Chthuluscene 2018

About This Project

We reside in a time with unsettling relations between human and nature. The humanity and technology seem constantly racing against each other to reach a balance that never quite existed. In the late 19^th century with the rise of cybernetics, post-humanism (Donna Haraway, 1985), and the second nature, up until the recent development of artificial intelligence, subjects such as anthropocene, capitalocene and chthulucene have been discussed in the past decade as a reflection on what the negative impacts of technology and new media have on the environment.

The work Chthulucene comes from the idea that plantation living under pollution may survive. However, a new form may develop in the polluted environment, which is a manifestation of the human and industrial activities being built in the ecology. Instead of water, the plants (epipremnum aureum, or “devil’s ivy”) are fed with copper sulphate solution (a type of heavy-metal pollution actually occurring) of various concentrations. Some will die after a day, some a few day later, while some will survive with an unhealthy appearance. Will the concept of natural look and aesthetics change in the future accordingly?

This project is developed as part of the 2018 studio summer internship program with intern Ching-Ying Chu.