Category: Uncategorized

Thomas Thwaites

http://www.thomasthwaites.com/

Living History: https://samsungvr.com/view/QMfxaSI9Vcj <– full video in 3D here 

“Living History tries to take a perspective on our present, from some future. What will the people of two centuries hence think when viewing the images we’re creating in these early days of virtual reality?”

Policing Genes:

“Pharmaceutical companies are experimenting with pharming – genetically engineering plants to produce useful and valuable drugs. Currently undergoing field trials are tomato plants that produce a vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease and potatoes that immunise against hepatitis B. … However, the techniques employed to insert genes into plants are within reach of the amateur…and the criminal. Policing Genes speculates that, like other technologies, genetic engineering will also find a use outside the law, with innocent-looking garden plants being modified to produce narcotics and unlicensed pharmaceuticals.”

—-> This artist is very relevant to me, he constructs realistic and near-touchable proto-futures through research (a bit like my current practice). The process of documenting things from futures that may or may not exist is really interesting, I found the video work in particular very helpful as there’s a level of authenticity that I struggle with. It didn’t feel silly or outlandish at all. Also using actual footage of the present and then simply telling us it’s a reconstruction from the future is very clever – I might try something along those line in my own practice.

The video of the artists scanning the work. (Hyperallergic see link in previous post)

https://nomegallery.com/exhibitions/not-a-single-bone/

—> This is fascinating to me when you think about the idea of stealing an artefact simply by publicising its data. The questions around what will be preserved where and how that will impact our cultural memories around the world are really important to ask ourselves and to try and find answers too. I also like the fact that there are now possibly multiple busts of Nefertiti which could have been altered/hacked that will exist in our historic/archaeological record.

could this become a norm? does anything exist outside of a virtual data set anymore? in the future could we simply scan the things we find to gain information? is this post-human? How does this effect my work –> if museums and regulatory bodies control access to history then how does that effect the wider population’s understanding of said history? Does history become more decentralised, like agriculture, can you simply find artefacts online and download them, if so then who controls information if anyone? How does this effect how people tell stories? How people remember each other and their culture?

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

Nora Al-Badri and Jan Nikolai Nelles, Nefertiti Hack. 

The two artists covertly scanned the bust of Nefertiti using 3D scanners in the German museum. They then used a 3D printer to create an exact replica and donated it to the museum of Cairo, they also released the data online for anyone to download. Commenting on colonialism, empirism and power in the world of museums and art.

“The head of Nefertiti represents all the other millions of stolen and looted artifacts all over the world currently happening, for example, in Syria, Iraq, and in Egypt,” Al-Badri said. “Archaeological artifacts as a cultural memory originate for the most part from the Global South; however, a vast number of important objects can be found in Western museums and private collections. We should face the fact that the colonial structures continue to exist today and still produce their inherent symbolic struggles.” 

https://hyperallergic.com/274635/artists-covertly-scan-bust-of-nefertiti-and-release-the-data-for-free-online/

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/news/artists-secretly-scan-queen-nefertiti-bust-and-release-3d-printing-data-online-a6895061.html

https://www.andfestival.org.uk/events/not-single-bone/

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Katja Novitskova: Post Internet Survival Guide, 2010

Source: http://katjanovi.net/postinternetsurvivalguide.html

– Think about how she’s created a narrative around how we develop after the collapse of the internet (e.g. cults, hieroglyphics etc.). How can I construct a narrative? What would my world look like in contrast to hers? Hers is very influenced by the remnants of today (Zizek, Abramovic), do I think these figures will be important in the future? Who will be remembered and why, if anyone? 

–> foundation myths -> narrative -> proto-futures —-> how does this translate into video and performances which I could create?

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

Green Men:

The Green Man can be traced back 2000 odd years in British culture and has many variations and meanings (fertility, spring, rejuvenation…). He is usually associated with pre-Christian and pagan traditions that have since been incorporated into church life. A common place to find him is in church carvings weirdly enough.

Above: Green Man in St. James’ Church, Sutton Benger, Wiltshire, England

–> A persistent figure in folklore, how will he change in the future? I’m worried my depiction of him hasn’t taken the evolution of culture into account and is too traditional. Perhaps using glazes and other techniques I can change that?

http://www.beccajjones.com/more-about-the-green-man/

https://streetsofsalem.com/2012/03/17/green-men/

Probably Chelsea from biogenfutures on Vimeo. By Heather Dewey-Hagborg

source: https://deweyhagborg.com/projects/probably-chelsea

–> From discussion with Nathan. Really interesting to examine how complex DNA is and how many variations can be created using it. -> how does this effect the archaeological record of our era and people’s interpretation of it? If digital data is so fragile then future archeologists will probably rely on physical evidence such as DNA, what picture will they construct from that?

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

George Osodi’s work documenting the different kings and queens of Nigeria at the Open Eye Gallery for the Liverpool biennial. It was interesting to see the diversity and range of culture in one country, also the small totemic aspects to some of their dress and spaces

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Mae-Ling Lokko’s work art the architectural centre. The possibility that we could live out of houses made of mushrooms is fascinating, the use of agricultural waste is very prescient. I can picture a whole town of mushroom houses

–> another version of the future, specifically relating to agriculture. Have I been too narrow in my definition of futuristic agriculture? It’s possible that agriculture could consist of a lot more than our current idea of a farm, it could be a lot more individual/domestic (which would fit with ceremonial grain bowls, beekeeping, UV hydroponic farms and aquacultures). How does this influence a performance or video I create, it could be a domestic setting for instance?