Humans Unite, a solo show by Kitty Clark at new London space, Public Exhibitions ran May 27 – June 12, 2016. Curated by Valentina Fois, the show presented a new series of works by Clark that address futile desires and contemporary anxiety through what Fois describes as “a transhuman mentality”.
It’s comprised of mainly sculptural pieces featuring materials and arrangements such as aluminium, etched text onto acrylic, dead flies, and laminate. Some air vents with printed text look to be providing air to an empty see-through chamber that acts as an arm rest for an animatronic hand perched, armless on top. A large-scale digitally projected 3D virtual environment of a ‘Wheatfield (FEEL KNOW)’ presents Humans Unite as a clinical space for its items, the projected work acting as a perfect backdrop for a perfectly possible emotional transformation.
To accompany the show the London-based artist provided the following text with the press release, which was also printed in ‘stages’ snaking around each aluminium air vent installed in the space:
Stage 1.0 – Alpha:
Unreliable – repeated major system failures
Erratic – total lack of administrative control
Infested – bugs crawling all over the desk
Stage 2.0 – Beta:
Free – Enslavement seems a long way off!
Chaotic – surge of largely illicit content
Prophetic – reactionary critics emerge
Stage 2.5 – Enlightenment:
Bias – early adopters gain superior competency
Divergence – basis of persisting hierarchy forms
Unrest – the path to the top becomes steeper
Stage 3.0 – Passivity
Mutation – interface optimised for ease of use
Integration – convenience breeds compliance
Contentment – the environment is seamless
Stage 4.0 – Return
Collapse – overcrowding triggers power outage
Despair – irreparable damage to infrastructure
Cure – regression, acceptance, euphoria.**
