Hypersymbiotics

"Hypersymbiotics" explores the complex interplay between cutting edge biomedical research, pseudoscience and hype. A strange apothecary box draws together many of the artist’s past works involving emerging research in biomedicine and blends them with contemporary pseudoscientific healthcare remedies, helping us to make connections between the past and present. It asks how, as pharmacology becomes increasingly complex, can we tell fact from fiction, or newspaper headline from genuine available therapy? The cruellest forms of hustling take advantage of those who are most vulnerable, in particular those in poor health. In a situation where access to quality healthcare can be costly, when medical professionals do not have the time to focus properly on patients’ wellbeing, or when treatments are either not available or difficult to access, those in need can easily fall pray to purveyors of untested and unproven alternative treatments. We face a daily barrage of contradictory headlines & an onslaught of stories about new discoveries in biotechnology, many of which are only in the earliest stages of research but these stories offer us a glimmer of hope. At a time when complex new scientific discoveries are being made almost every day but are far beyond the understanding of laypersons, and when the news stories we read compete to terrify us the most we are more at risk than ever of being hustled into buying into the latest “cure”. We are blinded by pseudoscience and media hype about the speed and success of biotechnology and fall victim as easily as our ancestors fell for “Snake Oil” cures. The new work comprises an altered antique apothecary box, engraved copper, glass, cork, sealing wax, paper and various biomaterials. More details here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/khdlvimsis2gdwb/Hypersymbiotics%20Handout%20weblink.pdf?dl=0