LIS10 Gallery and Particle Collection are pleased to announce Metal Metamorphosis, a group exhibition that delves into the profound impact of technology on the human experience. Co-curated by Charlotte Eytan and Gabriele Chianese, the show brings together the works of H.R. Giger, Gonçalo Mabunda and ripcache, each utilizing the medium of metal as a medium to dissect societal complexities in the digital age.
Giger's life-size head of the alien from Ridley Scott's "Alien III" is instantly recognizable to all of us. Crafted with haunting detail, it serves as a chilling commentary on the fusion of humanity and technology in an era of unchecked advancement.With its biomechanical intricacies, the sculpture blurs the boundaries between organic and synthetic, offering a glimpse into a dystopian future where technology has irrevocably altered the human form. Giger's manipulation of metal creates a visceral portrayal of the human-machine interface, inviting viewers to contemplate the consequences of technological evolution on the essence of humanity itself.
This head serves as the replicated foundation for a larger, full-size alien sculpture owned by Particle Collection, currently on display at the METAL exhibition in the Philharmonie Museum, Paris from April 5 to September 29, 2024. With only six editions in existence worldwide, this sculpture stands as the sole creation by Giger himself following the 2005 prototype, with subsequent editions crafted with assistance from his team of assistants.With only six editions produced in the world this sculpture is the first and only one created by Giger himself after finishing the 2005 prototype, with the subsequent editions being created with the help of Giger’s assistants.
Likewise, Mabunda's transformative sculptures, fashioned from obsolete telephones and war remnants, speak volumes about resilience in the face of violence, confronting aspects of our subconscious about how we navigate our complex relationship with the machines and technology that shape our world as well as its lasting impact on human conflict. Mabunda repurposes war materials into intricate, haunting masks and thrones that serve as relics of a bygone era, symbolizing the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Each piece serves as a testament to the enduring impact of violence on society, while also offering a glimpse of hope and healing through the transformative power of art.
Much like how old-fashioned telephones morph into ears within Mabunda's sculptural masks, in "Neutral" by ripcache, the conventional surveillance camera assumes a fresh significance as a emblem of modern surveillance practices, challenging notions of privacy and control in our increasingly digital age. As part of ripcache’s public//private series, "Neutral" explores the notion of permanence through two distinct elements: a 60 x 60cm screen print of surveillance cameras on a metal panel, and a corresponding digital rendition stored on the Ethereum blockchain. These iterations are interdependent; neither can exist without the other. Ripcache has minted the digital artwork and securely stored it in a wallet, with the private key concealed exclusively behind the physical piece. Access to the digital artwork hinges on the purchase of the physical artwork, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the two mediums. However, a dilemma arises for the collector: they must decide whether to permanently alter the physical piece by disclosing the Ethereum private key, in order to access the digital counterpart. This choice prompts contemplation of where the true value of the artwork lies — in its physical form, its digital representation, or perhaps in the synergy between the two. Through the integration of blockchain technology, viewers are prompted to contemplate the intricate balance between security and personal liberty, sparking crucial dialogues about the ramifications of technological surveillance on society.
Through metal as their medium, Giger, Mabunda, and ripcache deliver poignant commentaries on the human condition in an era dominated by technology. Their works serve as stark reminders of the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age, urging viewers to contemplate the implications of our ever-evolving relationship with technology.
About ripcache
Ripcache is an anonymous artist who took the web3 art world by storm when he entered the scene in 2021. He soon became one of the most in-demand digital artists, with works sold at Christie’s, collaborations with Avant Arte, and pieces held in some of the most important collections, including XCOPY, Erick Calderon (SnowFro), and Cozomo de’ Medici. ripcache fully embodies what it means to be a web3 artist: from his name, process, and subject matter.The name ripcache, meaning ‘raster image processor cache’, references the tool that converts a digital image into 1s and 0s used by a printer to create a physical copy. The cache stores data on a device for faster retrieval. The pseudonym concept, reiterates the artist’s fascination with privacy, showing the artist’s full commitment to his practice. ripcache shares glimpses into his process, drawing his work digitally pixel by pixel with his mouse in hand before re-working it all over again with new research and information. ripcache was driven to use the blockchain as a medium in the wake of new promises for privacy via decentralization. He emphasizes the importance of his work being fully on-chain. On-chain art in this instance manifests as the image file being saved as an .svg file, which converts image into text. This text is then included in the metadata of the NFT.
About H.R Giger
Hans Ruedi Giger (1940-2014), one of Switzerland's most groundbreaking artists, revolutionized visual culture through his groundbreaking biomechanical style which fused human anatomy and machinery - leaving an impactful mark in art, film and music alike. Throughout his extensive and fruitful career that spanned over half a century, Giger utilized a diverse range of artistic media, including but not limited to prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures, furniture, set designs, record covers, architecture, musical instruments, computer games and watches. His body of work was an outpouring of the nightmares that tormented him; stemming from childhood traumas as well as atrocities committed during both world wars. Giger explored the depths of our human psyche through his dark and surrealist artwork, weaving science fiction with horror to create hauntingly beautiful works that explored our deepest fears and desires that fused elements of the occult and macabre. Giger rose to international fame for his renowned creation - the Alien Xenomorph monster from Ridley Scott's Alien film franchise (1979-2017) - earning him two Oscar nominations and an Academy Award in 1980 for Best Achievement in Visual Effects. Alien forever changed how science fiction and horror were presented, setting a new bar for special effects use in cinema. Since then, the Alien has become an iconic cultural figure - its design regularly appearing in films, TV shows, tattoos and video games. Giger continues to inspire a new generation of artists with the largest body of his work permanently showcased at the H.R. Giger Museum in Gruyères, Switzerland.
About Gonçalo Mabunda
Mabunda draws on the collective memory of his country, Mozambique, which has only recently emerged from a long and terrible civil war. He works with arms recovered in 1992 at the end of the sixteen-year conflict that divided the region. In his sculpture, he gives anthropomorphic forms to AK47s, rocket launchers, pistols and other objects of destruction. While the masks could be said to draw on a local history of traditional African art, Mabunda’s work takes on a striking Modernist edge akin to imagery by Braque and Picasso. The deactivated weapons of war carry strong political connotations, yet the beautiful objects he creates also convey a positive reflection on the transformative power of art and the resilience and creativity of African civilian societies. Mabunda was born in 1975, in Maputo, Mozambique. Recent exhibitions include the Gangwon International Biennale, South Korea, ‘All the World’s Futures’ at the 2015 Venice Biennale, ‘Making Africa’ at the Vitra Museum, Germany, and 'Africa Now: Political Patterns' at the Seoul Museum of Art among others. His work has been acquired by the Chazen Museum of Art at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Brooklyn Museum.
About Particle Collection
Particle was founded in 2020 by a team of leading figures in the art, technology and blockchain worlds. The co-founders of Particle include former Chairman of Christie’s Post War and Contemporary Art Loic Gouzer and founding CTO of Uber Oscar Salazar. Particle champions a more inclusive art world centered around co-ownership. Their mission focuses on democratizing the entire fine art experience, putting a focus on the art, education, access and ownership. Particle started with the tokenization of Banksy’s Love is in the Air at auction in 2022 for $12.9 million. The work was digitally fractionalized into 10,000 unique tokens, known as Particles representing ownership in the physical painting. Particle is now a community of thousands, building and collecting one of the world’s greatest fine art collections and ecosystems. Via the Particle Foundation, the works of art in the Collection are stewarded and exhibited internationally alongside artists the Foundation chooses to highlight to its member collectors, and the world. Particle enables digital co-ownership of artworks through fractionalized NFTs.
