Hallidonto (Graeme Gerard Halliday) is a Scottish artist originally from Dundee based in London, England. His work relates to his “Cyborgia Manifesto” his main focus is drawing; "The essence of the cyborg became my own. The cyborg image has been an integral part of my childhood. The cold war had just ended – the cultural landscape of the '80s was very much rooted in the future, the natural feeling of that time was dystopia from the cartoons/films, I watched as a kid, the advent of console gaming: Nintendo, etc. The image of man was always his metamorphism into the machine, or the machines taking over. I identified with the cyborg image, and I wanted to be one. I identified with the concept of such a being, and it has informed my work to date. They are infantile and simplistic in their appearance but not in their construction, being drawn in one continuous line. The continuous line has such intrigue the build-up of lines mirrors the essence of double helix structures akin to DNA, that create these lifeforms.
My visual discourse is motivated by transcribing the sociological developments of our age, the evolution of the flesh its reflection of the future state of humankind raises the questions of what it means to be human within an organic-techno-digital world, what was once flesh in an ever-changing landscape, I see my work as the neo-renaissance., my work questions our existence and relation to the organic and if we go to far can we call ourselves human, this anxiety, the flesh anxiety."
Hallidonto's cyborgs go a step further; his figures are devoid of all humanity- a testament to the suffering of the born in its struggle against the manufactured. Despite the symbolic nature of his work, Hallidonto’s cyborgs beg the question: what happens next? The result is a challenge to the viewer, deconstructing the remaining self-image of the human, the Cyborg forms are depicted in stages of life that are painfully familiar: birth, the past, family, death, sorrow and the future, the departure into a new being.
My manifesto presents describe my influences and my modus operandi. It unfolds my vision of humanity via philosophical context, this simulacrum of the cyborg image, now has an ontological reality. "
The cyborg is very much the symbol of this generation, I have been invited to present my 'Cyborgia Manifesto' at the Royal Academy and the Post Human Forum in New York, by invitation of award-winning philosopher Francesca Ferrando in 2015. Also by Luke Robert Mason at virtual futures and recently Central Saint Martins alongside Warren Ellis and Dr Jamie Brassett."
Hallidonto
NYC Posthuman Forum
Cyborg Cadavers exhibition.
First Kids of the Digital Age...
The aim of this project is to promote and explore the convergence of 21st-century technology in the form of immersive VR with a more traditional approach to Art practice – with the aim of embodying notions of the classical with contemporary immersive and interactive technology.
Birth of a Cyborg
My technique of drawing is a continuous line, with fluid and eloquent gestures I create these Cyborg organisms, My VR work has a similar application of Calligraphy, powerful strokes that embody a bold and powerful line, the simplicity of the composition evokes an ethereal space, the line and negative shapes compliment each other akin to the principles of Zen, I am interested in the Shodo style of performance Calligraphy painting, the performative aspect, parallels my technique when using virtual reality to perform this piece, the performance itself becomes a visceral act, the ability to use my whole body becomes cyborgian itself, using this equipment. I’m the creator, I’m creating a life form. I think the ability for me to actually bring a tangibility to these drawings, it’s not losing the essence of Hallidonto the artist, it’s actually, by virtue, bringing my whole essence into that piece.”
There’s always this uniqueness to the piece’s created because I know I’m going to draw a figure but I don’t know how it’s going to come out,” “It’s real-time and making decisions in real-time so that’s kind of a unique thing for me because it’s always a challenge.
Virtual Reality combined with 3D printing technology creates exciting pathways from traditional processes – Standard 2 dimensional drawing practices has limitations, and I argue that visual construction is often confined to the flat space (paper, wall). By releasing the lines and mark making from a 2-dimensional plane- virtual reality opens up the opportunity for me using my continuous line style in real time, thus giving the drawings a tangible reality and reveals the artist’s performative approach to creating work. This is revealed through my ability to construct these works in digital virtual space which can be transformed into 3-dimensional sculptural pieces using both traditional and 3D printing techniques, the works call also be viewed within the digital space via VR headset.
Birth of a Cyborg | Central Saint Martins | Festival of Imagination
Cyborgia Hanafuda
I am working a project based upon the card game Hanafuda my "Cyborgia Hanafuda" painting series: The project is 36 paintings of Cyborgia with Ukiyoe "Floating world" as the catalyst for the simulation of organic memory and meta image of the soul. I was 36 last year and I wanted to homage to Hokusai's 36 views of Mt Fuji in relation to my Cyborgia manifesto. I am interested to meet with a computer programmer to alter these cards into an Augmented reality piece, and using conductive paints to illuminate these cards as an immersive experience.
Interview from the Lady of the world
https://theladyoftheworld.com/2016/09/15/interview-with-contemporary-artist-hallidonto/
Interview of "Birth of a Cyborg" THIS MENTIONS "Artists having a renaissance in the context of living as a PAID artist.
https://www.tctmagazine.com/3d-printing-news/birth-of-a-cyborg-3d-printing-virtual-reality/
Interview for Zealous
http://about.zealous.co/articles/cyborg-manifesto-zealous-meetup/
Interview for the Scotsman