The use of cotton thread, which weaves and crawls over the face of the elderly figure, appears to mirror the inward nervous systems and veins of the body whilst resembling cables and wires of the external, mechanical world and all its chaos.

​

The figure, whose softness is apparent in both the muted colour palette and their pained expression, is overtaken by the winding threads which take on a life of their own as they engulf the face. The threads, therefore, appear to be part of the body, like scars and wrinkled skin, suggesting a complicated yet sympathetic portrayal of a human life in which the relationships, feelings, personality, and experiences begin to overtake the physical being.

By using materials typically associated with women and the domestic realm, like cotton thread, Tianmiao challenges our understanding of gender, dominance, and sensitivity by elevating her subjects to an ethereal, detached entity, acting as a defining the roles of both her subject and the medium.

​

Tianmiao's depiction of the body crosses boundaries between the real and the intangible by celebrating the woven journey undergone, in the form of thread, by her subject. However, the fragility of the piece suggests that it acts as a form of memorial or celebration of life, rather than the vein or wire-like threads bringing a sense of energy or vitality to the piece.

The main subject of Give Me a Kiss - the dancing man - seems to be isolated from the world around him despite his placement in the centre of the city. His actions, in which he dances, smiles, and gestures towards the people passing by, indicate a moment frozen in time, further emphasised by the use of black and white film and old music.

​

His physical existence is felt through movement, expression, and emotion, but is met with resistance from his environment, suggesting that the world he finds himself if no longer has room for him, neither physically nor spiritually.

The physical interactions and experiences shared between people, which Fei essentialises through dance, are being slowly engulfed by the rapid urbanisation of space and culture. Small spaces within the city are being replaced with crowded buildings and communities are replaced with anonymity, indicating that spaces of coexistence in a physical realm are no longer guaranteed.

​

Exhibiting Give Me a Kiss online offers an extension to the physical spaces it depicts and further echoes the new ways in which we seek to find a space for ourselves, both in digital and physical realms.

Microcosm is a reinvention of Hieronymous Bosch's 15th-century masterpiece, The Garden of Earthly Delights, in which Xiaochun explores the sumptuous landscape of sin and salvation through digital technology.

Mirroring Chinese traditions, Xiaochun makes use of multiple viewpoints throughout the film, bringing the viewer into the scene in an intimate and dynamic way. By adopting multiple perspectives to add another dimension to the scene, Xiaochun addresses the relationship between the various panels where the viewer can look across heaven and hell and back again, creating a dialogue between the panels and offering the ability to discover hidden narratives within the piece.

Microcosm is a reinvention of Hieronymous Bosch's 15th-century masterpiece, The Garden of Earthly Delights, in which Xiaochun explores the sumptuous landscape of sin and salvation through digital technology.

Mirroring Chinese traditions, Xiaochun makes use of multiple viewpoints throughout the film, bringing the viewer into the scene in an intimate and dynamic way. By adopting multiple perspectives to add another dimension to the scene, Xiaochun addresses the relationship between the various panels where the viewer can look across heaven and hell and back again, creating a dialogue between the panels and offering the ability to discover hidden narratives within the piece.

Microcosm is a reinvention of Hieronymous Bosch's 15th-century masterpiece, The Garden of Earthly Delights, in which Xiaochun explores the sumptuous landscape of sin and salvation through digital technology.

Mirroring Chinese traditions, Xiaochun makes use of multiple viewpoints throughout the film, bringing the viewer into the scene in an intimate and dynamic way. By adopting multiple perspectives to add another dimension to the scene, Xiaochun addresses the relationship between the various panels where the viewer can look across heaven and hell and back again, creating a dialogue between the panels and offering the ability to discover hidden narratives within the piece.

By connecting the bodies with a luminous wire, Flirt explores the amalgamation of human essence with the authority of the mechanical medium, challenging our understanding of physical and immaterial connections, relationships, and sensuality.

The luminosity of the wire against the fleshy, glistening skin highlights the otherwise-intangible relationship between the people and their connection, or energy, that brings them together. The movement of the wire through the piece serves as a representation of their interlinked thoughts, feelings, and actions which, while penetrating the skin appears uncomfortable and almost violent, suggests a drawing-out of the present to savour the ongoing flow of communication and sensuality past the edges of the canvas.

We are acutely aware of the artificiality of the wire, due to its glow in bright neon colours. These vivid colours against the textures, colours, and softness of the subjects' skin evokes a sense of time through association, enhanced by the deep darkness of the background.

Using wire, as opposed to cotton thread or other kinds of natural materials, suggests a submission to the machine which, as it weaves through the piece, appears to take on a life of its own. Its fluidity appears to lead the couple and their actions through the motions whilst instilling them with energy and vitality. This is further emphasised by the title, Flirt, which, with the wire, appears to suspend the couple in time, drawing out the tension within the scene without revealing what happens next.

