Transpersonal Futures: Artisthood in Posthumous Digital-Life Limiting Conditions

Conference paper at Harvard University & Boston University. This paper was presented in a conference section at Harvard titled 'Education and Futures Studies (STS)' alongside Prof. Sandra Kemp, ‘Powerfully seductive forms of mass public entertainment and education’: Narratives of the future at scientific soirées and Prof. Keri Facer, 'University futures before futures studies'.

Abstract:
Transpersonal Futures seeks to relay anticipatory systems and strategies of present day artistic consciousness that go beyond the limits of personal and institutional identity. In examining technology communication through a lens of contemporary artistic production, including peak and spiritual experience such as near-death phenomena, psychotechnologies, belonging, profiling and a networked history of the web, this paper will explore how grappling with the futures offers a resistant-theory and adjusted future studies of interdisciplinary engagement within history, art, science, technology and life. The paper discusses the social and environmental implications between ‘artisthood’ and ‘pallative care nursing’ in Revisiting Genesis – a web-series in twelve episodes and a feature length experimental film conceived by London based artist Oreet Ashery in 2016. In relation to the ongoing maturity of Future Studies, this artwork focuses on digital and emerging technologies of dying, social networks, care and feminist reincarnations of women artists. Revisiting Genesis mixes fictional dialogues and real-life interviews with people who have life limiting conditions. This paper draws on how this reflects upon Future Studies itself, what are the life limiting conditions within this study? When are Future Studies decommissioned by the tribalised political consciousness of the present?

Transpersonal futures: artisthood in posthumous digital-life limiting conditions discusses a short clip from Ashery’s web series to draw out the grappling and intricate connections, links, chainings and mutations within the history and reproduction of art, STS and futures autonomy.

The Grappling with The Futures website is currently not available.