Future U: digital catalogue
Future U explores what it means to be human during a time of rapid technological acceleration. The exhibition presents creative responses to…
Patricia Piccinini, Teenage Metamorphosis, 2017, silicone, fibreglass, human hair, found objects. Image courtesy of the artist, Scott Lawrie Gallery (Auckland); Tolarno Galleries (Melbourne); Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery (Sydney); Hosfelt Gallery (San Francisco).
Future U
Future U explores what it means to be human during a time of rapid technological acceleration. The exhibition presents creative responses to developments in artificial intelligence, robotics and biotechnology. While innovation in these areas offers amazing possibilities, it also poses questions and presents challenges to our beliefs and values.
As humans we must navigate the complexity of technological change in the twenty-first century. The aspects that make us human, such as creativity, love and intelligence, are increasingly under threat as machines reveal themselves to be capable of surpassing human capacity. On one hand, we applaud technology for its ability to prolong our lives, and yet we also mistrust it and fear its capacity to take away our usefulness and unique abilities as humans.
The dreams, speculations and possible nightmares offered by artists, designers and researchers provide a glimpse of a contradictory, messy future that is both unlimited and unruly. But it is also a future which embraces the possibilities of a body and a world that extends beyond our current limitations.
Curated by Jonathan Duckworth and Evelyn Tsitas
Artists, designers and researchers include Bettina von Arnim, Holly Block, Karen Casey, Duckworth Hullick Duo, Peter Ellis, Jake Elwes, Alexi Freeman, Libby Heaney, Leah Heiss and Emma Luke, Pia Interlandi, Amy Karle, Mario Klingemann, Zhuying Li, Christian Mio Loclair, Maina-Miriam Munsky, Patricia Piccinini, Stelarc, Uncanny Valley, and Deborah Wargon.
Exhibition Catalogue – View the Future U exhibition catalogue
Exhibition Podcast – Listen to a podcast about the Future U exhibition
Stelarc Performance – Watch Stelarc’s performance of StickMan / miniStickMan
Future U in the Media
Art Almanac | Future U, by Dr Joseph Brennan
Artshub | ICYMI: the week’s arts news by Gina Fairley
Beat Magazine | 5 stunning new Melbourne art exhibitions to see in February
Acknowledgements
Image above by Patricia Piccinini, Teenage Metamorphosis, 2017, silicone, fibreglass, human hair, found objects. Image courtesy of the artist, Scott Lawrie Gallery (Auckland); Tolarno Galleries (Melbourne); Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery (Sydney); Hosfelt Gallery (San Francisco).
This project has been supported by the Goethe-Institut Australia as part of their ongoing project Kulturtechniken 4.0 – Creating in the Age of AI which features artists and experts working across the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
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Event22 Feb 2022
Future U: Patricia Piccinini and Evelyn Tsitas in conversation
An Art & Design Salon presented by RMIT Culture and RMIT Gallery. Future U explores how we as humans navigate the complexity…