The scene runs through the canvases and continues through a collection of inanimate objects of varying materials, in which Weiyi continues to explore textures and surfaces of hard and soft objects. These objects, which are linked with the wire, build a narrative around the couple, providing the viewer with certain associations to be able to draw their own conclusions on the intimate details of the relationship.

By connecting the bodies with a luminous wire, Flirt explores the amalgamation of human essence with the authority of the mechanical medium, challenging our understanding of physical and immaterial connections, relationships, and sensuality.

The luminosity of the wire against the fleshy, glistening skin highlights the otherwise-intangible relationship between the people and their connection, or energy, that brings them together. The movement of the wire through the piece serves as a representation of their interlinked thoughts, feelings, and actions which, while penetrating the skin appears uncomfortable and almost violent, suggests a drawing-out of the present to savour the ongoing flow of communication and sensuality past the edges of the canvas.

We are acutely aware of the artificiality of the wire, due to its glow in bright neon colours. These vivid colours against the textures, colours, and softness of the subjects' skin evokes a sense of time through association, enhanced by the deep darkness of the background.

Using wire, as opposed to cotton thread or other kinds of natural materials, suggests a submission to the machine which, as it weaves through the piece, appears to take on a life of its own. Its fluidity appears to lead the couple and their actions through the motions whilst instilling them with energy and vitality. This is further emphasised by the title, Flirt, which, with the wire, appears to suspend the couple in time, drawing out the tension within the scene without revealing what happens next.

The scene runs through the canvases and continues through a collection of inanimate objects of varying materials, in which Weiyi continues to explore textures and surfaces of hard and soft objects. These objects, which are linked with the wire, build a narrative around the couple, providing the viewer with certain associations to be able to draw their own conclusions on the intimate details of the relationship.

Hot Head is part of the series Color, Balance that Travis LeRoy Southworth initiated in 2016. The work delves into the digital traces left when retouching portraits and other fashion photographs. With his work, the artist wishes to bring the invisible back to the forefront, ultimately highlighting the not-so-slim nuance between oneself and its digital rendition. With his work, Travis LeRoy Southworth offers a new genre of portraiture. He removes the original subject and experiments with the numerous layers of retouching that hold his Photoshop files instead. The result is an ethereal portrait made of accentuated colours and elements of imperfections. The title of the picture refers to a specific person, however, only characterised through the label "hot head," referring to comments the artist heard working with advertising professionals while retouching the original photograph.

In [Nude study 29], Damjanski explores possible futures in a world deprived of people yet bearing the weight of a past civilisation. Using his Bye Bye Camera application as an artistic tool, he observes his surroundings while erasing people's presence. But beyond appearances, people are neither here nor gone. The artist's presence is tangible as he acts for capturing these augmented photographs. Likewise, the AI tool detects body shapes but fails to assess shadows. The result is a digitally-enhanced reality where humans stand at the verge of presence and absence, somewhere between the physical and the immaterial.

With INTELLIGENCE 0296 from Values of Values by open media artist Maurice Benayoun together with Nicolas Mendoza and Tobias Klein, MoCDA questions whether values are bound to our bodies or transcend physical existence. VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image; they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform. INTELLIGENCE 0296 is an ultra-rare NFT #296 in a series of 10,000, which can be swapped, bartered or converted into objects or artworks by its owner. But giving up on INTELLIGENCE 0296 for money is not a simple financial act. It is also a symbolic one, asking visitors to ponder their vision of value.

​

VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image, they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform.

Joanne Hastie's Market Stroll reminds us of the importance of interactions in real flesh. Much like Impressionists in their time, she takes us back to the rêveries of the urban flâneur – a walk into Bologna's market on a weekday morning.

The artist, known for exploring the human-machine relationship, here employs machine learning (or CycleGANs more specifically) to inform the viewer of this scenery. Joanne Hastie underlines the quality of our bodily presence and the fantasy it carries in an increasingly digital world. Whether in the form of an avatar or real physique, the work shows how the body remains an essential interface for social and sensorial interactions.

Instinto presents a humanoid figure blending into the chaos of its surroundings. The figure, aside from the phallic, leathery serpent that draws the eye to the centre of the image, appears to be made of bone and plaster, suggesting that the power and vitality of the scene is led by the serpent and its desire to immerse itself in the fluid landscape.

Void fills the composition with iridescent colours and mirror-like reflections, illuminated by sharp light and an ambiguous sense of scale, filling the scene with energy and dynamism.

