17 october 2023, Yves Joris
Seduction of a Cyborg: an exploration of mankind, art and technology
In the captivating exhibition Seduction of a Cyborg at Waldburger Wouters in Brussels, you can immerse yourself in the intriguing world of human interaction with technology until October 28. Four exceptional artists – Elen Braga, Eli Cortiñas, Lynn Hershman Leeson and Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven – bring together new and old works to uniquely explore the complex dynamics between humanity and technology.
Tim Wouters, one of the two visionaries behind this Brussels gallery, has just become a father. In a tenderly realistic letter – which also serves as the exhibition's introduction – curator Evelyn Simons writes to his newborn daughter, Ada, about the interesting and challenging times in which she came into the world. It's a thought-provoking read that, within the context of this exhibition, prompts contemplation about the role of cyborgs in art.
Cyborg art: bridging the gap between mankind and machine
Cyborgs, beings that are part human and part robot, have found their place in the art world. Cyborg art emerged in the United Kingdom in the 2000s. Through cybernetic implants, Cyborg artists like Neil Harbisson and Moon Ribas received new senses, which they use to create art. Cyborg art opens up new perspectives and challenges in the art world.
Each of the four artists in this exhibition takes a different approach. They base their work on meticulous observation, avoiding implants. Their art serves as a medium to explore the boundaries between mankind and machine. In their work, we see a reflection of the human inclination to strive for improvement and evolution, whether through technological, biological or artistic means. Cyborgs serve as a symbolic expression of these desires, making us wonder whether technology advances or undermines humanity.
Elen Braga, Schatteke, 2023, Waldburger Wouters
The future in four artistic styles
Elen Braga is presenting two works that challenge the viewer to contemplate the boundaries between the organic and the artificial, the living and the dead, and the natural and the artificial. She uses various materials, including wood, metal, plastic, hair, blood and electronics, to create an intriguing tension that invites us to reflect on human identity, evolution and the future. In the installation Schatteke (2003), we see the artist facing a retired police dog, once part of the Special Forces. She repeatedly utters the word schatteke (Antwerp dialect for sweetheart). It's evident that Dutch is not her native language and the dog barks in response. Is it an attempt to mimic the repetitive sounds or engage in dialogue? Braga's works are like a symphony of materials dancing between the natural and the created, posing questions about who we are and who we can become.
Eli Cortiñas, Not Gone with the Wind, 2020, Waldburger Wouters
Eli Cortiñas immerses us in the video installation Not Gone with the Wind (2020), created from fragments of old films and television shows. We delve into the mind of a female robot pondering the dehumanisation of humanity and its adverse effects on global emotional sensitivity. Her work sheds light on the screen's influence on our reality and how these images shape our identity. Cortiñas' artwork serves as a reminder of the power of media to transform and influence.
Eli Cortiñas, Seduction of a Cyborg, 1994, Waldburger Wouters
The installation by Lynn Hershman Leeson gave the exhibition its title. Seduction of a Cyborg (1994) depicts a blind woman who can see thanks to a technological intervention. But her newfound ability applies only to the digital realm, leading her to become glued to the screen, addicted to images of a reality larger and more magnificent than life itself. This raises the question of whether the imagination of blindness offers greater freedom than addiction to imposed and pre-digested images. Is it a harbinger of new times or a bitter contemporary reality?
Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, The Age of Nihilism, 2008, Waldburger Wouters
Perhaps another form of freedom arises by relinquishing the individual, allowing the ego to implode amidst these shifting paradigms. Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven's Re-pain (1999) displays random shapes that alter position and colour over time. Random numbers traverse the plane, while a soundtrack transports us to the inner world of robot-like bodies. “Cosmic emptiness” as the artist describes it: an eroticism accompanied by complete surrender. Yet, we cannot help but subconsciously attempt to decipher the hieroglyphs that enter and exit the screen. The Age of Nihilism (2008) embodies this line of thought, with female bodies as deciphered messages from the past. They appear alongside abstract forms, erasing all distinctions and hierarchies, transforming everything into a mass of images, information, symbols and messages.
Seduction of a Cyborg is an inspiring – albeit challenging – exhibition that dares us to reflect on who we are amidst an ever-evolving technological world. The artists invite us to explore the boundaries of humanity and technology and reconsider our own identity in this digital era. It is a celebration of the power of art to address complex issues and challenge us to think about the world around us and a temptation to surrender to the rich reflections these artworks offer.
