Alison Carey

Holiday Greetings!

Here in Chicago, I am all bundled up, trying to stay out of the cold and looking forward to my second Yuma conference. The warmth of the Yuma sun cannot reach me soon enough. It will be great to see the desert sand, meet amazing artists and reunite with long time friends. 

The work I will be presenting is from my series New Kingdoms and it is influenced by biotechnology and my thoughts about the future of human evolution. Through my photographs I depict a future Earth where humans have altered the course of evolution by introducing synthetically grown organisms into the environment. This aftermath of biotechnology takes place in a post human era where man-made life forms have adapted to the natural world. Genetically engineered beings have infiltrated the Earth’s surface developing new habitats and ecosystems within the landscape. 

 Generator

 

The sculptures in my dioramas are created to be photographed, and are made from a combination of flesh like materials that are inorganic or no longer living. These entities are without medical purpose and are benign in their existence. Contrary to my approach, there is the potential to use tissue engineering for unorthodox purposes. Particularly unsettling is the thought that someday it may be possible to construct autonomous, functioning "beings" that are able to survive outside the controlled facilities of a research laboratory.

Heart Vessel Graft

 

Finger Buds

As the entities in my photographs colonize the terrain, the evolution of these unique species’ usher our planet into a new biological epoch in the history of life. Through cycles of hybridization, reproduction, mutation, and extinction, survival of the fittest plays out in these scenes.

During my talk I will discuss the ideas behind my work and the materials and processes I use to create it.

I can’t wait to meet you all, and I wish you a Happy New Year, Cheers!

-Alison Carey  2014 Yuma Symposium Presenter 

View Alison's Website