Andrew Newell BFA Sculpture Thesis Fall 2017

The Road to Singularity: The Rise of Artificial Divinity and the Fall of Human Agency

This work has been driven by the idea of the technological Singularity. Like science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke’s famous adage says, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Once humans build a self-improving intelligence we will have effectively created a machine god. This machine will be infinitely more intelligent and capable than humans. I believe this could result in the complete loss of human autonomy. This work uses religion to talk about the development of intelligences greater than our own and what effects they may have on humanity. It draws parallels between religion and humanity’s dependence on technology and points to both as means of social and moral control.

These sculptures are a cautionary tale, meant to make the viewer ask themselves about the future of humanity and its development of technology. These pieces are constructed primarily from discarded objects sourced from the refuse of everyday life and cheap or secondhand materials. By viewing these sculptures the audience is asked to look at the technological methods of control that have subtly affected their lives and to imagine futures where those methods are taken to an extreme. These works demonstrate that the road to Singularity will be a rocky one that poses risks to humanity’s future.

Kathryn Prater BFA General Fine Arts Thesis Fall 2017

Sarah Birch BFA Animated Arts Thesis Fall 2017

Ashley Cozzetto BFA Photography Thesis Fall 2017

Emily Schwartz BFA Illustration Thesis Fall 2017

Matt Rodenbeck BFA Illustration Thesis Fall 2017

Kendrick Corp BFA Painting Thesis Fall 2017

Emma Parry BFA Painting Thesis Fall 2017

Madison Clark Camcam BFA Painting Thesis Fall 2017

Jessie Siegel BFA Printmaking Thesis Fall 2017

Sarah Anderson BFA Creative Writing Thesis Fall 2017

Austin Salazar BFA Painting Thesis Fall 2017

Andrew Newell BFA Sculpture Thesis Fall 2017

Aaron Smith BFA General Fine Arts Thesis Fall 2017

Tanya Gonzalez BFA General Fine Arts Thesis Fall 2017

Ari Gabriel BFA Animated Arts Thesis Fall 2017

Hannah Schill BFA Animated Arts Thesis Fall 2017

Casey Finn BFA Intermedia Thesis Fall 2017

Valeriya Gayevskaya BFA Intermedia Thesis Fall 2017

Zachary Pescador BFA Video & Sound Thesis Fall 2017

Ben Glas BFA Video & Sound Thesis Fall 2017

Ivy Loughborough BFA Intermedia Thesis Fall 2017

Aidan Jung Bosanko BFA Intermedia Thesis Fall 2017