“The Boneless One” presented by Laitinen
Symposium:
Session Title:
- Scale and the Poilitical of Other Living Systems
Presentation Title:
- The Boneless One
Presenter(s):
Venue(s):
Abstract:
In recent years, Tuomas A. Laitinen’s artistic practice has revolved around other-than-human lifeforms, focusing on octopuses in particular. This body of work builds on Laitinen’s previous works with questions of ecology, symbiotic processes, and various paths of tentacular knowledge production. In the presentation, Laitinen will give an overview of his research and future works emerging from this endeavour.
Works:
A Proposal for an Octopus (2016-ongoing) is a series of twisting glass sculptures with tubular chambers and amorphous apertures. Not only do the architectures evoke the tentacular and malleable forms of cephalopods, but they provide potential habitats for boneless bodies. The video Haemocyanin (2019) follows an octopus as it plays with, investigates, and squeezes through one of Laitinen’s vessels. The video’s name derives from the types of proteins, which contain copper atoms that transport oxygen through the bodies of cephalopods, imbuing their blood with a bluish tinge.
A glyph typeface Ctongue (2018) is derived from research and observation on octopus arm movement. The work exists both as glass sculptures and a functional typeface drawn by the artist, creating a mutating body of speculative language.
