http://robertina.net/aurelia-1hz/
video about the research and development of the opus Aurelia 1+Hz: vimeo.com/159648215
Aurelia 1+Hz project is divided in two parts; the performance Aurelia 1+Hz / proto viva sonification looks into a new critical redefinition of social values and new attitude towards cohabitation of interspecies while the installation Aurelia 1+Hz / proto viva generator deals with the biopolicy of prolonging life.
Aurelia 1+Hz / proto viva generator is an installation that addresses possible coexistence of humans, animals and machines. The project uses living organisms to process “aliveness” of a simple robotic machine. The installation addresses two entities – jellyfish and robot – separated, but if they merged into one, causing new biocybernetic organism to occur, would they be able to live eternal life?
Context and inspiration:
In the era of the Sixth Extinction of species, after pulsating through the world’s seas and oceans for over 500 million years without ever being endangered, the jellyfish are the perfect evolutional archive, showing us potential moves the future might make. The eternity of the jellyfish – some are even immortal as a species – has been fueling even the most ancient human thoughts on eternal life, on the mythical search for the fountain of youth and on immortality.
Improved living conditions in a technologically advanced world enable us to lead a significantly longer life than in the past. But how long is long enough? The answer to this question appears to be in the hands of the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, which use the powers of biopolitics and capital to divide our society into those who are able to prolong their life, and into those who are merely trying to survive. The historical tactics of civilizations trying to ensure their cultural immortality are today contrasted by the biotechnological possibilities of actually designing and controlling life, demanding a new, critical redefinition of social values.
Concept and realization_ Robertina Šebjanič
Programming and consultancy_ Slavko Glamočanin
Mechanical part development and consultancy_ Miha Presker
Care of biological part _ Kristijan Tkalec
Consultancy_ prof. dr. Alenka Malej, Marine biology station Piran, Slovenia
Exhibition _ Gallery Kapelica Ljubljana, Slovenia
[30. October – 19 November, 2014]
co-production: Gallery Kapelica and Zavod Praksa, 2014
camera_Senad Toromanović
editing_Robertina Šebjanič
The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Municipality of Ljubljana Department for Culture
