From: tosca teran (21c@optionkontrol.com)
Date: Mon Mar 03 2003 - 09:01:11 MST
"The future is already here, it's just unevenly distributed."(1)
Attention Transhumanists, Post Humans, Gallery Directors, Exhibition
Committees, etc.,
Science and technology are forcing us into a new era of ethical
development as human beings on this planet.
The popular press inundates us daily with the hope of someday living
forever, self replicating nanotechnologies(2) including but not
limited to cloning(3), "non-invasive implants that will allow us to go
on-line from the "privacy" of our own brain(4), and GM
foods that won't make us fat(5) but might make us smarter.
For an indication of the confusion we live in, consider the following:
we have been witness to the global race between scientists
eager to be the first to clone a human being and governments eager to
pass legislation forbidding such actions.
In the controversy, governments have been swift to act against cloning
which may, arguably, have humanitarian benefits, whereas the
recent development of brain scanning that claims to be able to identify
the brain of actual or potential criminal minds (not unlike
Orwell's "thought crime") is heralded as being a great development in
the
war on terrorism and the ethical considerations of such a
device and its application hardly raise an eyebrow.
TRANSGENIC <> MORPHOSIS
The following proposal is a speculative installation that draws our
attention to the ethics and real cost of technology to our
humanity. The installation takes the form of a museum-like display that
propels the viewer into the far future where they can view
primitive artifacts dating back to the 20th and 21st century.
The physical specimens on display depict the extrapolation of existing
technologies gone awry and are seen by way of stereoscopic
viewers and film loops encapsulated within biomechanical pods that hang
in space, suspended from the ceiling by way of their
"umbilical" cords. Quasi-robotic in appearance visitors can speculate
whether these biomechanical pods are time capsules, the
shells of downloaded memories, or severed heads of something that once
walked the earth. Non-digital mediums are used to help
represent/create the sense of awkward obsolescence our present day
technology will seem like to a future audience.
An audio component by way of personal headsets interprets the images in
a
variety of languages.
On display with the biomechanical pods are transgenic organisms
comprised
of sterling silver, intestine, and silicone that incorporate proximity
sensors,
vibrating motors, sound operated controls, and shape memory alloys.
These organisms conjecture a
future that may include an unexpected evolution from biotechnological
wastes coming from enhanced human corpses and their
excrement. An example is the alarmingly high concentrations of estrogen
that are currently found in many bodies of fresh water that
are causing disruptive effects on the breeding cycles and feminization
of
fish and other aquatic life forms. What will happen to the
nano/biotechnologies introduced into our bodies through ingestion?
Visitors are given their very own "non-invasive" implant upon entering
the installation for the purpose of interacting with the
Biomechanical pods, immediately connecting them to the possible
necessity
of the personal incorporation of new technologies to
their physical being in order to function in a future society.
Sound is an important component of this installation. A sound piece
composed specifically for this installation helps to induce a
feeling of fear, and claustrophobia, as well as suggest the sonic
landscape of the future electronic city.
We are currently working on a performance aspect which will include
"screening members of the public to ensure they have the
correct Operating System (Darwin 13.2) in order to reap the most benefit
from their viewing experience."
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"We won't engineer human body 2.0 all at once....Most of us will wait
for
digestive system version 2.1 or even 2.2 before being willing to
dispense with version 1.0" (6)
"By 2200 Homo Sapiens will be the first species on Earth to have become
voluntarily extinct." (7)
Original installation concept and creation by artists:
Tosca Hidalgo y Terán's mediums include an ibook, a mac G3, metal,
electronics, FlashMX and audio.
She has been working with metal and computers for over the past 15
years. Striving to integrate the two within her jewellery and sculptural
objects, her current work explores this integration through a
combination of wire frame constructions, hollow forms, shape memory
alloys, silicone, intestine, sound chips, proximity sensors,
sonic distortions, and 3D scans.
Recent exhibitions include:
Fort Mason Center, San francisco
The House of Representatives curated by Senator Barbara Boxer
Named one of Taos' "Next Generation of Artists" by Harwood Museum
curator, David Witt
SFMOMA
The NEW Museum NYC
Steve Storz has been regarded for his technological sculptures for more
than 20 years. Much of his work deals with the issues of
cast-off devices and materials that emanate from places like "Silicon
Valley."
His works have included large scale installations for San Francisco's
DNA
Lounge, film and performance art companies, electronic
and steel sculptures, avant-garde music, the World's Largest Top Hat and
a smattering of two dimensional works.
Steve has recently re-entered the film world with a short film called
Embrace that was shown at the Taos Talking Picture Festival in
2002.
Andrei Gravelle Projectionist, audio engineer (CV unavailable at time of
email)
Footnotes:
1. William Gibson
2. Bill Joy, WIRED magazine, March 2000
3. Human Genome News, January 1998, U.S. Department of Energy, Human
Genome Program
4. When computers exceed Human intelligence, The Age of Spiritual
Machines, Ray Kurzweil (New York Penguin U.S.A 1999)
5. GM pigs are both meat and veg, Emma Young, New Scientist Magazine,
January 2002
6. Ray Kurweil, Introducing Human Body 2.0 "Future of Life"
Conference,
Time Magazine February 2003
7. Ian Pearson, The Future of Human Evolution, Sphere February 2000,
bt.com
Narration acknowledgements:
Lily Yung Ph.D., Immunology
I am interested in ancient myths and cultures. While I believe
technology
does improve our quality of life, it seems to distort our
sense of what we can make using our hands.
Anne Page co-founded Theatre Voce in 1998.
Anne's film and television credits include work with City TV, TVO, Rough
Cut Productions, Walden Productions, and a guest appearance on Due
South.
(installation) Space requirements:
The space should ideally be enclosed (12x12') and have control of its
own lighting level as our work is best displayed in a darkened
environment.
The 5 objects that suspend from the ceiling need a secure anchoring
point as well as proximity to AC power. They need to suspend
approx. five to six feet up from the floor.
Each biomechanical pod weighs from 5 to 12lbs max.
The sculptural organisms are displayed in an enclosed plexi-glass case,
similar to glove boxes used for the handling of
biohazardous wastes.
For more information contact:
Tosca Terán
257 Albany Ave
Toronto, On
M5R3C7
416-535-5835
21c@optionkontrol.com
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