In the discussions to this point mention has been made of the cyborg as an
extension of human beings, compensating for their weakness, and magnifying
their strength- for good or bad. They are used for scientific exploration,
industrialization, and for war. They are physically formed with a human
face and there has been attempts to imbue them with human attributes to be
both servant and master. The machine is an extension of the human being. We
are also of the earth in a web of interconnected life. Our technology allows
us to destroy life and ourselves. The development of our inner life and
consciousness have not kept pace with our technological advancement. Those
cultures who lived in cyclical harmony with all organisms have been killed,
conquered and marginalized. We are a seriously flawed species, who will self
destruct in time. Our technology may not be able to save us from ourselves.
And what is human that is worth saving? Empathy? Memory? Love? Intelligence?
There is an artist who speaks a poetic visual language of our self
immolation. He is Robert ParkeHarrison, who knits together the tattered
remains of a destroyed planet. Robert ParkeHarrison becomes the last human
alive on a smoldering planet. His work stages futile attempts to mend the
earth, reconnect the technologies, to communicate, to restore the damage to
an earth despoiled. The works are a series of elegies to humankind, to the
Industrial land, to the Promised land and Earth Elegies that speak with a
poetic voice a shattering scream that echoes against the barren landscape.
To be human, to be alone, with the façade of technology stripped away to
face an uncertain future. His work embraces the human consciousness as one
reconstructs memory after a tragic, cataclysmic event
http://www.parkeharrison.com/slides-architechsbrother/index.html
http://www.parkeharrison.com/slides-graydawn/index.html
Joseph Ingoldsby
Landscape Mosaics
JosephIngoldsby.com
On 7/20/09 8:39 PM, "robert.thill@gmail.com" <robert.thill@gmail.com> wrote:
> Roger,
Depending upon one's view of a cyborg, you might have
> already
contributed to Jorge's declaration of machine rights (DMR) near
> the
bottom of the following
> post:
http://estia.media.uoa.gr/pipermail/yasmin_discussions/20090712/000430.h
> tml.
I agree that many of the views of cyborgs posted are
> human-centric;
however, I don't find this so surprising---even Jorge's
> conception is
based on a passion for machines, which are human-made---at least
> in
their origin.
Also, there seems to be no shortage of art projects that
> invest
non-human forms with human characteristics. See Jason Van Anden's
"Neil
> and Iona" projects: http://www.smileproject.com/index.htm.
Eduardo Kac's
> "Edunia" project also emphasizes human beings, even if
the structure is a
> plant.
I noticed an exhibition that was inspired by Michael Pollan's
> "The
Botany of Desire." The exhibit, organized by Jodie Vicenta Jacobson,
is
> entitled "Implants" and appears to fall short in this review;
however, it has
> some interesting elements that could relevant to the
current
> discussion:
http://hungryhyaena.blogspot.com/2008/09/implant-at-ubs-art-galler
> y.html.
I have lost the reference for a young artist who takes photographs
> of
herself mending with nature in a kind embracing of botanical life
> and
rejecting of human consciousness, as we currently understand it. If I
can
> find the project, I will post it.
Maybe the central theme of this discussion,
> which hints at definitions
of form (cyborg) and difference (ethnicity), is
> really concerned with
what is valued and what might need
> protection.
Best,
Robert Thill
On 7/20/09, roger malina
> <rmalina@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
> Jorge
>
> I am not sure if i am ready to
> contribute to your declaration
> of machine rights, but it does raise the
> question of why cyborgs
> are often seen in terms of future evolution of
> humans rather than
> using other life forms as the starting point, or as you
> point out
> the devices themselves
>
> ramon guardans in his contribution to
> the darwin and the arts
> symposium in october
> :
>
>
> http://www.imera.fr/index.php/fr/flux-rss/110-22-octobre-colloque-qart-culture
> -theorie-de-levolutionq.html
>
> will talk about viewing evolution in terms of
> a plant centered view of
> succesful longevity
> on the planet- so that we
> should perhaps be looking at cyborgs in that
> context
>
> rob kranenberg in
> recent "internet of things" talks about indeed when
> human+ thing can be
> seen
> more as a symbiotic system neither of which can survive without the
> other
>
>
> http://networkcultures.org/wpmu/weblog/2008/10/02/book-launch-the-internet-of-
> things-by-rob-van-kranenburg/
>
> talks in detail about how we will start to
> co evolve with a vast array
> of 'things' in our environment
>
> The Internet
> of Things, Rob van Kranenburg outlines his vision of the
> future. He tells of
> his early encounters with the kind of
> location-based technologies that will
> soon become commonplace, and
> what they may mean for us all. He explores the
> emergence of the
> ³internet of things², tracing us through its origins in the
> mundane
> back-end world of the international supply chain to the domestic
>
> applications that already exist in an embryonic stage. He also
> explains how
> the adoption of he technologies of the City Control is
> not inevitable, nor
> something that we must kindly accept nor sleepwalk
> into. In van Kranenburg¹s
> account of the creation of the international
> network of Bricolabs, he also
> suggests how each of us can help
> contribute to building technologies of
> trust and empower ourselves in
> the age of mass surveillance and ambient
> technologies.
>
> again it would be great to have examples of artists work
> that explores
> the issues
>
> roger
>
>
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