“Nourishing and Nurturing: Placentas, Incubators, and the Politics of Life Ex-Vivo” presented by Zurr, Bobadilla, White and Millett
Symposium:
Session Title:
- Robots – Expanded Corporalities (panels and round tables)
Presentation Title:
- Nourishing and Nurturing: Placentas, Incubators, and the Politics of Life Ex-Vivo
Presentation Subtheme:
- Symbiotic Imaginaries
Presenter(s):
Venue(s):
Abstract:
“Nourishing and Nurturing: Placentas, Incubators, and the Politics of Life Ex-Vivo” is a panel comprised of four differing perspec-tives on the placenta and its changing role in the future of human reproduction. Metaphorically, incubators are surrogate wombs in-tended to nourish and nurture life ex-vivo. In the not-to-distant im-agined future, artificial wombs may provide a supportive environ-ment for human gestation, ectogenesis. These are specific symbi-otic imaginaries about the placenta. How and why invent new ones? What will happen to the placenta when pregnancy is entirely mechanized, ex-utero? How can the cultural and biological histories about the placenta inform reproductive futures? And what be-comes of gendered reproduction and ‘mothering’ in this alternative narrative? Each presentation will probe themes on the symbiotic and/or parasitic relationships between mother and fetus as well as humans and non-humans. The talks will include ongoing artistic research on incubators and the placenta, and prompt questions about the socio-cultural impact of ectogenesis and the body politic.
