistic practices, this talk explores alternatives to this hegemonic discourse that function as spaces of affective resistance in the contemporary world.

Florencia Portocarrero is a researcher, writer and curator. She obtained her BA in Clinical Psychology at the Catholic University of Peru where she received her MA in Psychoanalytical Theory. During 2012/2013 Portocarrero participated in De Appel Curatorial Programme and in 2015 completed an MA in Contemporary Art Theory at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she graduated with honours. Portocarrero regularly collaborates with contemporary art magazines, such as Artishock and Terremoto; and she has contributed her writings on art and culture to numerous publications. In Lima, she works as a Public Program Curator at Proyecto AMIL and is a co-founder of Bisagra, one of the few independent art spaces in the city.