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The Zoetrope
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Xi-Clone Drēmzü unites new artworks by Dominique Cro and Ben Coiacetto,
within a virtual zoetrope of writhing moiré
ArtSect
Typeone
The setting uses the phenomenon of moiré as rich metaphorical terrain. 'Shape moiré', 'line moiré' and 'optical moiré speedup' are fascinating examples of gaps in information creating polarising effects and repetition with tiny differences forming radical results seemingly analogous to genetic experimentation. Artworks are scattered amongst pulsing moire data and thoughts, encapsulated in the neural pathway of a genetically modified Xi-Clone Drēmzü hybrid.
Dominique and Ben's work plays with humour and narrative devices to explore the constructive and destructive effects of gene manipulation at the hands of Biotech oligopolies.
Cro's 'Xi-Clone' is a fictional company that offers bespoke, extinct animal cloning and customisation. Set in 2080 with the Earth’s biodiversity on a steady decline, society has turned to cloning extinct species. The company culture of Xi-Clone is a speculative take on our future, if capitalism and individualism still continues to dominate culture. The in-ability to reduce overconsumption and to create significant change towards slowing the harmful impact of the anthropocene has left cloning as the only option to repopulate the world’s fauna.
Xi-Clone seizes the opportunity to capitalise on these new technologies and instead of working to save the lost animals of the world they market their service as luxury, exotic pet cloners. Cro applies a retro futuristic lens to her study of organisms, creating combinations of fauna with computer generated imaging and digital design.
Coiacetto's 'Drēmzü' is an invented Balkan family name, biotech corporation, and faux translation of ‘dream zoo’. His artworks depict excerpts from a narrative in which 'Bengi' and a sleuth of mutants are forced to survive a series of hellish game shows and find lost loved ones. The subtext explores how hidden power structures societally entwine cruelty, stimuli and commerce and how AI and lab grown beings may interpret love, relationships and sexuality.
Typeone design and create virtual and immersive environments. The Xi Clone Drēmzü space is an inescapable tunnel inspired by the Zoetrope, an early, Victorian form of extended reality. The oft humorous, sometimes nightmarish sounds in the tunnel are, like Xi-Clone creatures, manufactured from the sounds of real animals. Against nature, the experience is physically disconcerting, to the extent it may induce nausea.
ArtSect Gallery is located in the historic Hackney Tram Depot, and is London's first digital physical DAO and NFT dedicated exhibition space with the mission to promote and facilitate creative processes using web3 technologies. ArtSect Gallery was founded with a collaborative approach to promote culture and dialogue between communities.