follow the blog for the proposal and how it all begun
http://www.mohanpolamar.com/yogaandartblog/khoj/creatorinreverse
follow this blog for the topics discovered, explored, discarded and continued
http://www.mohanpolamar.com/yogaandartblog/2016/4/19/the-undivided-mind-process-and-topics-explored
“Upside downside evolution”
This installation “Upside downside evolution” is immersive, experiential and performance based. Ideas that will challenge the concept of being human and human evolution in this period of acceleratedclimate change will be introduced both directly and vicariously. This technozoosemiotic installation was discovered from within the practice of yoga philosophy bringing together bio art, neuroscience, robotics and quantum mechanics.
As climate change ravages the earth the option of interplanetary travel becomes urgent compelling us to train our focus on technology related to space travel. This effort is a seed that will transform human to a super human and accelerate the inevitable inter planetary human dwellings.
At this moment and for some time to come the definition of a super human will fit the astronaut. In space every concept spins on its head. Flying like superman is not being super at all. The challenges of this superhuman are immense and often unimaginable, Losing bone density, eye sight and muscular strength are just a few. The experience of picking a simple object such as a pen in space and on earth is not the same and in fact they cannot be compared at all. Fundamentally weight needs to convert to resistance in zero gravity and the practice of yoga here on earth is based on just that concept. This makes yoga an ideal place to look for solutions to suit the environment of the superhuman.
During the residency we simulated weightlessness by making a sensory depravation tank and experienced the loss of body and explored the resulting change in the mind. A piece called “Tub of loss” will embody the experience vicariously. We conducted thought experiments to empathise with the physical movements of the astronauts simultaneously conducting a kinematic study of asanas. This effort led us to an object and idea that is ideal for exercise in the International space station, This said object does not figure in the installation but the idea will be presented in parts called ** “Astropleb" and “spaceman as superhuman”. As the process matured with events and discussions around the residency the human reaction to grotesque stayed on as a crucial idea to explore which we did with photographs and called it the “Elephant man”.
** “Astropleb” was made in Bangalore by Ankit Shekhawat who heads the medial lab at Moonraft.
NOTE: Towards the end of this video you will see a tub suspended. We projected the 2nd video embedded here in it, The bar was right under the tub.
more about the sensory deprivation tank is on this blog
http://www.mohanpolamar.com/yogaandartblog/sensorydepravationtank