Maja Smrekar: ‘ARTE_mis’

In her opus ‘K-9_topology’ – in which she addressed the parallel evolution of mankind and dogs as well as the various cultural points the two share – Maja Smrekar created the conditions for contemplating a society that would be based on a more balanced coexistence of man and the ecosystem surrounding him. In a series of projects executed over the past four years Maja contemplated the relation between mankind and the non-human other. She confronted us with a dystrophic projection of the future inhabited with a progressive biotechnological hybrid species with a social status en par to humans. The thesis that we follow through the entire opus is fuelled by biotechnological facts as well as thoughts on the hybridism of humans and animals which is fuelled by mythological stories that are deeply embedded in the subconscious of the Western culture.

The artistic research of the possible co-existence of humans and dogs was realized in the exhibition ‘Ecce Canis’ (the first project within the ‘K-9_topology’ opus), and performances ‘I Hunt Nature, Culture Hunts Me’ and ‘Hybrid family’. In her latest project entitled ‘ARTE_mis’, the artist addressed the thoughts on the biotechnological potentials of merging humans with non-human others. The central part of the project is represented by a hybrid cell created from a human and a dog, set in a gallery space as an artefact, but also as a potential for life, which would – in contrast to mankind, an outdated species doomed to self-destruction – have a better chance of survival in the dystrophic conditions of overpopulation.

‘K-9_topology’ is a true hybrid work of art with a deep bio-political message that opens new possibilities for the ethical reconsideration of the biotechnologically designed life forms.