Tetsumi Kudo

@ Hauser & Wirth 

- 'Prevailing obsession with the theme of impotence linked to nuclear attack, a penchant for grotesque renderings of the body, cut into pieces or dissolving into puddles of goo, a science fictional dystopian picturing of the body as part machine' - Dystopia is something I am interested in, because it depicts such a negative future, highlighting how negative we are as humans, turning even the future (which should be exciting as it is unknown) into something depressing and scary. The mind & body and the problem of conciousness is another thing related to my practice. Many of the Kudo's assemblages seem to also question this, with heads connected to plant pots in incubators and human brain type creations hooked up to wires and separated from a human body. For me the work seems to lean towards idea of AI, however it is unclear whether Kudo see's these human parts as concious. The work could be read as scary, perhaps a vision of what happens when aliens are combined with nuclear weapons, a  greater unknown power, studying, cutting up and trapping our bodies, just as we have done to animals. The throw away and rough edge to the work, adds to the discomfort, like a botched surgery. The lack of care given to our precious body parts, with the brain being the most precious of all, roughly stuck to a box made of egg cartons. Kudo is strongly anti-humanist and i see this reflected in his work, through the dismemberment of body parts, again with the lack of care shown towards them, disregarding them as human and of any importance. This is a refreshing viewpoint, as it goes against the egotistical human nature. 

The prop like qualities to his work, create a distance between reality and his assemblages, making them easier to bear.

"Disillusionment with the modern world - its blind faith in progress, technological advancement, and humanist ideals." - Kudo was an anti-modernist, which is highlighted through his work, showing troublesome results of technology and modern science, it does question whether things are better left alone. Not only does his work evoke imagery of nuclear consequences but that of genetic engineering, the phallic figures being grown from plants, and heads in incubators, trying to morph humanity falsely into perfection. In the cube series, the small boxes contain decaying cocoons and shells revealing half living forms, often replica limbs or detached phalli or paper mache organs, that merge with man made items. This imagery is disturbing yet fascinating, perhaps suggesting that the ideals for humanity are met when mixed with consumer goods, reflecting the adoption of mass production, a way to mass produce the perfect human?

In terms of materiality the use of plastic is everywhere, plastic the pinacle product of consumerism and the opposite the the human flesh in texture. It is malleable and quick to make, much easier than the human body. Yet for some reason i am drawn to the shiny plastic and the goopy textures, the science fiction kitsch aims at repulsion, but all i want to do it touch. The tactile urge is overpowering. The squishy forms seems trapped, in the intermediary state between solid & liquid. Kudo expressed a key component to his art philsophy as CHRYSALIS, the pulp stage of the butterfly, again a state between states, is this a reflection of humanity? A pulp state before we become something new? 

In my own practise, I am concerned with science fiction related to the anatomy, new forms, pushing where humanity could go next, also with dystopia in mind. I feel now I want to explore more with sculpture and installation again, to reflect my focus on the body. It has left my questioning my view on humanism, am I anti-humanist or pro-humanist (something to think about)...