Embodies Vestiges delves into traces of our past and their profound implications for the posthuman future -it does so through the works of Dinar Sultana and Promiti Hossain. Through their lived experiences - personal and familial, individual and social - their works explore how vestiges—remnants, traces, and residues of historical events, cultural practices, and technological innovations—shape our evolving understanding of identity, memory, and existence in an increasingly interconnected world. Central to this exploration is the embodied nature of these vestiges, which manifest physically, culturally, psychologically, and through media.
Central to the curatorial theme is the notion of Vestiges. ‘Vestiges’, are echoes of the past that persist into the present - influencing our perceptions and experiences. The remnants of these can be physical - such as ruins and artefacts; cultural - including traditions and languages; psychological - through memories and traumas; as well as digital - in the form of data and digital footprints. This exhibition examines how these vestiges manifest and interact with contemporary posthuman thought, where, through these works, the postulations for the future are not insular, myopic, and binary, but rather aim question the cartesian visions of human, machine, and nature, leading to new ontologies and epistemologies.
Dinar and Promiti’s practice raises a pertinent question of Embodiment - of material, skill, trauma, as well as a fundamental question of our being in the present. This being in the present can be further understood by the idea of situatedness in an embodied space i.e “to be in a certain position with reference to other spatial things.” - a key concept in Meleau-Ponty’s magnum opus Phenomenology of Perception. This idea when expanded further in relation to psychological, historical and cognitive domains allows us to understand a more fundamental approach to the field of body politics and sexuality. Embodiment in this context places our present through our experiences where it refers to an aspect of our background which presupposes our understanding of the word. It is here that the body becomes an active principle of interpretation and care for being in the world. Both concepts are fundamental to the notion of ‘Embodied Vestiges’.
Sultana and Hossain’s practices problematise ideas of ecology, environmentalism, and ethics; and cultural, historical, and anthropological ideas respectively. While one evokes these to eventually call for a collective rebalancing through scientific, ethical considerations, the other calls for rebalancing of personal, individual and historical injustices and traumas towards a brighter future.
The call for a collective, collaborative, and positive vision for the future is where their practices align. It is precisely here that I invite you to explore the enduring traces of our past and their profound implications for our posthuman future. As you move through the exhibition, consider how vestiges in various forms—physical, cultural, psychological, digital—shape our understanding of identity, memory, and existence. Reflect on the ethical responsibilities we bear towards these traces and the legacies we leave behind. In an era where the boundaries between human, machine, and nature are increasingly fluid, this exhibition aims to offer a provoking journey through the complexities of the posthuman condition and the enduring power of vestiges.
