The Art of Transhumanism

Every day Singularity Hub reviews some of the emerging technology that could drastically alter humanity’s future. This is some exciting science, to be sure, but many of the most interesting developments we cover won’t come to fruition for years, or even decades, to come. In the real world, breakthroughs take a lot of hard work and time. Which is why it’s fun to peer in the art world to explore some of the possibilities of the future. Transhumanist art explores the impact of artificial intelligence, cybernetics, genetics, and many other disruptive technologies whose ultimate effects could change the very definition of what we call humanity. Sometimes apocalyptic, sometime funnys, always interesting, the art of the Transhumanism Movement lets us speculate about our lives in a point in the future beyond what we can possibly hope to predict accurately.

I thought this was a pretty exotic display of art, both in subject and aesthetics, and leaves one with a mixed feeling of wonder, enchantment, and awe, as well as potentially terrorized, shocked and disgusted maybe. Art is a powerful medium that is both suggestive and/or reflective, but can be representative of deep human psyche and imagination. I experienced some of all the above in my reaction, but for me, this further solidifies a potential view of our future and marriage to technological advances along the lines of transhumanism.

While many artists leave the debate as to whether Transhumanism is a positive or negative change in our lives, some highlight the risks that come with increased technology.

singularityhub.com...

The growing sophistication has inspired many artists to explore how humanity will blend with the mechanical in the future. Sometimes this portion of Transhumanist art will break into the mainstream, as we saw recently with the video game Deus Ex. The promotion of that game included a phenomenal fake website which we covered before. While not quite as well known, the following artists have just as much to say about how metal and man may come together in the years ahead.

If changing the human body is an option, why not tinker with the very biology of our systems? Stelios Arcadiou (aka StelArc) famously did this by surgically adding a fake ear onto his arm. The art of Kate Clark, while intended as a discussion on the space jointly occupied by humanity and myth, is a similar exploration of a messy, fluid transhumanism.

I’ll leave you with an audio finale: Sidereal Breath by Fiorella Terenzi. An Italian astronomer, Terenzi creates her music from background radiation signals from outer space. It’s nice to know that the very universe is an artist too. Maybe even a Transhumanist one.

Wow, a mix from the galaxy, pretty surreal and eerie, representing the vastness and strangeness of space.
Hope you all enjoy, and have sweet dreams

Peace,
spec

Thanks for that
Great artwork, but i'm not really into transhumanism as in idea.
It is dangerous for our culture, certainly most if not all the leading transhumanists i have seen are terrible egomaniacs, with a vast superiority complex.
Turn them into cyborgs & we might have yet another problem we don't need.
We need to develop ourselves as well as our technology, and quite frankly, i don't think we're up to it yet....
The art though, is very cool
The music....Jean Michelle Jarre on acid?

Incredible artwork-some reminded me straight away of the paintings of Bruegel,with his visions of hell and death walking the earth,claiming the living.
Lets hope the singularity is more benevolent if we don't kill civilization before it happens.
Not that I like the idea of the melding of humans with technology-Life is mad enough without getting woken up by your neural chip reminding you how many credits you owe,and that you need to cut out the chocolate and beer for your monthly bonus.

NO thanks-give me a cabin in the forest ANYday!
Great art though.

reply to post by playswithmachines

Yes, not all visions of future humanity are wholesome and bright, and considered dangerous for sure, but I believe it is an inevitable progression that will surely be met with much resistance. The ego will play a part not only in the designers, but amongst the consumer too, that wishes for improved abilities and more connection with/to technology. Not up to it yet? I can see that, just take a look around and it seems we have a long ways to go in our development as a species. We still harbor too many lower energies such as greed, hate, jealousy and gluttony, and these things could be amplified by such technology.
Sometime I see technology as a last hope salvation for humanity too, providing the means to truly accelerate our evolution, for better and worse. I liken to the advent of the internet, it comes with bad and good, but has become an essential tool for us. Hopefully the same will be said in the future of the transhumanist movement.
Yea that sound mix was trippy!

Thanks for the reply,
spec

reply to post by Silcone Synapse


Such heavy visions will be/are superimposed by transhumanism, and it seems a genuine part of our psyche where past meets present, meets future. For every negative aspect I can think of, there is a positive one as well, but man if my chocolate and beer become rationed, well I won't be as productive of a citizen I'm afraid!
Honestly,, I personally find it more inspiring than scary, and I guess that is my ego coupled with active imagination at work, but I would love to upload a new language without having to study it for 2 years.

