Mechanical Kurds (2025) Hito Steyerl

A drone is flying low above the ground with a heavy explosion in a city center in the background

Drone view of a dirt road with a parked car augmented with 3D elements and texts.

AI generated image of people and a car on a parking lot

Videostills Courtesy Hito Steyerl, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, Esther Schipper, Berlin/Paris/Seoul. ©Hito Steyerl, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025

Hito Steyerl

Mechanical Kurds (2025)

Single screen video installation, color, sound; 13:00 min

Courtesy the artist and Andrew Kreps, New York. Commissioned the New Museum, New York and Jeu de Paume, Paris

Producers: Savaş Boyraz, Kovan Korki, Erratas Film

Executive producers: Savaş Boyraz, Hêja Netirk

Camera and drone pilot: Xeîry Ertuşî

Music producer: Singer and Songwriter: Hêja Netirk

Music: Emrah Oğuztürk

Additional music: Saerom Park
Sound studio: PARRY AUDIO Studio & Mobile Recording (Karola Parry)

Postproduction and 3D design: Christoph Manz, Vadim Schäffler

Unboxing: Hito Steyerl

Featuring: Rebin Karim, M.H., W.O., and others

Acknowledgments: Alice Conconi, Adela Yawitz, Annabelle Liljegren, Andrew Kreps, Esther Schipper, Esme Buden, freesound.org

Videostills Courtesy Hito Steyerl, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, Esther Schipper, Berlin/Paris/Seoul. ©Hito Steyerl, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025

Hito Steyerl’s video installation Mechanical Kurds consists of a single-channel HD video and spatial installation elements. The title references the "Mechanical Turk" and its dual significance. The original Mechanical Turk was an 18th-century fraudulent automaton—a chess-playing machine that appeared to operate independently, but in reality, concealed a human operator inside who controlled its movements. In the early 2000s, Amazon adopted the name for its crowdsourcing platform, which enables businesses to outsource various, often repetitive or menial tasks to an online workforce.

Hito Steyerl

Mechanical Kurds (2025)

Single screen video installation, color, sound; 13:00 min

Courtesy the artist and Andrew Kreps, New York. Commissioned the New Museum, New York and Jeu de Paume, Paris

Producers: Savaş Boyraz, Kovan Korki, Erratas Film

Executive producers: Savaş Boyraz, Hêja Netirk

Camera and drone pilot: Xeîry Ertuşî

Music producer: Singer and Songwriter: Hêja Netirk

Music: Emrah Oğuztürk

Additional music: Saerom Park
Sound studio: PARRY AUDIO Studio & Mobile Recording (Karola Parry)

Postproduction and 3D design: Christoph Manz, Vadim Schäffler

Unboxing: Hito Steyerl