Technology and art relate more to each other than you might think. Art mimics life. And it’s an understatement to say that technology is changing the way we live. The Transhumanist movement embraces technologies like cognitive science, cryonics, artificial intelligence and biotechnology—the same forces that are bringing about profound physical and societal change. And as technology advances, so do our visions of the future. But what truths do these visions represent? Humans are extending current biological limitations, and in the next few decades what it means to be human might change considerably. Check out these cool photos below to get a Transhumanist and artistic slant on what the future may hold.
Synthetic Wombs by Unknown Artist
Artificial wombs? Not so far-fetched. We already have the ability to keep donor hearts pumping externally with nutrient-rich oxygenated blood before transplants are performed. That’s mind-blowing.
Cyborg Man by Benedict Campbell
Believe it or not, this guy has a lot in common with former cyborg Kevin Warwick, the professor at Reading University in England who wired his nervous system to control a robotic hand on the other side of the Atlantic. Warwick is already putting animal brain cells into robots as a control system.
"Dying Race" by Joachim Luetke
"Dystopia" by Joachim Luetke
"Kov Seti" by Joachim Luetke
The only thing creepier than a baby robot named Diego-San is a cyborg fetus with no name. It’s an interesting concept that before long we might be incubating our unborn children in tanks, but we might want to think about what that means for population control and the Super Bowl first.
"The Map Is Not the Territory" by Kate Clark
We can’t find a single reason to make a human-gazelle hybrid, but fusing animals and humans (however frightening the concept may be) could be good for something. Couldn’t it?
"da Vinci Transhuman" by Unknown Artist
Advertisement from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
"Cyberneticus" by Jana Doležálka
It’s only a matter of time before we start digging up skeletons of robots past. With all of these robot dogs walking around and being taught new tricks, how long will it take for robots to adopt other more efficient animal designs?
"Frustration Attraction" by Heidi Taillefer
"The Wolves of Prejudice" by Heidi Taillefer
"Future Plug" by Unknown Artist
"InterFace" by Conzpiracy
"diag modeside" by Dominic Elvin
Robot Housekeeper by Unknown Artist
Robot at Work by Unknown Artist
With stunning achievement’s like Toyota’s robot violinist, it’s no wonder that someday soon we’ll have robot assistants helping us with formulas, figures and other tasks at work. This paradigm could be a catalyst for a new robot population, complete with legal rights and an education and housing system.
Image courtesy DeviantArt.com
We all have some sort of anxiety surrounding death. But what if we could cheat it? Would we still be afraid of it? We now have a neural interface that allows our brain impulses to control wheelchairs, computer cursors and robotic body parts. This could be profound for those of us who want to live beyond death.
Bottom line: Transhumanism isn’t fantasy, but a far-looking aesthetic based on real technologies. Whether or not you’re a Transhumanist, future society and all of the potential it brings does seem exciting. Now all we need is a box that keeps our brain working long enough for a cyborg transplant. Sounds routine enough.
Comments
One notable omission is Bjork’s “All is full of love”
Chris Cunningham’s visualization of robots has since been copied directly (CC recieveing royalties) and indirectly in films and advertisements since… (“Robot at Work” above is a prime example…)
One notable omission is Bjork’s “All is full of love”
Chris Cunningham’s visualization of robots has since been copied directly (CC recieveing royalties) and indirectly in films and advertisements since… (“Robot at Work” above is a prime example…)
I’m with Hugh. If you want to shill dystopia, pic a different title for your gallery page here.
No offense meant, but you may as well have titled this “World Cup images” because some of them contain people with circles.
Truly – you’ve captured most of what the public dislikes about Transhuminism. Propagating these memes as H+ is a bullet in the foot of human progress.
I’m with Hugh. If you want to shill dystopia, pic a different title for your gallery page here.
No offense meant, but you may as well have titled this “World Cup images” because some of them contain people with circles.
Truly – you’ve captured most of what the public dislikes about Transhuminism. Propagating these memes as H+ is a bullet in the foot of human progress.
How sad that so many of the artists are unknown.
I was freaked by Cyborg Man and by Advertisement from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, probably because subconsciously they struck me as images of dead people, as a human would be dead or dying if so many of its crucial parts were missing or exposed.
I laughed out loud at Frustration Attraction, probably because I have a tendency to read religious writings and art as science fiction, and this piece was an eloquent example.
How sad that so many of the artists are unknown.
I was freaked by Cyborg Man and by Advertisement from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, probably because subconsciously they struck me as images of dead people, as a human would be dead or dying if so many of its crucial parts were missing or exposed.
I laughed out loud at Frustration Attraction, probably because I have a tendency to read religious writings and art as science fiction, and this piece was an eloquent example.
lol God will never let this happen, they were gene splicing in noahs day and God destroyed the whole thing with a global flood, next time will be by fire, if you want to live forever Jesus Christ is the answer.
snore
You don’t seem to have learned from the history of your religion. Never make disprovable claims on the basis of your beliefs, because it’s only a matter of time before your claims are disproven.
lol God will never let this happen, they were gene splicing in noahs day and God destroyed the whole thing with a global flood, next time will be by fire, if you want to live forever Jesus Christ is the answer.
snore
You don’t seem to have learned from the history of your religion. Never make disprovable claims on the basis of your beliefs, because it’s only a matter of time before your claims are disproven.
