On a radiant June day, my daughter and I visited Pierre Huyghe's exhibition Liminal (2024) at the Pinault Collection in Venice, Italy. The dimly lit space created an atmosphere that felt both surreal and immersive. As we entered the first gallery, we were drawn to a striking statue of a man adorned with a smooth, golden mask.
"Is that a real person?" my daughter inquired. I chuckled and leaned in for a closer look, only to be interrupted by a guard's voice: "Step back from the performer." In that moment, we realized we had crossed into the realm of human performance, not merely an art installation, leaving us with an unsettling sense of surprise.
Huyghe is among a burgeoning group of contemporary artists who delve into the intersections of humanity and the nonhuman. His work is featured in the New Museum's upcoming exhibition, New Humans: Memories of the Future.
These artists are not only challenging perceptions of art but also exploring the nuances of personhood--the state of being an individual. The discourse around personhood gained momentum following the US Supreme Court's Citizens United (2010) ruling, which controversially extended free speech rights to corporations. This decision sparked debates about whether personhood could apply to entities beyond humans, including animals, ecosystems, and even artificial intelligence.
Artists are now pushing the boundaries of what personhood means through their creations. For instance, Huyghe's previous works feature monkeys wearing masks and hermit crabs navigating aquariums. Likewise, Nina Katchadourian's bioart pieces, such as Quit Using Us (2002), showcase insects as unexpected collaborators.
In a fascinating twist, Ai-Da, a social robot engineered by Aidan Meller and Lucy Seal, has made headlines for her self-portraits, which have been showcased in art exhibitions. In 2024, one of her portraits fetched $1.1 million at Sotheby's, highlighting the intriguing blend of technology and art.
Anthropomorphism is prevalent in modern art, as seen in Marge Monko's I Don't Know You So I Can't Love You (2018), where smart devices engage in what appears to be a romantic dialogue. Such works challenge us to reconsider our assumptions about personhood and its relevance to nonhuman entities.
These artistic explorations prompt critical questions about our understanding of personhood. As we engage with art, we often attribute human-like qualities to inanimate objects or machines. This tendency can obscure the reality that these entities lack the consciousness or social contexts that define human experiences.
In a world increasingly blurring the lines between human and nonhuman, these artistic endeavors reveal the complexities of personhood and its implications. They invite us to reflect on our responsibilities toward these entities and the moral considerations that arise from expanding personhood to include nonhumans.
Ultimately, as we navigate these discussions, it becomes clear that the future of personhood in art and society will continue to challenge our perceptions and responsibilities in profound ways.
