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Alexa Phillips: Cyborg Clones

April 29 — May 28, 2017
Student Gallery, The Image Centre (formerly Ryerson Image Centre)
 
Cyborg Clones examines the ubiquity of screen-based technology and the changing relationship between the body and physical space. This installation explores the cybernetic qualities of the twenty-first century, using 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies to create a series of portraits. The automated output was then duplicated in resin through the use of handmade silicone moulds. In their imperfections and unique pigmentation, the resulting clones subvert the uniformity of machine-made commodities and comment on the illusion of choice in consumer culture. The cloning of the figures emphasizes the homogenization of body language connected to this technology. Each series examines different aspects of life that have been affected by screen-based technology—simulating individuals in workplace environments, playing first-person shooter videos, texting, or selfie-taking. The installation’s labyrinthine arrangement reinstates the viewer’s bodily awareness, which is so often lost in the virtual space of computing devices.




Event(s):

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival Opening and Season Launch Party
Friday, April 28
7:00 – 11:00 PM

Exhibition Tours
Daily 2:30 PM

All events take place at The Image Centre (formerly Ryerson Image Centre), unless otherwise noted

Multiple miniature colourful figurines of men sitting are arranged in a zig zag pattern
Fig. 1

Alexa Phillips, Friends, 2015, resin, colorant, wood, acrylic. Courtesy of the artist

Multiple miniature colourful figurines of women texting are posed on a beam
Fig. 2

Alexa Phillips, Family Members, 2015, resin, colorant, wood, acrylic. Courtesy of the artist

Multiple miniature colourful figurines of men playing video games are arranged in a zig zag pattern
Fig. 3

Alexa Phillips, Gamers, 2015, resin, colorant, wood, acrylic. Courtesy of the artist

Multiple miniature colourful figurines of men sitting and reading the newspaper are posed on a beam
Fig. 4

Alexa Phillips, Multitaskers, 2015, resin, colorant, wood, acrylic. Courtesy of the artist

Multiple miniature colourful figurines of men sitting at a desk with a computer are posed on a beam
Fig. 5

Alexa Phillips, Office Employees, 2015, resin, colorant, wood, acrylic. Courtesy of the artist

Curator Bios

Alexa Phillips

Alexa Phillips is a Canadian visual artist based in Toronto and in the UK. With a focus on the human figure, she explores the role of technology and consumer culture in identity formation. Her practice combines CAD (computer-aided design) technologies with manual processes to investigate the relationship between humans and machines. Phillips received a B.F.A. in Photography Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), and is currently pursuing an M.F.A. in Fine Art at Goldsmiths, University of London. Her work has been included in numerous exhibitions at venues such as Gallery 44, Propeller Gallery, 918 Bathurst, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) Artspace at the Gladstone, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), the University of Brighton (UK), and Graven Feather.

Installation Shots

Multiple miniature colourful figurines of people taking selfies are arranged in a row
Fig. 1

Alexa Phillips: Cyborg Clones (installation view), 2017 © Larissa Issler, The Image Centre

Multiple miniature colourful figurines of men sitting are arranged in a zig zag pattern
Fig. 2

Alexa Phillips: Cyborg Clones (installation view), 2017 © Larissa Issler, The Image Centre

Close up of multiple miniature colourful figurines of men sitting at a desk with a computer
Fig. 3

Alexa Phillips: Cyborg Clones (installation view), 2017 © Larissa Issler, The Image Centre