ONCE YOU GLIMPSED
IN THE CORNER OF MY EYE

transdisciplinary >>> vienna, austria

we (meaning KASIJA and IVAN) are thinking of creepy things >>> there is something irresistible about them: a clown in a motley wig; a flasher in a leather coat jumping out of the corner; a doll with a petrified smile on its varnished face and petrified joy in its glazed eyes; a teddy-bear with the mouth full of human teeth; a giggling bum without ears and nose; a cheerful robot – yes, robots, neural networks, androids, ALEXA and SIRI, and ELON MUSK give us tons of creeps >>>

they say, in the future, we (this time meaning humans) ought to merge with artificial intelligence and thus become imperishable, or, at least, invincible trans humans >>> immortality (along with eternal health and superpowers) seems to be kinda freaky per se, and moreover: i (meaning IVAN) doubt that a robot would enjoy merging with me; i presume they (robots are supposed to be gender-neutral, right, or?) would always feel we welcome them among us in a peculiar way like we welcome the presence of a soft pink toilet seat in the bathroom >>> and if all those androids really developed consciousness, they would realize instantaneously they look creepy to us >>> sad commencement for the history of a new species, don’t you (reader) think? >>> if something is actually commencing here >>> odd enough: since AI appears as a replica of a human brain, self-consciousness of a secondary entity, i.e. self-image of an unloved offspring, is the legacy we (humans) forward >>> we (K. and I.) wonder if it is exactly what we (h-ns) feel about ourselves: endlessly uncertain of our identity, doubting the existence of our authentic self, giving up belonging and giving out independence, failing to be humans every now and then >>> and if we (h.) fail being humans, what do we expect from poor robots? >>> i (KASIJA) am keen on the idea of the uncanny valley: the very degree of being human-like when empathy evaporates >>> i (K.) like things that are a little off; i (IVAN) often make impression of a creepy person myself; i (I.) empathize creeps >>> we (K.& I.) believe we (artists) perceive creepiness because we confront our (humans’) idea of ourselves >>> creepiness is a border of humaneness, where we becomes they >>> creepiness is creepy due to normality of norm, not vice versa, never vice versa >>>

TO BE DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY

kasija vrbanac strelkin

TO BE PERFORMED BY

kasija vrbanac strelkin

ivan strelkin