Peace,
spec

People as Borg ewwww. I would rather not be a part of the collective. The art is good for what it is, but I find it some what disturbing.

reply to post by lonegurkha

I would rather not be a part of the collective

Resistance is futile!

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


It really would be an amazing challenge and ride,if not for the foreknowledge that the melding will be a controlled escalation via the mega corps/governments who have control of the reins.
A truly free singularity CANNOT exist in our system.
The singularity is the point in time where our inventions have taken control of our species IMO.
We become the batteries of the matrix.
We are already so near,some just don't see it.

There are no sheep-there are only batteries.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


LOL, Love the video. Seriously why would people want to merge with machines. I could see wanting a built in com link, or a small computer for information acess and manipulation, but why would you want to be mostly machine ,unless your body where usless?

reply to post by lonegurkha

unless your body where usless?

Ahh, 'useless' in what terms I wonder? Perhaps physical disability, or physical disadvantage maybe. There will always be those who want to be different as well as some that want to optimize their potential. Tis part of our nature I guess.
One crazy thought that comes to my mind is when I reach the last years of my span here, could transfer my consciousness to a cyber body or android(Lawnmower Man) to live long enough to migrate out to some new space colonized or something. Too much sci fi maybe?

Peace,
spec

reply to post by Silcone Synapse

Now why ya gotta go and ruin any potential wondrous advents with such an odious reality?
Man I can only imagine how the 'mega corps/governments' would influence/control this development, but yea, I bet you are right, 'free' singularity may be a cyber pipe dream. < shakes fist >

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


Yeah,my buddy has wanted the singularity since he could walk
But he is a lot more trusting of the megacorps/governments than I am.
He wants to be able to download his consciousness into a computer until he can be grown a new augmented body.
It is fascinating that we will be able to do that one day,but I just hope its under a different guise than the control obsessed goons who run the show at the moment.

If it was more like "the culture" as in the excellent Iain M Banks novels-well heck sign me up NOW!!!
That would be awesome indeed.

I expect you know about the culture,but here's a quick description from wiki:

The Culture is characterized by being a post-scarcity society (meaning that its advanced technologies provide practically limitless material wealth and comforts for everyone for free, having all but abolished the concept of possessions), by having overcome almost all physical constraints on life (including disease and death) and by being an almost totally egalitarian,stable society without the use of any form of force or compulsion,except where necessary to protect others.
Minds, powerful artificial intelligences, have an important role to play in this society. They administer this affluence for the benefit of all.

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by Silcone Synapse


No I have not read the works, but winter is prime reading time so I think I will give it a gander, thanks. The 'culture' premise sounds like some Star Trek Next Generation material, where the advent of the replicator enabled everyone to have their needs met and as a result were free to develop other aspects of their lives such as creativity, community, innovation and of course space exploration. I love to see positive visions of the future, so I look forward to reading Banks novel.
This transhumanism is a fascinating facet to consider for the future and who knows how it will pan out, but again I hope there is some freedom in it.

peace,
spec

One could argue that we are already crossing those borders, with medical implant science being what it is. Even the "humble" pacemaker is a step. The "pirate" peg-leg is a thing of antiquity, replaced with Olympic quality interchangeable prosthetics.

Aimee Mullins speaks fluently on how prosthetics are more than just a "replacement":



Now, take that same ethic and replace "walking" with any other human (or beyond human) ability.

"Want vision in the Infrared range? Done." "Want Internet 24/7? Done. "

Ultimately..."Want to cheat Death, and live for hundreds of years?"... imagine the implications on Humanity. We, the overpopulated planet, could forestall "the great unknown", as long as the parts warehouse is stocked.

reply to post by AutumnalDusk

Yes the prosthetic advancements are dong more linking to nerves and the brain, making them more cyber limbs than prosthetics.
The 'want to live forever' momentum seems unstoppable and one day we will have to cross that bridge of morality in dealing with overpopulation coupled with doubling life spans. I have often wondered how it would be handled, lottery, genetic profiling, only for the wealthy? Of course there will be the 'open' plan, and then the behind closed doors plan that will be more along the lines of eugenics. Interesting times, both good and bad, but not stale in the least.

Thanks for the reply,
spec