(Español) “El proyecto expositivo en su conjunto se adentra con inteligencia, y ciertas dosis de irónica utopía, en el resbaladizo pero pertinente limite que separa -y al tiempo une- ciencia, arte y religión. Sin duda, un espléndido proyecto producido por el Museo Universidad de Navarra”. Francisco Carpio
“A Chinese research paper on the life cycle of the Aurelia aurita, a species of jellyfish that can regenerate itself and never die, inspired the author to explore the concept of transhumanism and the aspirations of immortality shared by mankind, art, science and religion.”
Edition: Javier Viver, Valentín Vallhonrat Ghezzi & Rafael Levenfeld Ortiz
Design: Javier Viver & Miguel San José Romano
Pre-print: Brizzolis, arte en gráficas & La Troupe
Print: Brizzolis
Bounding: Ramos
Texts by: Javier Viver
Traduction: Yuchen Zhang & Carmen Mactley
Coordinaction & Publishing production: Trama editorial
Publish: Universidad de Navarra Museum
ISBN 978-84-8081-544-4
DLNA 564-2017
Synopsis:
In late 2015, Chinese marine biology student Jinru He published an article in the journal PLoS ONE about the surprising properties of the Aurelia aurita jellyfish, which is able to achieve biological immortality, a fact that led to the publication of numerous news articles in the international media. This discovery inspired sculptor, photographer and designer Javier Viver to adopt a narrative approach that shifts between scientific documentation and fiction.
The Aurelia is therefore known as the “immortal jellyfish.”Javier Viver uses this discovery, which was reported in various general and specialized media outlets throughout 2016, to form a narrative that fluctuates between scientific documentation and fiction. The story is told from the year 2046, in a future where exponential biotechnology progress has radically enhanced humankind in areas such as developed intelligence and longer life expectancy. When seen from this perspective, the discovery of the Aurelia jellyfish’s endless life cycle is a sign of what is to come: not only for
the jellyfish, but also for what awaits humankind in the coming decades.
There is a two-volume photobook: the first in the form of a leporelloor concertina book, containing photographs of the jellyfish’s life cycle, and the second, a notebook displaying texts, drawings and photographic documentation that tells the story. On the other hand, there is the presentation in the exhibition space, where the images are displayed as large-format photos on the walls and as sculptures, thus creating a giant version of the leporello book. T.