Mi Sombra portrays an isolated, hunched figure in the centre of the composition. The bright light appears to expose the figure, emphasising its vulnerability. The title suggests the shadow that dominates the image as a calm facial profile is that of the pink figure, demanding attention from both the central figure and the audience due to its size and unwavering focus.

Identity is questioned as we are met with three potential protagonists; the pink figure, the shadow, and the white figure crouching behind the wall. With the domineering size and angle of the shadow combined with the figure, or reflection, in white, Mi Sombra is full of suspense, emphasised by the sharp drop and exposing lucidity of the light across the scene.

With HAPPINESS 0166 from Values of Values by open media artist Maurice Benayoun together with Nicolas Mendoza and Tobias Klein, MoCDA questions whether values are bound to our bodies or transcend physical existence. VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image; they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform. HAPPINESS 0166 is an ultra-rare NFT #166 in a series of 10,000, which can be swapped, bartered or converted into objects or artworks by its owner. But giving up on HAPPINESS 0166 for money is not a simple financial act. It is also a symbolic one, asking visitors to ponder their vision of value.

​

VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image, they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform.

In [Nude study 17], Damjanski explores possible futures in a world deprived of people yet bearing the weight of a past civilisation. Using his Bye Bye Camera application as an artistic tool, he observes his surroundings while erasing people's presence. But beyond appearances, people are neither here nor gone. The artist's presence is tangible as he acts for capturing these augmented photographs. Likewise, the AI tool detects body shapes but fails to assess shadows. The result is a digitally-enhanced reality where humans stand at the verge of presence and absence, somewhere between the physical and the immaterial.

Art Never Dies is inspired by the cyclical nature of art, indicated by the infinite cycle of completion and destruction of the piece to symbolise the process of being present, getting lost, to die, and to be reborn, with the creation of every new piece.

The skull bulges with small, graphite drawings that suggest an awakening consciousness through magic mushrooms, Shamanism, meditation, and mathematics.

The artwork, therefore, is the product of automatic creation where ritual movements lead to streams-of-consciousness, emphasised by the mechanical, repetitive cycle of the opening and closing of the skull brought by the digital medium.

With FAITH 0177 from Values of Values by open media artist Maurice Benayoun together with Nicolas Mendoza and Tobias Klein, MoCDA questions whether values are bound to our bodies or transcend physical existence. VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image; they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform. FAITH 0177 is an ultra-rare NFT #177 in a series of 10,000, which can be swapped, bartered or converted into objects or artworks by its owner. But giving up on FAITH 0177 for money is not a simple financial act. It is also a symbolic one, asking visitors to ponder their vision of value.

​

VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image, they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform.

Automatic, granular movements that Hastie and, arguably, all artists, make without conscious effort - such as cleaning their paintbrush - fall behind in favour of representation of the subject, experimenting with styles, and creating concepts.

With this, Painting no. 230 represents the symbiotic relationship between human and machine as the artist’s body is enhanced, or extended, into the robot arm. The brush strokes, although painterly, are calculated and consistent, revealing the robot’s obedience to instruction.

Use of the robot arm simultaneously adds to the human body as a physical entity whilst highlighting the unconscious demands of art creation, such as movement, instruction, and decision-making that take place in the moments between idea and execution.

With BEAUTY 0525 from Value of Values by open media artist Maurice Benayoun together with Nicolas Mendoza and Tobias Klein, MoCDA questions whether values are bound to our bodies or transcend physical existence. VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image; they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform. BEAUTY 0525 is an ultra-rare NFT #525 in a series of 10,000, which can be swapped, bartered or converted into objects or artworks by its owner. But giving up on BEAUTY 0525 for money is not a simple financial act. It is also a symbolic one, asking visitors to ponder their vision of value.

​

VoV tokens are more than a GIF or an image, they are a unique neuro-designed 3D model registered on the blockchain. They are Values with Numbers waiting to be collected or traded on VOV.ART platform.

Strike A Pose No.1 depicts a warped human body twisting into some form of a tornado that merely hints at human representation and qualities. Although in motion, the figure remains static, forcing them into a state of stillness and contemplation.

​

The grey tones of the body further dehumanise the figure, making it difficult for the eye to draw details from the artwork. The physical depiction of movement is more prevalent. Something which is difficult to portray in physical media becomes exaggerated and expanded in the digital.

​

Both Strike A Pose No. 1 and the series it belongs to, The Twisted Self, address notions of identity and self-representation in a digital realm. This, in turn, highlights the intricacies of self-portrayal online and in digital spaces, indicating the ability and desire to alter perceptions and representations of the body through digital media.

​

This piece was created using a rolling shutter effect video generated from a sequence of selected images of a human model posing on a turntable. The physicality of this process is lost in the digital rendering of the model, whose actions and essence is captured in stronger form than their image. This, combined with the androgynous nature of the figure, allows the viewer to project themselves onto the piece, encouraging introspection directly from the digital representation to the physical body.

