Device_art 5.015

September 24th - October 4th, 2015
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The project Aurelia 1+Hz / proto viva generator addresses the possibilities of the coexistence of animals and machines. In contrast to robots, which are driven by digital artificial intelligence, the project uses a live organism to process the “aliveness” of a simple machine.
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 is a perfect evolutionary archive, showing us the potential moves the future might make. The eternity of the jellyfish – some are even immortal as a species – has fuelled 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 cosmetics 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 to the biotechnological possibilities of actually designing and controlling life, demanding a new, critical redefinition of social values.

programming and consultancy: Slavko Glamočanin
mechanical part development and consultancy: Miha Presker
biological part and consultancy: Kristijan Tkalec
consultancy: prof. dr. Alenka Malej (Stanica za morsku biologiju u Piranu, Slovenija)
production: Gallery Kapelica & Zavod Praksa, 2014
The project was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Municipality of Ljubljana Department for Culture.