The making of "The birth of Transodin" or "How to explore the concept of transhumanism through artistic expression?" Part I

Slide1 Slide2 Step 1: ResearchSlide3 Slide4 Slide6 Slide7 Slide8Step 2: Drawing – Observation and Understanding

As an multidisciplinary artist I use digital medias like digitally altered images, video, performance, 3D animation, drawing, painting, sculpturing and installations to explore the human condition through artistic expression.
I am interested in process as a meta narrative; after my research I started to work with mark making and collages. As starting point I used mixed media like charcoal, ink, acrylics, PVA, plastic nets and other media. I mount images (containing expressions of our consciousness and synapses) on canvas. In order to explore the tensions between digital tools and analogue selves I transform them physically via intense mark making into  synapses (metaphorical).
Connecting my brain and personal mind with the physical world through mark making, applying a visual copy of my own neurons and synapses to the canvas is  a very personal journey through my consciousness and everyone in this blog is welcome to take part of this experience.

Slide9 Slide10 Slide12 Slide13 Slide14  Step 3: Developing and Preparing the Performance

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A journey, back from Sherkin Island, where my College is based, was an initial sparkle. The mountain range next to Baltimore made me realize that we are surrounded by brainwaves.


Slide17Inspired by a metaphorical hint surrounded by the physical waves of West Cork and after all my physical and spiritual artistic “exploring the brain(or rather my brain/neurons/synapses)” sessions I decided to explore the subject through a ritual performance:

Drawing and Painting with Brainwaves!brain_wavesAgenda: Hanging upside down from a tree and painting with 4 different colours (Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta) brain waves to a canvas.

Slide21 Location: Clonakilty, Castlefreke

castlefreke4  castlefreke3
castlefreke2
Through my research I found out that the origin of the “Hanged Man” is said to be connected with the sacrifice of Odin, the chief of the Norse gods, who according to mythology, hung upside down in a tree for nine days to gain entry to the underworld and learn the meaning of the runes.

Transhumanism
Many of the HANGED MAN Tarot Cards refer to the Norse god Odin and his hanging from Yggdrasil, the world tree.

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The Tree Yggdrasil supposed to be the Tree at Castlefreke, Clonakilty.
The Tree Yggdrasil supposed to be the Tree at Castlefreke, Clonakilty.

The 4 liquid Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta Brain wave colors supposed to be attached to my head. I use first aid gloves for this, to make sure the canvas gets uncontaminated Brainwaves. The gloves normally used during medical examinations and procedures that help prevent contamination between caregivers (the artist) and patients (the canvas). Perfect.

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 An appropriate medium!

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The Team

Transhumanism
Jens (Dragger 1/”Making of” photographer) Sigi (Health and Brain Wave Inspector), Thomas (Human Sound Machine).

Transhuman Contemporary Art
James (Dragger 2/knots, strings and string camera specialist)

Step 4: The Hanged Man Performance

As a precondition to his self sacrifice Odin was wounded with his own spear and had to pull out one of his eyes. I saw already a good chance to replace or rather emphasize this with an attached action camera eye as metaphor for the move from humans to hybrids (Transhumanism).

Transhumanism
His view of the world is very different from the rest of us who walk upright. Thus, this waiting becomes a time of trial or meditation, selflessness, sacrifice, prophecy.

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Slide37 Slide36 Slide40 Slide39 Slide38Transodins birth (the performance)

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Step 5:  Exploring the concept of transhumanism through artistic expression!

After revisiting images of my performance I choose some appropriate as starting points for future work. I still want to explore the concept of transhumanism. I continued and altered my images -digital- with the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals. Slide52 Slide53 Slide54 Slide55 Slide57

tarot
This new way of seeing things often leads to insights and enlightenment. Answers become clear, solutions to problems are found.

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Previous examples of my work show a way how to explore (probably) any subject through artistic expressions. I will continue with this issue in order to show my progress in my next blog. I hope that everyone got some inspiration how to save the world through art 🙂 .  On this note…. All the best for now xx  Transodin

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