Audience Reviews

Comely life

by Amanda Egbe, Artist & Filmmaker

In a dark corner of a galleried space, the irresistible attraction of Mother at first beguiling, entices you into its gaze. A world, a womb, a shifting space of layered parts: skin, organs, bones, membrane all collide in this visionary space. You are delivered perspectives of the microscopic, the somatic, the birthing of a world.

To describe Mother, is to discern the relative; of one’s body, of other bodies, the mutations and modifications that become possible in the collision of the digital, the scientific gaze and the artist’s eye.

Genetic Moo’s previous work reflects a growing confidence in the viewer and their comprehension of the interactive. The beauty of pieces Sea Squirts or Animacules lie in their sensuousness and immediacy of the interactive experience. The audience is complicit in the changing drama; from the creatures that emerge reacting to light sources, to the tantalising organisms that pulsate and on being excited by the viewers’ touch react by spurting out a liquid.

With Mother the interaction is subtle, perhaps much to the chagrin of many a hapless curator, whose idea of interactive digital works begins and ends with the notion of a large-scale computer game that keeps the punters distracted. With Mother, the interactivity and composition is multi-faceted, a combination of still photographs, video and animation. The interactivity comes out of randomness and restraint; beyond familiar comforting linear narratives, an open space is constructed. It entrusts the viewer with sensitivity, the conversation which is elaborated between the participant and the piece is one of process, of transformations that are occurring on multiple levels, depths and dimensions.

Stood mesmerized in front of Mother, I find my body conversing, I am caught in the glow, experiencing an unknown space and territory which draws me in. I abandon me unto it.

…..

Notes on Polymorphous Perversity ……………………………………… in response to Becoming Starfish

by David Hayes, Lecturer in Humanities, Blackpool

The essence of being as eros, the logic and order of sensuousness, the pleasure principle, has long been subjugated by the logos of domination. Prometheus and Hermes, the gods of work, power, productivity and the performance principle, have reigned in the development of Western Civilisation.

The Frankfurt Philosopher, Herbert Marcuse, celebrated the taboo, liberating rationality of phantasy, dreams, images, sexual perversions. These he saw as exiled, driven underground, and confined within the aesthetic imagination, a dimension that provides access to the anticipatory memory of the unconscious – to the archaic infancy of the individual and the genus. The free play of the imagination remembers and anticipates the reconciliation of logos and eros, sensuousness and reason, in a condition of undifferentiated primal unity.

Polymorphous perversity is sexuality returned to primary narcissism, the libido restored to pre-genital fullness – an oceanic feeling.

“Originally the ego includes everything, later it detaches from itself the external world. The ego-feeling we are aware of now is thus only a shrunken vestige of a more extensive feeling … limitless extension and oneness with the universe.” ..(Freud, Civilisation and It’s Discontents, London, Hogarth Press, 1949 p13)

Polymorphous perversity is a genitofugal re-eroticisation of the whole body as an object of cathexis, a thing, an instrument of pleasure. Sexuality is transformed into Orphic and Narcissistic Eros in the Great Refusal and the eternal return of the repressed.

“Admire in Narcissus the eternal return toward the mirror of the water which offers his image to his love, and to his beauty all his knowledge. All my fate is obedience to the force of my love. Body, I surrender to your sole power; the tranquil waters await me where I extend my arms. I do not resist this pure madness. What, O my beauty, can I do that thou dost not will?” ..(Paul Valery, Cantate do Narcisse, Scene II)

The Sea Squirts

“The squirts were so much gruesome fun!”

…………………………………Sophie Kosmaoglou, Exploding Cinema

The Animacules

“I went down in to the basement, I knew Genetic Moo’s work would be down there, I assumed hidden behind a curtain or a door. I didn’t scan the room I just wanted to come upon it. However, when I saw the torches and sign I was confused and uncertain as I couldn’t see an entrance. The information was interesting and i think encouraged the scientific explorer role that I felt I began to adopt. I took a torch and shone the red beam at the wall. Suddenly, magically, creatures were exposed as though I had sliced through murky water or mist to reveal them – it felt like the torch was a scalpal. The wall fell away – no longer solid – there were hidden depths from which rose creatures, responding to the light. I experienced them as beautiful, fancy, cute whilst potentially disturbing – each with their own movement and I liked the variety of motion and speed that each exhibited. They also made me think of fancy french cakes.

From previous experience of the artists’ work I felt sure that the longer the torch shone on a creature that things would shift and change. I was pleased when this happened. I found this to be a magical piece of work which took me some place else. I liked the fact that it was dark and that I was on my own – it felt like a personal discovery and also I felt uninhibited in my use of the torches. I feel the work stands out.”
……………………………………………………………………Julia Mayeleanor

Imagined Future Evolutions

“…Charles Darwin meets interactive Busby Berkeley in a wonderful fusion of sound and image, creates an underworld of ecstatic imagination and sensuous caress.” Richard Martin (Richard’s List)

“It was very rewarding, initially I was revolted by this thing that I’d never seen before, but it quickly changed to a sense of excitement and pride that I could attract it.” Roger Murrell (Artist)

Audience comments:
- I feel I have just encountered aliens.
– It’s scary! This is like being in a horror film.

on Starfish:
- I really felt like i was developing a connection with the creature.
- It definately had a personality
- I was kind of titilated and kind of revolted
- I could play with it all day.
- I’ve never experienced interaction like this. To be able to move freely – it’s amazing.
- It’s a mutant … it’s crazy … it’s wrong!
- It’s so relaxing to move with. I’d like to take this home with me.
- Does she have a name?
- I love it … I’d like to live with it.

on Urchin:
- It’s so funny … It’s embarrassing.
- It’s a head louse! I know.
- It’s so beautiful!
- Can I touch it?

Becoming Starfish

“The judges thought this an innovative and interesting submission that was readily accessible as installation art. The piece demonstrated innovation in the use of interaction with images, sound and animation and coupled state-of-the-art technologies to achieve a clear artistic vision.”

Judges statement, The John Lansdown Award for Interactive Digital Art, Eurographics 2007

Comely life

by Amanda Egbe, Artist & Filmmaker

In a dark corner of a galleried s