EQUALITY

Concept

In this project, living and artificial sensors detect fart-related gaseous compounds in the air of the exhibition venue.

Living sensors are the genetically modified bacteria (species TBD). Artificial sensors include several types of calibrated single- and multi-channel gas sensors. The concentration of nitrogen, hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen sulfide is measured relative to their ratios in the average composition of human fart. Detected values are represented in real time through statistical data, abstract generative animations, and generative sound which can be music or human breathing whose loudness and depth/intensity reflects the density of detected compounds.

The project is rendered in two steps: speculative phase (ongoing) defines the structural, formal and functional aspects which will be implemented in the practical/performative phase.

Fluid turbulence visualization (example).

Audio spectrogram of human fart sample (Sandyrb 2010).

Context

Living and artificial sensors detect flatus-related gaseous compounds in the air of the exhibition venue. Living sensors are genetically modified bacteria that change color proportionally to the concentration of flatus-related gases in the environment. Artificial sensors include several types of calibrated single- and multi-channel gas detectors. They measure the air concentration of nitrogen, hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen sulfide relative to their ratios in the average composition of human flatus. Detected values are represented in real-time through statistical data, generative animations, and sound which can be music or human breathing whose loudness and depth/intensity reflect the density of detected compounds.

Equality reverse-engineers the veneer of pseudo-elitist blasé, arrogance, and pretentiousness that permeate the public image of mainstream contemporary art (MCA), particularly at the exhibition openings, auctions, and press conferences. By providing the content and—together with the audience—by complacent participation, artists are responsible for facilitating and legitimizing these social spectacles of deceit and self-deception.

Elitist tendencies of the art world are not surprising given the hypothesis that the arts, among other elements of human culture, have evolved as a suite of virtue-signaling adaptations for sexual selection and social competition (Miller 2001). However, it may be reasonable to expect that the insights about complex, inconsistent, and often conflicted traits of human nature should empower us to upgrade the MCA’s public enterprises into more inclusive and humane forms of cultural exchange and communication.

Equality relates to my works Dog Life Days (1997) and Thalassa (1998), and connects creatively with the work of Norwegian artist Sissel Tolaas, with Cloaca project (1997-2007) by Wim Delvoye and with later works such as Selfmade (2013) by Christina Agapakis and Sissel Tolaas, and Labor (2019) by Paul Vanouse.

References

Agapakis, Christina. 2013. “Selfmade.” Christina Agapakis’ website. https://www.agapakis.com/work/selfmade.

Delvoye, Wim. 1997-2007. “Cloaca.” Wim Delvoye’s website. https://wimdelvoye.be/work/cloaca/.

Grba, Dejan. 1997. “Dog Life Days.” Dejan Grba’s website. https://dejangrba.org/art-projects/en/1997-dog-life-days/index.php.

Grba, Dejan. 1998. “Thalassa.” Dejan Grba’s website. https://dejangrba.org/art-projects/en/1998-thalassa/index.html.

Miller, Geoffrey. 2001. The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature, 258-291. New York: Anchor Books/Random House, Inc.

Sandyrb. 2010. “Revolting Flatulence Sample Pack.” Freesound website. https://freesound.org/people/sandyrb/packs/6973/.

Vanouse, Paul. 2019. “Labor.” Paul Vanouse’s website. https://www.paulvanouse.com/labor.html.