Presentation:

The Expanded Self

Biotalk 14 - with Sonja Bäumel, Olf de Bruin and Phelim Hoey

18 Nov 2015

The works of Sonja Bäumel, Olf de Bruin and Phelim Hoey mediate between art and science, fiction and fact. Whilst Olf uses fictive social and scientific developments to speculate on future improvements of the human physical capacity, Sonja uses her own (microbial) body as subject to generate data and grow new artefacts with. Phelim researches the idea of immortality by combining biology and photography. In this biotalk they will elaborate about their vision and processes.

Food and Drinks from 18:00. Talks start at 20:00.

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Detail of The Expanded Self II by Sonja Bäumel - The project has been realised for the exhibition 'Gare du Nord' which was initiated by Chiara Ianeselli and developed with Lucas Evers of Waag Society. Photography by Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk.

Sonja Bäumel

Did you know that 90 percent of cells that constitute our body are not human but bacterial? Sonja's work concerns the conscious or unconscious relation with billions of bacteria that surround our human bodies. For her work The Expanded Self II she made an imprint of her body in a life-sized petri dish. Through this work, Bäumel creates a space where the potential of bacteria as cooperative partners can be re-imagined and where we can explore the implications for larger processes of cultural significance.

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The Expanded Self II by Sonja Bäumel at The Waag Society - A cast of Sonja's body in a huge petri dish. The project has been realised for the exhibition 'Gare du Nord' which was initiated by Chiara Ianeselli and developed with Lucas Evers of Waag Society.

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The Expanded Self - Sonja is explaining how she uses her own (microbial) body as subject to generate data and grow new artifacts with. Biotalk at Mediamatic. Margherita Soldati

Olf de Bruin

Olf recently graduated as illustrator at the HKU university of the Arts in Utrecht. His graduation work was an illustrated book about his research on transhumanism, a philosophical and scientific movement that's all about the human of the future. For the book titled Van Bollebast tot Voorprinter he created six new species of human, each adapted to a social or scientific development.

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Printorgans in Van Bollebast tot Voorprinter by Olf de Bruin - Book 'Van Bollebast tot Voorprinter' by Olf de Bruin, 2015 Olf de Bruin

With: Olf de Bruin

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The Expanded Self - Olf de Bruin giving his presentation at the Biotalk. Olf de Bruin uses fictive social and scientific developments to speculate on future improvements of the human physical capacity. Margherita Soldati

With: Olf de Bruin

Phelim Hoey

Can humanity become immortal? And if so, what are the ethical problems we will encounter? Phelim recently graduated at the HKU University of the Arts in Utrecht and asks these kind of questions on a regular basis. His graduation work called “Absence of Existence” is an audio visual presentation where Cryonicists, Futurists and others who pursue an immortal existence talk about their perspective on aging, death, the future and eternity. The medium used is a genetically modified and light sensitive E. coli bacteria. It symbolizes scientific progress and at the same time it raises questions about photography and mortality.

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Absence Of Existence (1 of 2) - Living portraits of Tim, Garret, David and Mike where made in the biological lab of the University of Wageningen in 2014 and 2015. Phelim Hoey

With: Phelim Hoey

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The Expanded Self - Phelim Hoey is starting his presentation at the Biotalk. Phelim researches the idea of immortality by combining biology and photography. Margherita Soldati

With: Phelim Hoey

Info

Starts at 20.00
Mediamatic Biotoop Dijkspark 6, Amsterdam
Ticket: €8,50,- including Mediamatic Membership (€3,50 for members)
Students pay only €5,00 (use the code 'student' at checkout)
For the facebook event go here.
Please note that this talk is in english