Culture Biofiction:: Imaginary Transgressions of Living Knowledge

Abstract

Humans seem to have a transgressive and countercultural nature that no education or law can contain. In a time period when the technologies to preserve our memories and enhance our humane bodies are developing at a fast pace and the corresponding dystopic and utopic future scenarios are constantly presented in speculative ways the author reflects on her artistic practice informed by biotechnology and dwells on concepts of transgression, heterotopia, transdisciplinarity and knowledge. The influence of works of art on the ways of visualizing fundamental principles and beliefs, in the destruction and construction of skepticism and cynicism, is notorious. Art and culture are powerful on modifying and establishing the way in which policies, institutions and behaviour are presented, approved, criticized or condemned. The author’s personal practice focuses on specific areas of critical investigation, and on a continuous exercise seeking a reflective research hypothesis and an emerging methodology. In a fictional way this paper departs from a visit to a Hieronymus Bosch painting, according to the author, an expression of counterculture/subculture in a cultural landmark and follows to enquiry on whether memory and the author arts-based research practice on memory are transgressive. This research practice/reflexion aims to contribute to the empowerment of art as a form of knowledge.