Artificial Selection

April 24, 2010 – June 26, 2010

April 24 – June 26, 2010

516 ARTS announces Artificial Selection, a group exhibition bringing together art, science, myth and technology. It examines contemporary artists’ responses to the processes of adaptation, mutation and survival when the natural order distinguishing species or machine becomes less distinct. Gene manipulation in plants and animals to enhance or specialize performance or product yield has been a historically long-standing human practice, including the controversial “selective breeding” in humans with the study and practice of eugenics. Yet today, no longer shrugged off as the stuff of science fiction or fantasy, genetic engineering and other advances in technology have offered up the real possibilities of super-humans, “designer” babies, sentient robots and hybrids of any variety and combination of human-animal-vegetable-machine. Hybrids pervade our mythologies and religions and continue to play an influential role in the way we perceive our capabilities as a creative species. Whether pursuing power, progress or pure experiment, do we fully understand the consequences of artificial selection?
The exhibition features local and national artists with work in photography, painting, sculpture, interactive video, ceramics, installation and robotics.

Artists include: Krista Birnbaum (OH), Steve Budington (VT), Christine Chin (NY), Robert Dohrmann (OK), Travis J. Farnsworth (NM), Sarah Hearn (NY), Laurie Hogin (IL), Simon Mehalek (NM), Stephanie Metz (CA), Andrea Polli (NM), Adrienne Outlaw (TN), Alison Petty Ragguette (CA), Gil Scullion (CT), Luke Shaw (NY), John Stephenson (NC), Brad Story (MA), Heidi Taillefer (Quebec) and Adrianne Wortzel (NY)

Press

Erin Adair-Hodges, “Hi-Tech Husbandry” Alibi