My
research building up to this project started in year 2, where I
compiled research into bio-artists and artists that dealt with
contemporary ideas and innovations relating the way we use technology
to create art, or even art to aid scientific developments. Whilst
taking research I have researched further into this artists, and made
them my main inspirations for this project. I am very much interested
in the body and relationship with technology, as well as other living
organisms/beings. Our relationship with technology has increasingly
becoming more intimate from the development of transgenics, genetic
manipulation and the idea of self (genetic evolution (human beings
controlling the way we evolve mentally and physically, as well as the
world we live in). This has become an increasing important subject,
as it stretches out across the globe, and has a high chance of being
domesticated and the norm in the future. A current example of this is
genetic engineering, IVF, farming. The importance of bio art is not
imitating or replicating what has already been done, but building
upon an idea or discovery that can aid that development.
“For
example biology does not belong only to biologists. Questions about
the nature of life, about how brains and bodies work, and about the
limits on our abilities to shape life processes transcend academic
categories. Like so many other 'scientific' questions, they are also
major cultural questions and demand widespread attention.” Its
“recognizing both the craft of, and the conceptual leap being made
by, an artist exploring computerized artificial intelligence is
somewhat dependent on understanding the scientific challenges in that
field as well as the nature the nature of the artistic gesture
required to move beyond the science.” (Wilson,2010)
“Some
works celebrate science's accomplishments; some critique its
arrogance. Some artists invent totally new technologies that have no
utilitarian function or market, simply for purposes of play,
curiosity or provocation.”
(Wilson,2010)
“Artists
are joining philosophers, critical theorists and sociologists in a
critique of the idealized vision of science. Objectivity is seen as
almost impossible universal 'truth' as elusive, and dominant
scientific paradigms as constricting conceptualization and
visualization. Given these practical and theoretical concerns, some
artists have educated themselves deeply in the relevant science
practice, create events that both demystify science and empower the
public to participate in debate. This controversy about the nature of
science and the status of its accomplishments is an important element
in understanding contemporary artistic work with science and
technology.” (Wilson,
2010)
Although
I do not have the access to engage safely with own experiments and
possible contributions to scientific research, bio-art is a strong
influence for the purpose of my work, and my work is surrounded by
those elements rather than specifically trying to voice a particular
issue/discussion.
Whilst
researching I released that science and art when hand in hand, before
there was technology. This include, caveainters were intense
researchers in the areas of zoology, anatomy and physiology, their
paintings reveal a sophisticated understanding of animal life
processes.
Posthuman and my dissertation
Some
of the relevant cultural themes include critiques of the scientific
process; socio-economic influence on research agendas; 'post-human'
attitudes concerning the body, identity and body/machine
relationships; changing concepts of time, space and physical reality;
reduction of biology to code; hypermedia and distributed authorship;
the nature of databases and networks; surveillance, tactical media
and hacking; computer code, artificial intelligence and self
organizing systems; games, entertainment and art; and ethical issues
in such fields as ecology, medicine and biology.
Whilst
researching although my dissertation focused on the representation of
female cyborgs in mainstream cinema, I researched through the work of
a lot of philosophers and cyberfeminists, who discuss the effects of
technology on humanity, whilst using this image of the cyborg
(hybrid). By using the image of hybrids it allows the comparison of
binaries as well as the break down of these boundaries. Really
looking at relationships and negative and positive outcomes for our
futures.
Katherine
Hayles – How We Became Posthuman
In
her book Hayles describes the potential of technology to be used as
an empowering tool for humans, particularly women (exercising
cyberfeminism). She specifically extends her ideas from the Turing
Test ( a test that exercising if an computer could convincingly
imitate and human and if it could successfully it will be seen as
AI), to transhumanism. She questions the importance of a physical
body, and how in the future to survive it may no longer be necessary,
especially in a world of potential global warming ect.
She
also extends into the realm of cyborgs, and the hybridization of
living and non living, technology and organic material, binaries also
explored by Donna Haraway.
Donna
Haraway – Simians, Cyborgs and Women
Donna
haraway has multiple definitions of the cyborg, as well as also ways
that it can be used as empowering imagery. She encourages us to think
about replication, rather than organic reproduction and how the
technological aspect makes cyborg figures/being stray from wanting to
be part/associated with 'the garden of Eden'. This means there is no
necessity for a creator to survive.
“A
cyborg is a cybernetic organism, a hybrid of machine and organism, a
creature of social reality as well as a creature of fiction.”
“Modern
medicine is also full of cyborgs, of couplings between organism and
machine, each conceived as coded devices, in an intimacy and with a
power that was not generated in the history of sexuality.”
“Cyborg
replication is uncoupled from organic reproduction”.
Most
of her work deals with the critique of nature as a universal category
and the totalising power of natural science. As a biologist and
historian of science, Haraway is aware of the importance and
significance of scientific research, but also of its shortcomings and
abuse.
How
this relates to my project
Whilst
during my thesis looking into cyberfeminism, particularly in
mainstream film was particularly interesting. I feel that in order to
gain more recognition feminists should create work related to the
internet as it is a free platform to explore, as well as expanded
cinema, and installation art. This is something explored greatly by
artists such as Pipilotti Rist, a main inspiration for my projection
installations, and colour selections for my projects. She also
influences the intimacy of my projects. Both Hayles and Haraway make
us think about the relationship between technology and organic beings
and how this can contribute to both a utopian and dystopian future.
Both Hayles and Haraway are big contributions to me looking into hybrids, cyborgs and the impact of humanities futures, the possibilities and getting me a range of ideas of how this can impact positively and negatively. My work hopes to create and atmosphere and possibly raise these questions, rather than expressing that it is either bad or good. Therefore having good knowledge from theories allows me to create my project with an open mind.
Post Bibliography
Wilson, Stephen. Art + Science Now. London: Thames & Hudson, 2010. Print.
Hayles, Katherine. How We Became Posthuman. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press, 1999. Print.
Haraway, Donna Jeanne. Simians, Cyborgs, And Women. New York: Routledge, 1991. Print.
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