Copernicus
Dates: 10/3-10/25 (3 weeks)
Opening Reception: Thursday, Oct. 3rd 4-7 PM
Bannister Gallery hours: M-F 12-8pm
Curated by Jenny CHEN Jiaying and Frank WANG Yefeng, Copernicus is based on Nicolaus Copernicus’s “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres,” published under pressure before his death in 1543. It contained a revolutionary and reflective perspective, asking people to imagine that they were not the center of the universe and uprooting the concept of geocentricism. This was the first time in the history of Western philosophy that humanity and the earth were not considered the epicenter of all existence. With Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and Sigmund Freud's theory of unconsciousness, the position of human beings in the universe is constantly re-evaluated. The post-human generation has also contributed to concerns about the “future of humanity”, reimagining concerns Copernicus faced in the sixteenth century.
With these historical moments in mind, “Copernicus” will bring together selected artists and artworks to present a new perspective on the world and human beings. This perspective involves all kinds of considerations related to technology, geopolitics, nature and social systems. By interweaving these topics that are neither clear or rigidly defined, we can question anthropocentrism, the centralization of people, borders, and presuppositions, all while recognizing and giving recognition to historical contingencies.
Artists exhibited include Elliot Dodd, LaTurbo Avedon, and Stine Deja, as well as the art project Slime Engine.
