Russian Studies in Culture and Society (Mar 2023)
CYBORG ARTS IN THE PROJECTS OF TRANSHUMANIST BIOHACKERS
Abstract
Since the beginning of the 21st century, a new artistic direction has been formed in biohacking – “the cyborg art” (cyborgism), whose leaders (cyborg artist Moon Ribas and “transhuman” or “the first cyborg” Neil Harbisson), promote a transhumanist project of improvements or technological additions implanted directly into the human body. “The Cyborg Art” at the theoretical and practical levels implements the paradigm of the new art of man-machine. M. Ribas (a female seismographer) embodies transhumanist projects through art or spectacular events, positioning them as a deeper connection with nature. Her colleague, N. Harbisson, who has an implanted intracranial chip, implements several artistic and technical projects. The innovators say they will continue to “improve” their bodies with implants and gadgets. Both artists, through the Cyborg Foundation and its branch Cyborg Arts organization, are encouraging as many people as possible to become cyborgs, assuming that a new community will inevitably be formed in the near future, where two species will definitely coexist: humans and cyborgs.
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