Nonhuman Subjectivities

Both events took place in connection with the exhibition Nonhuman Subjectivities: The Other Selves. On the Phenomenon of the Microbiome and as part of the 2016 festival transmediale art&digitalculture

1000 Handshakes by François-Joseph Lapointe
3 February 2016, 7PM

Performance during the opening night of transmediale/ conversation piece
Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures, John-Foster-Dulles Allee 10, 10557 Berlin)

As part of the opening of the 2016 transmediale festival of art & digital culture at Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Art Laboratory Berlin will present the performance 1000 Handshakes by François-Joseph Lapointe, curated by Regine Rapp and Christian de Lutz.

During this performative experiment Lapointe will shake hands with people, gradually changing the invisible microbial community in the palm of his hand. The DNA of this microbiome, whose samples will be taken from his skin during the performance, will then be analysed to reveal how our contact with others shapes the microbes between us, how it changes who we are. The performance raises awareness through physical and social engagement, through acts of participation and exchange on social, individual and microbial levels. The handshake is a basic and ancient act of networking, forms the beginning of a social, scientific and artistic collaboration between the performer and the public. The results will form part of the exhibition The Other Selves. On the Phenomenon of the Microbiome opening later that month at Art Laboratory Berlin.

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

GoPro photograph, courtesy of the artist

1000 Handshakes – Towards an Aesthetics of the Microbiome
Talk
5 February 2016, 5 – 6.30 pm

At transmediale/ conversation piece (House of World Cultures, John-Foster-Dulles Allee 10, 10557 Berlin) François-Joseph Lapointe with Christian de Lutz (Art Laboratory Berlin)

This talk will focus on François-Joseph Lapointe’s performance 1000 Handshakes, which will be carried out during transmediale’s opening night. During this experiment, Lapointe will shake hands with visitors, gradually changing the invisible microbial community in the palm of his hand.

The DNA of this microbiome, whose samples will be taken from his skin during the performance, will then be analyzed to reveal how our contact with others shapes the microbes between us, essentially changing who we are. The performance raises awareness through physical and social engagement, through acts of participation and exchange on social, individual, and microbial levels. The handshake, a basic and ancient act of networking, forms the beginning of a social, scientific, and artistic collaboration between the performer and the public.

Press Reviews

Die Kunst des Händeschüttelns. Eine neue Ausstellung bei Art Laboratory Berlin by Inge Pett in Art-inBerlin.de

Culture File: Hacking a Microbiome by Luke Clancy in RTE (Radio Televison Ireland)

Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Künstler will 1000 Hände schütteln by Philipp Kohl in BZ