The dawn of technological development is still inchoate. This long and lasting cultural aspect that we eat, breathe, and most dependently survive with has inspired varied questions of controversy. Where, when, and how does man demonstrate his autonomy vis-à-vis the accelerating momentum of technology? It’s what Thorstein Veblen conceptualized as technological determinism—is technology a phenomenon beyond our control? Multimedia artist Takahito Irie presents his take on this monumental predicament in his exhibition: H/U/M/A/N M/A/C/H/I/N/E.From Beijing to Tokyo and now Seoul, this young artist invades major cities throughout Southeast Asia with his explorative endeavors. An idea sprung from observing the exponential growth in the modifications of human desires through technological development, H/U/M/A/N M/A/C/H/I/N/E interprets how the unnatural proceeds to evolve into the natural as technical innovations continue to penetrate even the most organic corners of human existence.Irie takes a deeper look at this diverging rift between the mind and the physical body and tackles what it means to be living in the advancing information age. By honing a motif of the robot as a metaphor for the post-human effects of technology and deciphering these ramifications on human development, the artist examines the experience of man and the machine.As his exhibition is taking place now at Platoon Kunsthalle in Seoul, we had a quick chat with Irie after the opening performance.The Creators Project: First, let's take a look at your robotic face-paintings. How long did they take? What are you exploring here?
Takahito Irie: Each face took about two hours total, an hour and a half to paint, then half an hour for photos. I'm trying to explain the effect of technological development on the human body. I painted the model's faces—their identities—into robotic, machine-like masks. When I took the photos, interestingly the models were very still and rigid, almost lifeless-like. So just by painting their faces, this application of technology, in other words, [elicited a response where] automatic rigidness naturally came through. The effect of technology through the paint onto the model made them less human and more machine-like. I emphasized this even more by industrializing each photo, each human, with a serial number. For example, this one is '20101126001, Made In U.S.A.'
Human MachineAnd your paintings? They're painted on wood. This must have been done on purpose.
Exactly. I used acrylic paint on natural wood. I did this during the beginning of my residency. It shows the gradual development of my research from using an East Asian traditional way of painting applied on the organic medium of wood into the digital photographs of the robot faces and then, eventually, to the mixed media performance that happened at the opening.The opening was definitely interesting to see. You also worked with James Powderly on that. Can you elaborate on your intentions there? How did James contribute?
James made a multi-video projection mapping application. We used videos of cityscapes, projecting them onto a large structure we built. After the cityscape montage, I performed in front of the screen along with footage of myself that we shot before. I was communicating with the projected version of myself. I was communicating what seemed most natural, like mood swings from ecstatic to angry. Everything was pretty minimal, which was what I was going for. The simple dynamic between what we think is real and not real. This installation was made to show the union between man, machine, and the city.Final quick question, that's a real tattoo right? Can you explain that segment of your performance?
Yes, it's real. Like a stamp from technology. I got the tattoo because in general, the idea of human machine means a lot to me. I got it in that particular spot because it's an area of my body that many people don't see. I wanted to emphasize that in my performance. It was improvised, I think.Photos and footage courtesy of GEIKO.
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Takahito Irie: Each face took about two hours total, an hour and a half to paint, then half an hour for photos. I'm trying to explain the effect of technological development on the human body. I painted the model's faces—their identities—into robotic, machine-like masks. When I took the photos, interestingly the models were very still and rigid, almost lifeless-like. So just by painting their faces, this application of technology, in other words, [elicited a response where] automatic rigidness naturally came through. The effect of technology through the paint onto the model made them less human and more machine-like. I emphasized this even more by industrializing each photo, each human, with a serial number. For example, this one is '20101126001, Made In U.S.A.'
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Exactly. I used acrylic paint on natural wood. I did this during the beginning of my residency. It shows the gradual development of my research from using an East Asian traditional way of painting applied on the organic medium of wood into the digital photographs of the robot faces and then, eventually, to the mixed media performance that happened at the opening.The opening was definitely interesting to see. You also worked with James Powderly on that. Can you elaborate on your intentions there? How did James contribute?
James made a multi-video projection mapping application. We used videos of cityscapes, projecting them onto a large structure we built. After the cityscape montage, I performed in front of the screen along with footage of myself that we shot before. I was communicating with the projected version of myself. I was communicating what seemed most natural, like mood swings from ecstatic to angry. Everything was pretty minimal, which was what I was going for. The simple dynamic between what we think is real and not real. This installation was made to show the union between man, machine, and the city.Final quick question, that's a real tattoo right? Can you explain that segment of your performance?
Yes, it's real. Like a stamp from technology. I got the tattoo because in general, the idea of human machine means a lot to me. I got it in that particular spot because it's an area of my body that many people don't see. I wanted to emphasize that in my performance. It was improvised, I think.Photos and footage courtesy of GEIKO.