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Organic fluidity as a creature on its own.
A creature is not necessarily a thing or an object to me. It is more of a conceptual approach defined by movement, curved and organic shapes, different materials, or motion. It can take any form like physical or a (temporary) performance. There is not necessarily a specific motivation behind it, but rather the belief that this creature is not defined by space or bound by its own existence. You have to feel in order to understand and embrace the unknown.
Well… let’s dive into some concrete examples to guide you as a reader, experience this and gain a better understanding of this conceptual approach of this creature (even for myself).
While writing this blog and trying to understand what organic fluidity truly means, I was reminded of a performance by Introdans that I saw a while ago called Aqua. The choreography was deeply inspired by water and its movement.
To me this dance (through its overall motion) was perhaps the most creature like approach I’ve ever seen. It demonstrated what human bodies are capable of when trained to move in such a way that they become almost fluid. As a viewer (or at least in my experience) you don’t just watch but you feel to understand and truly embrace the unknown.
The unknown, in this case is witnessing something that is not part of everyday life. When I watched this performance the dancers no longer felt like dancers. Instead, they became living organisms in front of me and moving on stage. The organic fluidity of the choreography took on a life of its own, becoming an independent existence.
"Rigid systems, when they hit you, they hurt." Wise words, according to Jim Neilan from NASA Langley Research Center (watch clip). I couldn’t agree more. The opposite of traditional rigid robots are soft robots. They are made from flexible materials rather than rigid components, as Jim mentioned. This allows them to mimic biological organisms, enabling more natural and organic movement. These robots are typically made from silicone or fabric and use air or smart materials for their motion.
Although these robots exist in a futuristic world, their behavior is reminiscent of Marguerite Humeau’s work. The approach is centered around movement and fluidity, giving them a creature like presence. They are not restricted to a specific form. They can inflate and reshape themselves, much like Barbapapa. They are not bound to a single shape and perhaps they can even communicate with each other through movement.
Marguerite Humeau is a sculptor who views her work from a unique perspective, she does not see her creations as mere artworks but as real life forms. She believes they have a voice, a rhythm, and a heartbeat. Some of the questions she asks herself include: “What does it mean to exist physically?” or “Can you exist without a physical body?”
Her life’s mission is to recreate mythologies for our contemporary era, having lost her connection to her Catholic background. She explores who our creatures or beings could be and how we can connect with them, how we can converse with them, and how they can guide us. Communicating with extinct forms of life is for her almost like encountering spirits and engaging in a dialogue with them to ask: What can I learn from them? How can they guide me in navigating the future? Her work is very organic. You can see that it exists but at the same time it is not tangible.
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