Technology and Humanity: "Likeness"

What does it mean to be human in a technology-driven age? How does technology affect the depiction of humans? These are the questions explored in "Likeness", the newest collection in The Mattress Factory on Open Museum. The Mattress Factory is a contemporary art museum located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that presents art in room-sized exhibits. "Likeness" is its most recent group exhibition, and is being simultaneously shown in the bricks and mortar space in Pittsburgh, as well as online at Open Museum.

"Likeness" explores how technology affects, distorts, confuses, and even deceives our perceptions of the attributes that make us quintessentially human. The artists in "Likenesses" toy with our ideas of humanness through a variety of media: LED lights, filters, projection screens, even Powerpoint presentations. Jim Campbell's"Liz Walking" , for example, uses LED lights, filters, and screens to explore the limits of human understanding--Campbell's work asks, what is the least amount of information a human brain needs to understand and interpret movement? Peter Demarinis's work, "Dust" focuses on facial recognition and similarities, and how technology can enhance and distort them. Tony Oersler's Vampiric Battle"" explores how we use technology voluntarily to distort our own images, and focuses on the concept of "lookism," what he considers the most socially acceptable form or prejudice today. And Jonn Herschend's "Self Portrait as Power Point Proposal for an Amusement Park Ride" looks at both sides of a personal narrative (or person): the polished, public persona, and the messy, unfinished private side that is hidden from the public.

The Mattress Factory's Likeness exhibit runs from October 10, 2009 to March 21, 2010 in its bricks and mortar location, but will be perpetually available here on Open Museum. Thanks to technology, of course.