Section 1
Lady Cassandra: a visual exploration of notions of the body in the face of rapidly escalating technological change
Sonja Mary Hindrum
Abstract
In this synthesized dystopia home-grown bacteria are generated to create coded bodyscapes, suggestive of future communication technologies. It explores re-imagining human relationships through our access to evolving technological interfaces—the source of this evolution being the marriage of technology and biology as we search for vast new realms of information storage and data retention. The Digital images support a notion of our inner and outer selves, hiding behind a digital barrier, possibly presenting a false self. The work thereby suggests that participation in reality is now voyeuristic to hide violent truths.
Keywords
Violence; Art; BioArt; Communication; Connection; Coded Bodyscapes; Manipulation
FIGURE 1: HIDING BEHIND A DIGITAL BARRIER, HOW WILL WE SUPPORT OUR NEED TO CONSTANTLY BE CONNECTED AND HAVE ACCESS TO DATA?
FIGURE TWO: HOW FAR WILL WE EVOLVE OR PRACTICE BODY MODIFICATION IN THE ANTHROPOCENE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A NEW SKIN THAT CAN CONSTANTLY RECEIVE AND SEND DATA?
FIGURE 3: THE DEATH OF INNOCENCE.
ERA RESEARCH STATEMENT
RESEARCH BACKGROUND
These collective works are a visual exploration of notions of the body in the face of rapidly escalating technological change. The central objective was a speculative re-imagination of the body, in actively considering body augmentation—consisting of, but not limited to, scarification, tattooing and integrated technology, questioning concepts of connectivity and communication. The work thereby suggests that participation in reality is now voyeuristic to hide violent truths.
RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION
The major contribution of the final exhibition was to enable a direct experience of speculative concepts of connectivity and communication via mixed media, including bacteria as a flesh analogue.
RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE
This work led to the artist being placed on the Dean’s Honour Roll for the School of Creative Arts at the University of Tasmania (Launceston) in the degree Bachelor of Contemporary Arts with Honours. The final exhibition was recognised and awarded the Sawtooth ARI prize resulting in an extension of the body of works.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License.
ISSN: 2202-2546
© Copyright 2015 La Trobe University. All rights reserved.
CRICOS Provider Code: VIC 00115M, NSW 02218K