In Subtraction, portraiture and identity are challenged by an intimate, yet anonymous depiction of the body. Use of the silhouette makes the work relatable, through which both the artist and audience can begin to channel and deconstruct, amplified by the mask-like quality of the figure’s face.

The materiality of the piece, shown through layered colour and texture, implies a ritualistic flow of creation. Using paint to mask the subject appears to remove layers of constructed identity that are in contact with the external world, emphasising the friction between the physical human touch and our desire to rationalise the ephemerality of the digital medium.

In [Nude study 54], Damjanski explores possible futures in a world deprived of people yet bearing the weight of a past civilisation. Using his Bye Bye Camera application as an artistic tool, he observes his surroundings while erasing people's presence. But beyond appearances, people are neither here nor gone. The artist's presence is tangible as he acts for capturing these augmented photographs. Likewise, the AI tool detects body shapes but fails to assess shadows. The result is a digitally-enhanced reality where humans stand at the verge of presence and absence, somewhere between the physical and the immaterial.

Ten rectangles of different colours, shapes and sizes inhabit the black canvas of Computer Goggles, Untitled Composition 2. Shapes either overlap or not. All seem to shrink down as they retrieve in the form of a perspective, driving the eye to a focal point. But what governs this geometry and is it the result of the aesthetic quest of the artist? The computeresque colour codes seem to indicate otherwise. Computer Goggles is, in fact, a photo app that captures the world as algorithms see it. It translates images of identified objects into a flat, multi-coloured structure. It is the skeleton of a picture based on a machine’s object identification database and a way to explore non-human compositions.

Atychiphobia means fear of failure; a visceral, profound feeling that is captured in this piece. The figure appears stifled by their formal attire and the imposing grey background. This contrasts the harsh, almost choking effect the red paint seems to have as it engulfs the figure’s neck.

The rapid brushstrokes across the face creates a mask-like effect, allowing anyone to project themselves into the piece, mirroring an all-too familiar sense of alienation that is exacerbated by modern life and its demands for absorption.

Three rectangles - cyan, magenta and yellow - inhabit the black canvas of Computer Goggles, Untitled Composition 1. Shapes overlap or fit within another. But what governs this geometry and is it the result of the aesthetic quest of the artist? The computeresque colour codes seem to indicate otherwise. Computer Goggles is, in fact, a photo app that captures the world as algorithms see it. It translates images of identified objects into a flat, multi-coloured structure. It is the skeleton of a picture based on a machine’s object identification database and a way to explore non-human compositions.

La Verdad addresses themes of birth and rejuvenation through celestial colours and reflections in a tranquil landscape. This scene appears to be interrupted by a rush of pearlescent slime that cascades over a penguin skeleton to draw the eye to the baby in the bath, suggesting its sexual nature and as overt celebration of birth, life, and death.

Life appears as a blue heart in the lower bathtub which, alongside the metallic pipes of the shower and sterility of the surfaces, appears almost engine-like, giving the work a dark undertone. The body appears in stark physicality in this piece, either as a fleshy newborn child or as the bones of an animal, adding an element of tangibility to an otherwise mystical environment.

In the Digital Fashion Collection, The Fabricant explores the ways in which computers can be creative. By inputting data from Paris Fashion Week, algorithms worked to combine the real and the virtual, resulting in an uncanny analysis of the fashion industry. Notions of place and materiality are challenged, as garments are available in 3D renderings that are available to audiences worldwide and are not limited to real-world exposure.

The result is an exhibition of these unusual garments across undiscovered landscapes that present the clothes in their ideal setting, bringing them to life in a scenario free from external connotations or pressures. The virtual catwalk mirrors the language of the fashion industry in all its creativity and elegance, without the ethical issues surrounding pollution, labour, and lack of access.

As a result, these garments surpass existing limits of how the body is represented in the physical world. In DEEP, the anonymity of the body underlines the potential the digital realm has for true expression, regardless of culture, gender, and medium. It also overrides other forces that restrict the ways those garments will then be experienced, whether through movement, colour, texture, or environment, creating a virtual playground for self-exploration and realisation of ideals for all.

In Capaz las capas se me escapan, striking use of colour, texture, and layering forces the abstracted figure into focus, which appears to take the form of a bird’s head. The textures of the figure against the background appear kinetic, enhancing the feeling of unease when combined with the decapitated bird’s head and the soulless black-brown pool that takes the form of a soulless eye.

This piece holds strong visual markers that the mind desperately wants to believe is reality, enhanced by intricate details and vivid light and dimension. With this, Void blurs the line between dream and reality, as the nightmarish figure maintains eye contact with its audience.