TRANSHUMANIST ARTS
STATEMENT
We are transhumans
Our art integrates the
most eminent progression
of creativity and sensibility
merged by discovery.
Transhumanist Arts represent the aesthetic and creative culture of transhumanity.
Transhumanist Artists are developing new and varied modes of art.
Our aesthetics and expressions are merging with science and technology
in
designing increased sensory experiences.
Transhumans want to improve and extend life.
We are designing the technologies to improve and extend life.
Emotions are integral to our senses and understanding.
We are designing the technologies to enhance our senses and understanding.
The transhumanist ecology and freedom
exercises self-awareness and self-responsibility.
If our art represents who we are, then let us choose to be transhumanist
not
only in our bodies, but also in our values.
Transhumanist Artists embrace the creative innovations of transhumanity.
We are ardent activists in pursuing infinite transformation, overcoming
death and exploring the universe.
Transhumans want to improve and extend life.
We are designing the technologies to improve and extend life.
Emotions are integral to our senses and understanding.
We are designing the technologies to enhance our senses and understanding.
As Transhumanist Arts come into focus
As more artists join our efforts
As more designs are produced
As more music is composed
As more stories are written
As the tools and ideas of our art
continue to evolve,
So too shall we.
Natasha Vita-More
(written 1982, revised 2003)
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1. FAQ What is Transhumanist
Arts?
Transhumanist Arts is an art period reflecting creative works of transhumanity.
Just as Modern Art represents much of the arts of the 20th Century, Transhumanist Arts
covers the late 20th Century into the 21st Century. The Transhumanist Arts period
coalesces arts, sciences and technologies in reflecting the efforts of transhumans in
enhancing and augmenting our minds and bodies as we strive for superlongevity and
ultimately indefinite lifespans. The ideas generated by those whose work is
transhumanist in scope, exemplifies the content of the transhumanist culture and is generated
through many modes, from painting to New Media, and modes yet to be discovered.
Transhumanist Arts include creative works by scientists, engineers, technicians,
philosophers, athletes, educators, mathematicians, etc., who may not be artists in the
traditional sense, but whose vision and creativity are integral to transhumanity.
The Transhumanist Arts Statement was authored by
Natasha Vita-More (formerly Nancie Clark) in 1982. This is the first time the written words "We are transhumans"
has left
our Planet on its way through our Solar System. Hundreds of people around the world have
signed the Manifesto.
The first Transhumanist Arts piece was made into a high 8 mm film. Performance Art " Breaking Away" which
storyline themes human evolution in breaking away from our biological restraints and
breaking away from earth's gravity as we head into space. The performance art piece was
written and performed by
Natasha Vita-More at Red Rocks Amphitheater and sponsored by the University of Colorado
Film Department. Don Yannacito, Director of Film Studies Program for independent
filmmakers, filmed the performance.
Later Transhumanist Arts works include a painting exhibition at
EZTV Los Angles, video "2 Women in B&W" which received special recognition
at Women In Video, 1985, "T - and Counting" (in deference to FM-2030, Marvin
Minsky, Carl Sagan, Harold Cohen, Anais Nin, Susan Sontag and other transhumans, futurists
and great thinkers) which was exhibited at the United States Film Festival, 1992. There
have been many digital art pieces and net.art pieces covering the 1990s.
2. FAQ What were early
influences on Transhumanist Arts?
Early artists who were interested in Transhumanist Arts that I either collaborated with or
exhibited with in the art world were Timothy Leary,
John Dorr
(famous for starting EZTV which is now internationally
recognized Video art performance space), Eric Orr (who has exhibited his sculpture
throughout the World), Robert Thrumbull (Kinetic artist and architect), Howard Cohen first
artist to work with robotics, Bill Viola (video maverick), Francis Ford Coppola was an early collaborator and inspiration when I was at his
studio Zoetrope in Hollywood and we worked on the first High Definition Film which I was
in. Another truly incredible artist is Richard Lowenberg who set up the first Internet
community and who I collaborated with on the 1979 project "Arts & Sciences
'79" in which 30 well known artists and 30 well known scientists met for a week of
brain storming. Other remarkable artist is Pam Lifton-Zoline (established a foundation and
school for creativity in Telluride, Colo), Vito Acconci Italian performance artist and probably the recognized performance
artists in the world and who was an early influence and collaborator in the 1980s when I
met him in San Francisco. Also, an early colleague and inspiration in the area of video
was and is Bill Voila who is an internationally
famous video artist. I love his work and am honored that we met early on. Marian Gray was
also an early fabulous inspiration and collaborator. As a photographer of
performance art, Marian's photographic collection is superlative. Today may collaborate on a mountain muscle Internet piece, and
Marque Cornblatt's with a transhumanist exhibition. Other Transhumanist
Artists include Marvin Minsky,
Fiorella Terenze , Karl Sims
, Stelarc, Ebon Fisher
, Charles Ostrum, and David Bowie.
