Coding the Body

Our bodies and our lives are defined by codes. Smart phone apps tell us where we are, genetic codes map our past and future, and religious codes mandate what we can put in and on our bodies. Exoskeletons running military software promise to turn us into real-life iron men, fashion designer-coders write programs that automatically generate 3D printed clothing, and roboticists work tirelessly to build human replicas.

Codes and machines are voraciously claiming more and more of our time, our attention, and our physical selves. With each new year we spend more time interacting with computers and less time interacting with people and our natural environment. Abstract mathematical frameworks are increasingly portrayed as the only valid way to make sense of the world. Humanist approaches wield less and less influence. Many of us occupy this landscape with fascination, enchantment, and unease.

Coding the Body interrogates the relationships between humans and code. It explores how code is being used to understand, control, decorate, and replicate us. The exhibition celebrates the beauty of code and its manifestations while casting a wary eye on its ever expanding power.