- Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) The Flesh Machine
- lecture, installation and performance
3 maart / mars, 1998
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une co-organisation: CONSTANTvzw en Beursschouwburg
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Description Part 1.
The first part is a collection of essays that gives a full explanation
of the theses reported above. The book, Flesh Machine: Cyborgs, Designer
Babies, and New Eugenic Consciouness, will be published by Autonomedia,
and the text will be available at Flesh Machine event sites. It will
also be available on the web for free. This text is for anyone interested
in a more traditional, critical discussion of the issues addressed
by the following art event.
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Description Part 2.
The second part is called The Cloning Project. This is primary a
live event-scene. CAE is currently constructing its own cryolab to
house living tissue for potential cloning. CAE will also develop a
CD-ROM that detournes a reproductive lab database. At the event, users
will be able to read about the services that are commonly offered,
but the site will be contextualized by image-text highlighting eugenic
subtexts in the services (the traditional tactic). CAE will then go
a step further and allow those who are interested to take actual screening
tests for donor DNA, cytoplasm, and/or surrogacy. In so doing, the
users will find out if they are considered "fit" or "unfit" for reproduction
in pancapitalist society. If they are found to be "fit," they will
be asked to donate DNA to be stored in our cryotanks, and they will
receive a certificate of fitness. All the test-takers' data will be
downloaded to a "data-base of fitness" that future users can look
through. Our hope here is to get people actually involved in the real
processes that are happening everyday in reproductive labs and clinics,
so that they are not just aware of them, but have experienced them.
The screening test will also be available online.
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Description Part 3.
The third part is entitled Virtual Termination. Occurring with The
Cloning Project, Virtual Termination examines the termination of frozen
embryos under the sign of commodification. CAE will acquire frozen
embryos that will remain viable as long people are willing to donate
money toward the cryotank rental. During the event a computer image
of an embryo will be projected through a video beam onto a screen.
The image will also have a clock marking the time the embryo has until
it is evicted from its clinical cryotank. If enough money is raised
to pay the rent on its cryotank through the next performance, it lives,
if not, termination. Once again, to the extent possible, people will
get to live the reality of the commodification of the flesh--if no
one buys, it dies. CAE thinks that this part of the FM project will
speak for itself.
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Description Part 4.
Information for the family. The electronic storybook "Let's Make
Baby!"--an illustrated guide for children that explains how science
and medicine create life and why--will be available on the CD-ROM,
as will an illustrated tour of the IVF process taken from weeks of
documentation collected during CAE's stay with a couple going through
the IVF process.
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Description Part 5.
If the sponsor wants, CAE will also give a lecture/performance that
will set the critical context for the FM event. If space allows, this
could be done before the main event, if not, it could be done the
night before.
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Description Part 6.
If the sponsor is willing to help CAE contact medical centers interested
in participating in the event, performance options can be expanded.
For example, in Vienna a medical team did DNA extractions from the
most "fit" patrons.
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