“The real virtual living” presented by Nolan

Symposium:

• ISEA2009: 15th International Symposium on Electronic Art
• More presentations from ISEA2009:  

• Posthumanism I

• The real virtual living

• Kieran Nolan

Venue(s):

• Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Ireland

• Abstract

  It is the contention of this paper that posthuman creativity is already taking place, rather than solely existing in the domain of a biomechanical cyberpunk dream. Manifesting work in both cyberspace and meatspace, the posthuman in this case is understood to be someone who embraces digital creative technologies (both hardware and software) taking advantage of the artistic opportunities they afford. The effects of Moore’s law over the last two decades has led to a profuse amount of cheap and obsolete computer equipment, both open and closed system. These castaway gadgets have become an abundant raw material, sparking the burgeoning movement of creative hardware hackers. The Internet has enabled the creative subversion of technology, through the dissemination of new creative tools and techniques. Closed video games consoles are being repurposed into new expressive platforms and tools. Indeed, the retro video gaming movement has grown beyond the digital domain, bringing pixels to oil painting and new flesh to performance art. The posthuman aesthetic, conceived in science fiction and nurtured online, is now very real and tangible.

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Category:

• Paper