3. FAQ What is Extropic Art?
Extropic Art is a genre of Transhumanist Arts.
If you would like names of movements, genres and periods as well as
individuals who inspired Transhumanist Arts period and the Extropic Art genre, then it would be all
art periods and movements and all creative individuals. Specifically, however, Abstract
Art, Performance Art, Kinetic Art, Cubism, Techno Art, science fiction and Communications
Art. In these specific genres are numerous artists whose work has influenced Transhumanist
Arts and Extropic Art and continues to influence. Today, however, Transhumanist Arts is
more influenced by the work done in the sciences, especially biotechnology and molecular
engineering, which will have great impact on the art of our future. Soon artists will be
designing new bodies and new types of senses.
I have a later list from 1997 onward, hundreds of artists have written to me and sent
their names to be added to the Extropic Art Manifesto.
Also, a great influence and colleague is ASCI which we are delighted
to be affiliated with. ASCI puts on excellent conferences in New York and is at the center
of arts and sciences.
3. FAQ What is the Transhumanist
Culture?
In my self-published short book Create/Recreate: the 3rd Millennial Culture, I explain the beginnings of transhumanist
ideas as presented by FM-2030 at UCLA in the 1980s, and at the New School earlier on.
I also cover the extropic influence on transhumanism as well as the influences of
science and technology on our emerging culture.
Art works were produced and exhibited at the well known LA Digital Gallery EZTV, at
Electronic Café International, at the University of Colorado, UCLA, San Francisco Art
Center, and videos were exhibited in "Women In Video", US Film Festival. The art
world is an important culture (and a multimillion dollar industry) and has a lot of
influence on society. Thus, I would add Transhumanist Arts as an important cultural event
in the early 1980s. On television, the first transhumanist show was produced in 1985 called
"Transcentury Update" which I produced and hosted with the advice of FM-2030.
4. FAQ Why Art in a World of Science and
Technology?
The question of why we want to live longer, healthier and grow more intelligent, live
indefinitely and develop an enhanced intelligence, creativity and transhumanist compassion.
The art of life.
'We have responsibilities and concerns and the wisdom to deal with them. How we use
technology and science, and what type of content we lend to our arts is not a flimsy
affair. We must be conscientious and sensible, as well as daring and innovative. We must
consider who we are in a world where the machine is becoming smarter and smarter, where
the impossible is now quite possible." ("Culture In The Making" from Create/Recreate)
When we think of the arts, it is necessary to stretch our imaginations to a time when
humanity will steer evolution. We are at the precipice of navigating this course now.
There are many concerns and theories about the future of the arts, but if the focus
overemphasizes theory, content is neglected. Theory is necessary to assess content, but
content must arise out of culture. Content is the pulse. It can reflect culture as a
cultural portrait or it can steer culture by presenting a vision. How we engage in new
technologies will reflect this.
5. FAQ How do we
achieve/maintain direction as Transhumanist Artists?
By checking and rechecking the barometer of society and planning for the long range. If
the pioneering technologies are focusing on extreme life extension and the innovative
biotechnologies that will augment our brains and bodies are in the forefront, this is a
cue. To learn more about the international art movement, please refer to the Transhumanist
Arts Center located at Transhumanist.biz. Here you will find the Transhumanist
Arts Statement here.
Create!
Natasha Vita-More
Copyright © 2003. All Rights Reserved.