What kind of cyborgs do we want to be?
October 16–November 1, 2020
Tramkade
5211 VD 's-Hertogenbosch
Netherlands
(IM)POSSIBLE BODIES is a journey of discovery into the realm of cyborgs. Cyborgs already exist among us, inviting us to speculate on how our future of living and work might look like. Two terms are important in association with cyborgs: transhumanism and posthumanism. They are often used interchangeably, but there is a substantial difference in approach. Whereas transhumanism refers to cryonics, upgrading and beautifying ourselves with the help of technology, posthumanism goes a step further. Technology has become our second nature and shapes us as we interact with it. We evolve into different kinds of humans.
Posthumanism explicitly connects being human with the environment in which we grow up, live and work. This new order grounded in a feminist perspective sees an opportunity in the growing recognition that human beings are not the only intelligent species on this planet. It teaches us to be humble and to re-examine our human-centric behavior. Technology can be used to learn from and interact better with other species in our living environment. Such a starting point makes life an empathetic quest in which not the individual but the collective is embraced as a new source of living and dying together. This redirects focus to our primary inquiry: what does it mean to be human?
Over 40 international artists, performers and lecturers bring their perspectives from a.o. Iran, Mexico, South Korea, China and Romania. Contributions consist primarily of large interactive installations such as Geumhyung Jeong’s Upgrade in Progress and VR works, including Symbiosis by Polymorf and newly commissioned works from a.o. Neil Harbisson, Viviane Sassen, Héctor Zamora.
Participating artists and performers:
Algorithmic Justice League, Redo Ait Chitt, Petra Ardai, Johanna Bruckner, Valerie Daude, Ali Eslami & Mamali Shafahi, Quintus Glerum, Jelle de Graaf, Agi Haines, Neil Harbisson, Geumhyung Jeong, Labyrinth Psychotica, Mire Lee, Emma van der Leest, Elise Marcus, Rosa Menkman, Simon Senn, Pinar & Viola, Polymorf, Jara Rocha/Femke Snelting, Moon Ribas, Reeps100, Saint Machine, Viviane Sassen, Paul Segers, Doris Ulrich, Sander Veenhof, Marsha Wichers, Hannes Wiedemann, Noam Youngrak Son, Héctor Zamora, Ningli Zhu.
Deep Dive:
Neil Harbisson, Moon Ribas, Reeps One, Redo Ait Chitt, Pinar Demirdag, Simon Senn, Lucas Lazy Lex, Doris Uhlich, Fredric Baas, Iris van der Tuin, Johanna Bruckner, Ali Eslami & Mamali Shafahi, Jennifer Kanary, Noam Younrak Son, Roanne van Voorst.
Future Shock:
Drvg Cvltvre, Mother, Kali Malone, Gabber Modus Operandi, Colin Self, Dadabots, Claire L. Evans, Bert Scholten, Red Brut, Asa Horvitz, Hyperstition Duo, Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli.
(IM)POSSIBLE BODIES takes place on different locations in ‘sHertogenbosch and online
Press and professional preview: Friday, October 23, 3-5pm and in the opening weekend.
International PR
Coralie den Adel
Coralie [at] impossiblebodies.nl
T +31 6 46283438
