In Silico
BUNGALOW at ChertLüdde, Berlin, 2019
Gillian Brett's installation,
In Silico, for BUNGALOW transforms the space into a phosphorescent eatery of the future where kebab meats, sausages and roasted chicken gleam in front of light boxes, revealing discarded technological devices suspended in resin, a toxic byproduct of petrol. In this sterile and brightly-lit environment reminiscent of a hospital or a laboratory, the notion of fast food is fused with "smart food" – the latest iteration within the Soylent trend. Deriving its name from the 1973 science fiction film Soylent Green, Soylent, the brand of meal replacement products launched in 2014, is the epitome of smart food, meant to optimize the basic function of eating to match the posthumanist goals of a rapidly progressing society. Forgoing the rituals of food-eating is the ultimate step towards capitalist efficiency, supporting the development of the superhuman, who is more productive than ever.
Joan Lee
photography : Andrea Rossetti