Chris Twomey

OMNI SERIES, Art and Genetics in a Digital Age" is Chris Twomey's first solo exhibition showing through July 30, 2004 at Tribes Gallery, 285 East 3rd Street, 2nd floor (between Ave. C and D)  212-674-3778  www.tribes.org  Chris Twomey has exhibited widely throughout the US, and received awards from the Ford Foundation, Creative Artists Project Service, Kitchen Center, Santa Fe Art Institute, and American Film Institute.

My current work emphasizes  photography and the digitization of the source image, duplicating or recombining visual information, and works as a metaphor for the role genetic information and technologies affect us politically, socially, and psychologically. Supporting this concept, the OMNI SERIES is really an ode to stem cells and their potential. The umbilical cord contains stem cells which have our unique genetic code and which are capable of being programmed into any part of our body, depending on what kind of stem cell you have.  They have recently discovered a very primitive kind of stem cell in the umbilical cord jelly, which has the most potential.  There are companies that specialize in cryopreservation of the umbilical cord.  After a child is born, they freeze it and bank it. Later, you can harvest the stem cells to cure life threatening disease, if the child or a close genetic match develops one. The umbilicial cord was also the core of our existence in nourishment and oxygen. It was also the source of our closest human bond.  So, the gesture of the umbilical cord, in the form your navel is quite significant.
In ancient Greece, the Omphalous, another word for navel, was a huge stone they thought was the center of the earth. Omni, in my mind, refers to the omnipotent power of the stem cells, the Om in Omphalous and the OM of contemplating your navel.  What you are looking at is a tiny sample of over 60 NAVELS photographed and digitized to resemble digital universes, most of which were photographed at last years Lower East Side Howl festival where I invited people to join my “body of work”.  The text you see is hand painted data on skin-like material, telling you about our stem cells, our genetic diversity, commonality, origins, and cloning.  So, to elaborate on cloning, I would like to show a tiny bit of this movie, which is also playing in the gallery. This is the metamorphosis of navel to digital universe, with each person’s name.  Each of these people have a digital filter which can be used to digitize another persons navel so that their navel will have a similar look to the first navel but not the same because it’s their navel. To parallel the concept of cloning, by taking the genetic code of someone and replicating it and having that next person grow up in a different environment and time, will result in a different expression.  I am encouraging people to continue to submit their navels for digital transformation.  Please see www.christwomey.com  Finally outside, there is a large sculpture for your further reflection….I have to leave some surprises… I am sure it will provoke some thought. You are all invited.

Chris Twomey
www.christwomey.com
www.tribes.org

Chris Twomey installationDETAIL150

outdoor sculpture by Chris Twomey

Michael Vitti

Michael Vitti is a still and motion picture photographer utilizing natural elements & phenomena in his personal productions. Past still collections include: Macrocosmos & Alien Worlds, 2001, and IR Spring, 2002. Nature in Flux is Michael's first role as a documentary storyteller. http://www.vittiphoto.com

Nature in Flux, exploration of Nature & Human Nature

documentary premise: The relationship between a coastal community in rural SC and it’s environment contextualizing a natural science research project from theory development through peer review and potentially interdisciplinary integration in an interdisciplinary research project.

treatment: Nature in Flux’s documentation of a local environmental research project forms the backbone of the project with lateral excursions into low country woodlands, river systems & the environs of Hobcaw Barony (Baruch Institute) and interviews with Georgetown residents. The intent is to illustrate the nature and human nature and the role & state of environmental research. These ‘side trips’ are intended to support the main story line providing context in a nonlinear way. Additionally, the integration of the research project into the encompassing NERRS (National Estuarine Research Reserve System) to illustrate the interdisciplinary aspect of current environmental research.

factory by Michael Vitti