London Conference in Critical Thought 2025

Ephemeral resistance, by its very nature, evades capture, leaving no permanent trace yet exerting significant symbolic and affective impact. This presentation explores the intersection of ephemeral resistance and parasitic strategies in contemporary art and activism. Drawing from Michel Serres’ concept of the parasite as both an intruder and a necessary disruptor, I argue that parasitic interventions—those that infiltrate, appropriate, and temporarily occupy existing structures—exemplify forms of ephemeral resistance that reconfigure relations of power without seeking lasting institutionalization.

Parasitic resistance operates through moments of disruption: clandestine occupations, unauthorized performances, or camouflaged interventions that dissolve as quickly as they appear. These acts exploit the host system’s vulnerabilities, transforming its infrastructures into sites of temporary counter-hegemonic practice. While the parasitic is often dismissed as opportunistic or unsustainable, I propose that its transitory nature is its strength—offering a resistance that thrives in precarity, eludes commodification, and refuses assimilation.

Through case studies of my parasitic art interventions, this talk examines how fleeting disruptions in public space, institutional frameworks, and digital networks can destabilize dominant narratives. By situating ephemeral resistance within the logic of the parasite, I explore how subversive occupations, tactical withdrawals, and momentary gestures challenge hegemonic structures without relying on endurance or visibility. Ultimately, this presentation asks: What forms of resistance emerge when permanence is no longer the goal, but rather, the act of infiltration itself?