[ExI] Luke Robert Mason on Coding Consciousness: Transhuman Aesthetics in Performance, Teleplace, 17th November 2010

Giulio Prisco giulio at gmail.com
Thu Nov 18 08:35:17 UTC 2010


Luke Robert Mason on Coding Consciousness: Transhuman Aesthetics in
Performance, Teleplace, 17th November 2010
http://telexlr8.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/luke-robert-mason-on-coding-consciousness-transhuman-aesthetics-in-performance-teleplace-17th-november-2010/

Luke Robert Mason presented an artist’s work-in-progress talk in
Teleplace on “Coding Consciousness: Transhuman Aesthetics in
Performance” on Wednesday 17th November 2010 at 10.45 am PST (1.45pm
EST, 6.45pm UK, 7.45pm CET).

This was a mixed event in brickspace and cyberspace, with a 2-way link
between the two spaces. Event listings on Facebook: PHYSICALLY –
Milburn House, Warwick University, 18:30. VIRTUALLY – TelePlace 18.45.
Luke gave a great talk and interactive performance on transhumanist
themes such as mind uploading from an artistic and aesthetic
perspective.

Besides the participants in Milburn House, about 20 participants
attended the talk in Teleplace and contributed to the discussion with
very interesting questions and comments. The sound system had been
professionally set up and remote participants have been able to listen
not only to the main speaker, but also to the questions and comments
of other participants in Milburn House. For those who could not attend
we have recorded everything (talk, Q/A and discussion) on video. There
are 2 different videos on blip.tv:

VIDEO 1 - 600×400 resolution, 1 hour 18 min
VIDEO A - 600×400 resolution, 1 hour 22 min, taken (mostly) from a
fixed point of view by Phillip Galinsky

NOTES: To download the source .mp4 video files from blip.tv, open the
“Files and Links” box.

Abstract: I aim to practically explore and challenge the performance
of identity as mediated by current and potential technological
advance. We have reached a ‘second modernity’ where we are able to
enter the digital realm and simultaneously augment our own reality,
allowing us to process and explore multiple identities through the
‘coding’ of our conscious experience onto digital avatars, such as
those in Second Life. However, this serves to challenge the politics
of our bio-representation.

I want to explore, through creative performance techniques, the
possibility of being able to ‘upload’ our consciousness. Ann Weinstone
comments, on artificial life, “[c]ode is coming to function as the
transcendental, unifying, and ideal substance of life-for the
non-referential, the unmediated-while at the same time, it retains
attributes, or the trace if you will, of writing, replacing the body
with a less mortal letter. ” We already see ourselves in the 20th
Century as alpha- numerical data (i.e. DNA) with our bio-metrics
becoming our bio-identity.

‘Coding Consciousness’ represents both the great challenge and great
limitation of technology. My aim is to look at how performance can
transcend these current technological limitations and utter
suggestions as to the creative application of life without boundaries
– creating a mind free to transcend positional limits by embodying
technology.”

Luke Robert Mason is a University of Warwick, Theatre and Performance
Studies Undergraduate Student and Live Artist. He will share some of
his current research with the aim to provoke debate. There will be an
extensive Q&A session following the talk and he is eager to capture
participant’s views and opinions.

teleXLR8 is a telepresence community for cultural acceleration. We
produce online events, featuring first class content and speakers,
with the best system for e-learning and collaboration in an online 3D
environment: Teleplace. Join teleXLR8 to participate in online talks,
seminars, round tables, workshops, debates, full conferences,
e-learning courses, and social events… with full immersion
telepresence, but without leaving home.
http://telexlr8.wordpress.com/join/




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