Photo © Bert Spangemacher
- Artist Portrait
- April 20, 2022
Facts of Life
Joint projects of Bianca Kennedy and Swan Collective since 2013
Why
Deep fascination for the intelligence of nature
Highlight
Cindy Sherman’s reaction to our VR Experience at the Sundance Film Festival.
Low point
German joylessness and lack of enthusiasm
Joy
Following our exhibited works and exploring the world in the process
Mental influence
u.a. Ellen Gallagher, Guillermo del Toro, Ed Atkins, Miranda July, Jaron Lanier, Anicka Yi, Lee Bull, Otobong Nkanga, Lili Reynaud-Dewar, Mary Reid & Patrick Kelly, Camille Henrot
Unasked advice
Think bigger, smaller it gets on its own, especially if a Virgo is on the team.
Foreign wisdom
“Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same forever.”
»Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover and remember that nothing stays the same for long.«
– May Sarton
Hope
To quote Richard Powers, “Humanity is gravely ill. The species will not survive for long. It was an unnatural experiment. Soon the world will return to healthy intelligence: collective intelligence. Colonies and Hives.”
To say it with Richard Powers words: »Humankind is deeply ill. The species won’t last long. It was an aberrant experiment. Soon the world will be returned to the healthy intelligences, the collective ones. Colonies and hives.« (from “The Overstory”, p. 70)
Works & Exhibitions
kennedy+swan (founded in 2013) includes the collaborative works of artist:s Bianca Kennedy and Swan Collective. In their collaboration, they create videos and virtual reality experiences that explore the future of evolution and its impact on plants, animals and humans. These utopias are liberated from human supremacy and illuminate the ecological benefits of hybrid life forms. The collective exhibits internationally in galleries, museums and festivals. Exhibitions include the Lyon Biennale, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig, Bärenzwinger Berlin, CCBB Rio de Janeiro, Loop Discover Award and Sundance Film Festival. They live in Berlin with Cocker Spaniel Jane.
Power Plants
The book “POWER PLANTS” by the Berlin artist collective kennedy+swan finally puts an end to the anthropocentric world view. What does man also have to ask himself about the evolution of plants and animals?
The duo asks questions without pretending to have moral answers. What will the world look like in 1000 years? What will happen when our bodies merge with different species of flora and fauna? And what do insects have to say about the idea of making them humanity’s main protein source?
The bilingual publication (German and English) gives access to the complex narratives with numerous texts, an essay by Kimberly Bradley and an interview with the artists. Using a self-programmed app, some of the illustrations can be augmented. By means of a self-programmed app, some of the illustrations can be augmented with the user’s own cell phone.
