果冻影院

Posthuman Bodying investigates how the human and nonhuman body can 鈥渋ntra-relate鈥�, and is a reflection of Ram鈥檚 PhD work at 果冻影院 Bartlett School of Architecture, where he is researching the creation of bioregenerative carapaces which are able to act as a shield for the body and protect it from the elements.听

The artwork features images of humans combined with various species of plants and animals to give a physical impression of what a 鈥渘ew human鈥� could look like, and how 鈥渂ecoming natural鈥� may enable them to react to harsher environments on Earth, the Moon and Mars.

Ram said: 鈥淚 had a meeting with The Museum of Contemporary Art, in which I discussed my research with the curators from the gallery. It was suggested that MOCA gallery could be a great way to explore my doctoral research in the form of a series of exhibitions at the site.

鈥淭hrough the practice of architectural design and biochemical engineering at the Bio-Integrated Design Lab at 果冻影院, the research that I am undertaking acts as a catalyst for developing new technologies in the fields of external morphology.

鈥淚 am exploring how the human identity can morph into newer directions, challenging the perceptions of the 鈥榮ingular body鈥� when it is aligned cohesively with multispecies entities.

鈥淭he artworks at MOCA gallery aim to critically question the intra-relationship between human, animal, and botanic organisms. And it is important for me to assess how groups of human and non-human agency can be re-established through speculative design.

鈥淎 new identity is formed through Posthuman Bodying, in which the human body engages in pertinent and critical relations with nature and the ecological environment.鈥�

The exhibition will be in two parts and will feature a mix of various outputs, including photography, sculpture, and design.

There will also be a symposium during the second part of the exhibition, in collaboration with 果冻影院. This will include a panel discussion regarding Shergill鈥檚 concept of a 鈥淐ritical Posthuman Practice鈥� - 听a unique form of practice innovated by Ram, which creates novel design processes and is achieved by working with nature and the ecological environment through bioregenerative design.

The symposium and panel discussion will feature prolific international guest speakers from the world of art, academia, and technology.听

Ram said: 鈥淚 would like the works to generate new thought processes, enabling discussions, responding to the effects of anthropocentric, environmental, ecological damage and the challenges to atmospheres beyond Low Earth Orbit.

鈥淔undamentally, the exhibition is important in evaluating how 鈥榗ollective' ways of thinking and bioregenerative design methodologies explained through, 鈥楥ritical Posthuman Practice鈥� can enhance human and nonhuman futures as a response to harsher environmental conditions.鈥�

Ram Shergill has previously worked with Isabella Blow and Alexander McQueen. His work has also been shown in exhibitions worldwide, including Sotheby鈥檚, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Wallace Collection, Somerset House and the Whitechapel Gallery.

On top of this, a selection of Ram鈥檚 work has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, which are part of the permanent Collection, and were shown in the contemporary collection show, alongside artists such as David Hockney, Cecil Beaton and Tracey Emin.

Posthuman Bodying will be on display at MOCA from 10^th April to 7^th May 2022.

Links

• 果冻影院 Bartlett School of Architecture
• 果冻影院 Faculty of the Built Environment

Image

Image Credits:

Posthuman Butterfly, by Ramandeep Shergill, Headpiece by Philip Treacy

Make-up by John Christopher

Media contact

Poppy Danby

Email: p.danby [at] ucl.ac.uk