"The Hylozoic Series explores a new generation of responsive spaces, raising fundamental questions about how architecture might behave in the future. 'Hylozoism', refers to the ancient belief that all matter has life. Might future buildings begin to 'know' and 'care' about us' Might they start, in very primitive ways, to become alive'
Akin to the functions of a living system, these interactive geotextile mesh environments include embedded machine intelligence that allows human interaction to trigger breathing, caressing, and swallowing motions and hybrid metabolic exchanges. 'Living' chemical exchanges are conceived as the first stages of self-renewing functions that might take root within this architecture. Challenging challenge both Humanist conceptions of environment and expansion of human domain, the forms of the installations turn away from the minimum surface exposures of reductive crystal forms as they seek to increase their exposure and interchange with the atmosphere. Rather than human-centred power, ethics of mutual relations within wide and sometimes alien systems are implied by this work.
The most recent generations of these works feature interactive lighting systems and kinetic mechanisms that use dense arrays of microprocessors and sensors. These works contemplate the ability of an environment to be near-living, to stimulate intimate evocations of compassion with viewers through artificial intelligence and mechanical empathy.
The work is an evolving series, initiated at the Montreal Beaux-Arts Museum in 2007-8, which has come to include over 30 exhibits across North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Works from the last three years include exhibitions at the 18th Biennale of Sydney, Australia; Trondheim, Norway (2012); Taipei, Taiwan (2012); Nottingham & London, England (2012-13); Paris, France (2013); and Hangzhou, China (2013). The most recent installation, Epiphyte Chamber, is currently exhibited as part of the inauguration of Korea's new National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, Korea."
Links:
- https://vimeo.com/95820244
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