I’m passionate about the future and transhumanism. I believe the future will be beautiful and elegant. My wife on the other hand thinks I’m crazy and hates the idea of adding wires and junk to our bodies, and thinks its creepy to transfer our consciousness into robot shells. She’s got it all wrong and I’m trying to convince her that tech is beautiful and science is better than religion, but today she caught me looking at this transhuman artwork at singularity hub… This sure didn’t help! Now she’s never going to let me donate to any transhumanist or singularity research. There’s gotta be better artwork than this!
Let you? I don’t understand she’s your wife not your Mom?
I’m passionate about the future and transhumanism. I believe the future will be beautiful and elegant. My wife on the other hand thinks I’m crazy and hates the idea of adding wires and junk to our bodies, and thinks its creepy to transfer our consciousness into robot shells. She’s got it all wrong and I’m trying to convince her that tech is beautiful and science is better than religion, but today she caught me looking at this transhuman artwork at singularity hub… This sure didn’t help! Now she’s never going to let me donate to any transhumanist or singularity research. There’s gotta be better artwork than this!
Let you? I don’t understand she’s your wife not your Mom?
Dystopian Images. Tech needs to be elegant and functional. funcional above all.
Science of the future will resemble the magic of d&d worlds, on my opinion.
Dystopian Images. Tech needs to be elegant and functional. funcional above all.
Science of the future will resemble the magic of d&d worlds, on my opinion.
“Robot Housekeeper” and “Robot at Work” was made by Blutsbruder
http://www.blutsbrueder-design.com/
“Future Plug” was made by Fausto de Martini
http://faustodemartini.cgsociety.org/gallery/547776/
Just thought I’d mention it if someone wants to see more great work from these artist.
“Robot Housekeeper” and “Robot at Work” was made by Blutsbruder
http://www.blutsbrueder-design.com/
“Future Plug” was made by Fausto de Martini
http://faustodemartini.cgsociety.org/gallery/547776/
Just thought I’d mention it if someone wants to see more great work from these artist.
A lot of these images seem pretty negative and dystopian, and personally, my interest in transhumanism really stems from the potential for it to improve our lives.
I think there’s more interesting art that could be seen as being related to transhumanism. Off the top of my head: Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell, in particular Man/Machine Interface (though I concede this also has dystopian elements).
I have the same issue with any movies relating to robotics and future scenarios. But violence and dystopia sells, at least in the West. I hear that the East see robotics in a much grander light ever since Astro Boy came on the scene.
True that violence and dystopia sells, but still wouldn’t choose to promote transhumanism with images reminiscent of H.R. Geiger, and don’t really feel its representative of what transhumanism is about.
Mind you, just choosing images that present a rose-tinted view of the future may also be a bit mistaken.
Seconded…we need to be careful about the way in which we sell the concept of transhumanism to the public at large, because they are crazy, and they vote. I’m already wondering how many people will be against therapeutic cloning after this “Splice” film.
How about some images of a senile grandfather reverting to a vibrant teenager, or a world free from waste and disease?
Jasher 4. 18-19: “And their judges and rulers (Fallen angels/Elohym)went to the daughters of men and took their wives by force from their husbands according to their choice, and the sons of men in those days took from the cattle of the earth, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and taught the mixture of animals of one species with the other, in order therewith to provoke the Lord; and God saw the whole earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon earth, all men and all animals. And the Lord said, I will blot out man that I created from the face of the earth, yea from man to the birds of the air, together with cattle and beasts that are in the field for I repent that I made them.
A lot of these images seem pretty negative and dystopian, and personally, my interest in transhumanism really stems from the potential for it to improve our lives.
I think there’s more interesting art that could be seen as being related to transhumanism. Off the top of my head: Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell, in particular Man/Machine Interface (though I concede this also has dystopian elements).
I have the same issue with any movies relating to robotics and future scenarios. But violence and dystopia sells, at least in the West. I hear that the East see robotics in a much grander light ever since Astro Boy came on the scene.
True that violence and dystopia sells, but still wouldn’t choose to promote transhumanism with images reminiscent of H.R. Geiger, and don’t really feel its representative of what transhumanism is about.
Mind you, just choosing images that present a rose-tinted view of the future may also be a bit mistaken.
Seconded…we need to be careful about the way in which we sell the concept of transhumanism to the public at large, because they are crazy, and they vote. I’m already wondering how many people will be against therapeutic cloning after this “Splice” film.
How about some images of a senile grandfather reverting to a vibrant teenager, or a world free from waste and disease?
Jasher 4. 18-19: “And their judges and rulers (Fallen angels/Elohym)went to the daughters of men and took their wives by force from their husbands according to their choice, and the sons of men in those days took from the cattle of the earth, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and taught the mixture of animals of one species with the other, in order therewith to provoke the Lord; and God saw the whole earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon earth, all men and all animals. And the Lord said, I will blot out man that I created from the face of the earth, yea from man to the birds of the air, together with cattle and beasts that are in the field for I repent that I made them.
Thought-provoking post and amazing collection of images/art.
Thought-provoking post and amazing collection of images/art.