SYDNEY.- Art, science and speculation converge in Human non Human, an exhibition posing the question: what makes us human, and how might humans adapt in the future? Exclusive to the Powerhouse Museum from 7 August – 27 January 2019 and on view as part of the Sydney Science Festival, the exhibition is a riveting exploration of humanity’s entanglement with non-human agents.

“We’re thrilled to unveil Human non Human, two years in the making,” said Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Director of Curatorial, Collections and Exhibitions Peter Denham. “In exploring what it means to be human, the exhibition provides insights on the collective human experience, as intimate as it is vastly universal. The exhibition is a great reflection on MAAS’ commitment to driving, exploring and celebrating the intersections of art and science and features some of Australia’s most exciting artists.”

Immersive and multisensory, Human non Human merges architecture, design, robotics, biotechnology, chemistry, animism, film and performance across four themes correlating to integral elements of life: Food, Work, Sex and Belief. This premiere exhibition comprises four installation works informed by a multitude of scientific fields, devised by four celebrated artists: Maria Fernanda Cardoso, Lindsay Kelley, Ken Thaiday and Liam Young.

Food: Ballistic Bundts - Lindsay Kelley
How does our experience of eating change with new technologies? In Ballistic Bundts, Kelley presents bullet-riddled cakes made from ballistic gel - commonly used as a human flesh simulator in military weapons testing. Her inedible delicacies address the interwoven relationships between food and military technology, and the growing concern of providing food on a global scale.

Work: Renderlands – Liam Young
Crafted from discarded digital assets of the animation industry, Young’s film Renderlands is a thought-provoking investigation into the increased outsourcing of Western animation to “dream factory” render-studios in India. Merging fiction and documentary, the mixed-reality neo-noir film follows an animator falling in love with the character he is rendering, alongside footage of the real places in which these imaginary worlds are manufactured as well as architectural models of these places.

Sex: On the Marriages of Plants – Maria Fernanda Cardoso
When it comes to the relationship between humans and plants, who is really manipulating who? Using deep focus photography to capture intricate floral sex organs, On the Marriages of Plants explores the beauty, seduction and biological imperative of reproduction. Cardoso draws from influential Swedish botanist Carl Linneaus and contemporary US writer Michael Pollan in this fascinating examination of the critical role of plants on human survival.

Belief: Dance Machines – Ken Thaiday with Jason Christopher
Dancer, choreographer and artist Dr Ken Thaiday sr merges ancestral Torres Strait Island marine symbolism with modern materials in crafting automated and autonomous Dance Machines. Created with Sydney artist Jason Christopher, these unique creations show the adaptability and resilience of cultural forms in the face of technological development, and the deep histories of body augmentation and transformation.

Human non Human is presented as part of the Australian Research Council Linkage Project’s larger research-based initiative, Curating Third Space: The Value of Art-Science Collaboration in partnership with University of New South Wales Art & Design.