Live from the Microworld

Co-curators

INTER–MISSION
formAxioms
Tropical Futures Institute

Venue Partner

National Gallery Singapore
Mana Contemporary
Elextron Art
Currents New Media
Tropical Futures Institute
Winslow T. Porter
CultureHub

Date

2020-2023

An interspecies and networked performance by Morakana.

The performance reveals the connections between species, technology, and the planet. Highlighting both the scalar connections between different system components in the performance and describing the network connections between the actors of the performance itself. (Microbes, humans, microscope, video feed, computer, image recognition, synthesizers, microphones, music programs, streaming programs, internet, fiber, last mile, 4G/LTE.) The stack of technologies involved in generating this performance can be unpacked in many different ways; however, the current time signals towards the relationship between this performance and the current global pandemic.

The negotiation of those spaces exists in both the motion tracking of the microbes and our hands' sanitizing. The music generated by Morakana and the microbes paints a stark and futuristic contrast against the backdrop of the existential global biosecurity risk that is no longer existential; 2020 is the movie Contagion. We live in a world of bubbles now; vaccinations and immune systems determine how freely we move. People from the red zone live differently from people in the green zones as mental fatigue from the constant decision making and subconscious risk calculations wear us down day by day. While we are all heading towards some sort of chickenized work routine in our own homes.