Hive Mind

The Hive Mind

A digitally-sculpted and rapid-prototyped 3D sculpture by Rapid Artist Kevin Carpenter.

The artwork highlights the inherent dualism within humanity, as characterized by the lateralization of brain function and its popular associated characteristics, and how "mental" information combines within the Cloud to form a Hive Mind of collective knowledge, but not necessarily wisdom.

The artwork consists of 6 heads entirely printed using alternating black and white material. Each face is divided down the middle. One half of each head reflects the attributes of the Left Hemisphere of the Brain, symbolizing Left Brained people, thought processes, information and ideas: male, logical, analytical, linear, precise, scientific, controlling, mathematical, rigid, mechanical, uniform angular geometry, the exoteric, art deco design features with synthetic digital hair resembling circuit board wiring.

The other side of the head reflects the attributes of the Right Hemisphere of the brain, symbolizing Right Brained people, thought processes, information and ideas: female, creative, intuitive, emotional, holistic, free thinking, imaginative, artistic, poetic, spiraling circular geometry, the esoteric, fluid Art Nouveau design features with long flowing hair resembling natural plant based forms.

Themes expressed in each head and face: Dualism. The natural vs. the synthetic. Human thought vs. Transhuman thought. Technology vs. Nature. Black vs. White. Ying vs. Yang. Freedom vs. Control.

The 6 heads sit in a circle on a base representing the 6 inhabited continents and their populations. The synthetic hair of the left brain head and the flowing natural hair of the right brain head intermingle and intertwine into a massive interconnected web rising up into the air above the heads, suspended in a Cloud in the shape of a beehive. Some strands of hair seem to be at war with each other, struggling for dominance. The Hive Mind itself resides outside the human being and takes the information and characteristics from both hemispheres of the brain melding them together into one unified form.

In the center of each head, nested within a Metatron's Cube rests a hollow pit in the forehead where the pineal gland (the gnostic seat of wisdom, consciousness and the soul) should sit, but has been extracted. This suggests that the Hive Mind is still just based on collecting and categorizing "mental" information, data and knowledge, but does not necessarily contain any Wisdom or reflect an advanced level of consciousness.

The artwork asks the viewer to contemplate and reflect on the nature of duality and the Hive Mind, on technology vs. nature and the difference between virtually sculpted art vs. naturally sculpted art. It hints at the importance of hemispheric brain "Balance", the Corpus Callosum, and how integrated higher level brain function might affect the very nature of the Hive Mind. It also poses a question about whether consciousness could exist within the Hive Mind, where the information itself is conscious, or does it exist outside of the Hive Mind and Mind altogether. The artwork ultimately poses the question: what is the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom, what does it mean to be human in the information age, and in evolutionary terms, is the Hive Mind leading humanity towards transcendence or enslavement.

Видео Hive Mind канала Kevin Carpenter