Antye Guenther is a visual artist and artist-researcher born and raised in Eastern Germany. Drawing from her backgrounds in medicine, photography, and in the military, her artistic practice orbits around themes like (non)biological intelligence and supercomputing, computer-brain-analogies and mind control, think tank ideologies and self-optimisation, neuroimagery and fictionality of science, body perception in techno-capitalist societies and science fiction. Her work comes then in hybrid forms: performances and narrative installations, performative ceramic objects and fictionalised video tutorials, photo-text works and speculative scripts, artist publications and various collaborations et al.
2019 MAASTRICHT TRANSFORMATIONAL SUPERNODE GATHERING OF INTELLIGENT MINDS … - ... No Body, Never Mind — How to Beautify Your Brain Data and Use it to Unleash Your Full Potential.
Performance, approx. 55min.
props: brain vases (made of two types of porcelain), flower arrangement, recorded text, performative dress (custom-made of the same fabric the auditorium is cushioned in)
In collaboration with Prof Alexander Sack and his research team at the Cognitive Neuroscience Department of Maastricht University, as well as with Flora Lysen (humanities scholar) and Dinie van den Heuvel
(costume designer).
2019 MAASTRICHT TRANSFORMATIONAL SUPERNODE GATHERING OF INTELLIGENT MINDS - Imagine porcelain brain vases, that depict 3D reconstructed MRI brain data:
1. as revolutionary ways of scientific data visualisation,
2. as promising innovative tools for cognitive enhancement,
3. as exquisite objects to decorate homes and office spaces sophistically,
4. as archaeological remains of historic scientific data visualisation practices in a society
that still suffers from past events of total digital data annihilation.
2019 MAASTRICHT TRANSFORMATIONAL SUPERNODE GATHERING OF INTELLIGENT MINDS - Speculatively mimicking language use and performative aspects:
--> from motivational brain enhancement lectures on youtube to gatherings of researchers in the far future
--> from testimonies of agitated neuroscience test subjects to meditative home decoration tutorials
--> from corporate espionage to entertaining the audience with singing emotional brain pop songs.
INSTITUTE FOR COGNITIVE PROSPERITY — Noble Ideas and Undeniable Facts are our Weapons - 2020. art exhibition as a fictional think tank. A Tale of a Tub / Rotterdam
"The Institute for Cognitive Prosperity is a visionary think tank that seeks to elevate the human mind for advanced mental flourishing and universal cognitive efficiency, by raising awareness on the great benefits of brain alteration, creating enhancing environments and unique transformative experiences. Our vision is one of a blossoming and prosperous world where enlightened citizens at the peak of their cognitive performance are able to unleash their full potential for personal growth and global healing."
UNTITLED (artist in uniform). 2020. framed photograph, 30x40cm. - as part of: THE INSTITUTE FOR COGNITIVE PROSPERITY —
Noble Ideas and Undeniable Facts are our Weapons
Knowledge as a Trophy. 2019 — 2020 - display structure, perforated anti-microbial PVC strip curtain, flower arrangements, porcelain brain vases.
as part of: INSTITUTE FOR COGNITIVE PROSPERITY — Noble Ideas and Undeniable Facts are our Weapons
NEOCORTEX. 2020. textile poster publication = silk scarf. - 90 x 90cm. 100% silk. special edition: incl. handmade luminescent embroidery. Runway performance, approx. 25min
NEOCORTEX is a textile poster publication that is also a silk scarf. - here: special edition with luminescent embroidery
NEOCORTEX. 2020. here: Runway performance, approx 25min - Text references: Norbert Wiener. The Human Use of Human Beings. 1954 Philip K. Dick. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. 1965
Bonnie Tyler. The Total Ecplipse of the Heart (modified). 1983 Emil Ludwig. Die Durchleuchutung der Seele. 1926 Kim Stanley Robinson. 1992. Red Mars. Cathrine Malabou. What Should We Do With Our Brain? 2004 Rainer Goebel et.al. Getting Started Guide for BrainVoyagerTM 21. 2018 Femke Snelting & Jara Rocha. Make Human. 2018
