electro-humans

When I received this as part of an invitation to a gallery opening:

tXt:> tranSmission
To what extent have technologies become part of us? Or, inversely, have we become part of our technologies? Where do we end and they begin? How would most of us feel without the simple technology of clothing for instance -- exposed, cold, incomplete perhaps? How many of us now feel exposed, cold and incomplete without more sophisticated technologies such as the internet and mobile phones?

I knew I had to go. Not only was the gallery itself in Marrickville, but the quote above is like something right out of one of my lectures - most of what I teach is to do with technology/culture/human relations. And lo! I recognised one of the artists, Matt, as a former student. I taught him a couple of years ago at UTS in the subject Virtual Communities. Matt is one of those passionate & creative students you always remember. I recall his class presentation featured a huge old mobile phone and a little portable musical keyboard... he hasn't changed his focus much. The exhibition was full of phones, TVs and the sounds of original, eerie but somehow comforting compositions. The works were by him and his sister Greer. The blurbs about them say:

Greer Rochford is a photographic artist who experiments with a variety of mediums, pushing the boundaries of traditional photography. She deals with ideas such as surveillance, technoscience and alienation.

Her kid brother, Matt, explodes myths and storms social barricades. He is continually searching for the point where he ends and the rest of the world begins.

Matt lives in Dulwich Hill - I've seen him at rallies & riding his bike along Enmore Rd. He is quite a tiny person with a huge smile. He looks a bit other-worldly, even more so when seen next to his strikingly similar elfin sister. I reckon these two are artists to watch.



DON'T LOOK Experimental New Media Gallery 419 New Canterbury Rd (Near Marrickville Rd), Dulwich Hill.