Many futurists believe that artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence in the next century in an event known simply as the “Singularity.” Following the MAXX HEADROOM exhibition by Michael Lau, WOAW Gallery presents “TEKNOLUST: OBJECTOPHILIC FUTURES,” which envisions “a post-singularity utopia/dystopia in which humans interact with intelligence entities of their own creation on equal footing.”
Aside from the physical gallery space on Queens Road, Hong Kong, a digital recreation of the gallery and surrounding neighborhood featuring an alternate roster of artists will also be presented under the name EPOCH’s REPLICANTS. The digital recreation serves as a prophecy of Queens Road of the future, populated solely by machines and artistic energies.
At the entrance of Woaw, a set of kinetic curtains open and close on their own volition, serving as a welcome, or perhaps a warning for what’s housed within. Guests are then greeted by Nik Kosmas’ Collapse 4, 2021, a female human/android that rises from the gallery floor, ascending into or being repelled from a metaphysical wormhole.
Theodore Boyer transforms the gallery’s surrounding walls into a star map, delineating pathways to a multiverse of new realities, and works displayed by a long list of artists found below include Greg Ito’s tondo, which depicts a literal window to the grand finale of humanity itself.
Tattoo artist Dr. Woo’s, Nothing the God of biomechanics wouldn’t let you into heaven for, art series is also featured in both the physical and virtual galleries. Dr. Woo’s works consist of a series of digitally-rendered masks, calling upon the ways in which disguises have been used throughout history, from Inuit ceremonies to digital faces on social media. The masks are marked on frozen replacement body parts inside the gallery space, and each mask is auctioned individually as an NFT. Winners can choose to either cash in the tokens for a real tattoo, upon which the token will be destroyed, or keep the works on the blockchain as an avatar.
“In TEKNOLUST: OBJECTOPHILIC FUTURES, there is no segregation between electric and organic sheep. It is a blueprint, a guide, and a cautionary tale of existing futures in which we shed our skin suits and upload the collective consciousness to new frontiers,” reads the exhibition press release.
TEKNOLUST: OBJECTOPHILIC FUTURES will be held at WOAW Gallery from October 29 to November 24.
List of participating artists:
● Theodore Boyer (b. 1983, lives and works in Los Angeles)
● Aryo Toh Djojo (b. 1984, lives and works in Los Angeles)
● EPOCH (REPLICANTS, featuring Gordon Cheung, Galath3a, Hung Yu Hao, Keiken, Katja
Novitskova, Jennifer West, Dr. Woo, Qianqian Ye + Tiare Ribeaux, with original music by Konrad Black)
● Greg Ito (b. 1987, lives and works in Los Angeles)
● Devin B. Johnson (b. 1992, lives and works in Brooklyn)
● Nik Kosmas (b. 1985, lives and works in Shanghai)
● L (b. 1984, lives and works in Los Angeles)
● Hortensia Mi Kafchin (b. 1986, lives and works in Berlin)
● Nicolette Mishkan (b. 1986, lives and works in Los Angeles)
● Simphiwe Ndzube (b. 1990, lives and works in Los Angeles and Cape Town)
● Stephen Neidich (b. 1984, lives and works in Los Angeles)
● Alina Perkins (lives and works in Los Angeles)
● Mosie Romney (b. 1994, lives and works in Queens)
● Jennifer West (lives and works in Los Angeles)
● Dr. Woo (b.1981, lives and works in Los Angeles)
WOAW Gallery
9 Queen’s Road
Central, Hong Kong
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