Press Release: Pace University Art Gallery Presents the Being Transducer Exhibition

The Exhibit Explores the Complex Connection Between Plants and Humans with the Aid of Technology

Pace University Art Gallery is pleased to present Being Transducer, the first solo exhibition in New York by the Taiwanese art collective Synphysica, Chiaochi Chou and Youyang Hu. This exhibit builds on the duo’s ongoing exploration of a "bio-Internet of Things," expanding upon philosopher Timothy Morton's object-oriented ecological perspective.

Being Transducer aims to reveal a network of biological signals that transcend individual, species, geographic, and temporal boundaries, highlighting the complex relationships and multiple existences within ecosystems. The exhibit opens with a reception on Tuesday, October 1 from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Founded in 2018 by Chou and Hu, Synphysica is known for its large-scale installations that incorporate living organisms, including humans and plants. Their work seeks to reveal the subjectivity of non-human entities through bioelectrical signals, break down physical barriers between species, and visually portray the ecological landscape of collective interactions. Their solo exhibition at Pace University engages with Timothy Morton’s concept of "dark ecology," illustrating how all elements within an ecosystem—human and non-human alike—exist within a complex, interwoven network.

Image

The exhibition highlights both the visible interactions within this ecology and the subtle, often imperceptible interactions that lie beneath the surface. As Chou explains, “The boundary between humans and nature is absolutely blurred. We cannot regard nature simply as an external world. The concept of humans and nature being a binary relationship must be cast away.”

The six immersive artworks on display showcase Synphysica's creative evolution from 2020 to 2024. They reveal how subtle life signals manifest within materials and traverse connections between humans, nature, and objects—both physically and virtually. The installations create links from New York's bustling skyscrapers to forests around the globe, highlighting the intricate interplay between these diverse environments.

This exhibit, which remains on view through Saturday, October 26, 2024, is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. To create the work on view, the artists have received further collaboration from the National Tsinghua University Chiao-Wei Li Laboratory, the University of Tokyo Yasuaki Kakehi Laboratory, Columbia University Uriarte Lab, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York (TECO), the Asian Cultural Council (ACC), Brooklyn Artists Studio (BAS), and Project Fulfill Art Space as well as sponsorship from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Tsinghua University and Crystal Park in New York.

Pace University Art Gallery is in Lower Manhattan at 41 Park Row. All the gallery’s exhibits and events are free and open to the public. Current gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 1:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m., Thursday until 7:00 p.m. and by appointment. Please check gallery Instagram for university holiday closures.

Image credits

• Portrait of the artists Chiaochi Chou (R) and Youyang Hu (L) of the Synphysica art collective
• Synphysica, Apercevoir_NY, human, plant, speaker, water, electronic components, on-site edition, 2024

About the Synphysica art collective

Synphysica was founded in 2018 by artists Chiaochi Chou and Youyang Hu. The name signifies a millennium-born entity, without a fixed form, existing as an elusive data presence. The collective is renowned for its signature use of hybrid media and large-scale installations.

Chou and Hu leverage their diverse backgrounds to explore the relationship between humans and nature through the interactions among humans and non-humans driven by biosignals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they reassessed the impact of technology on ecological evolution in their isolated lives, subsequently focusing their creative direction on exploring the essence of objects and life, extending beyond a human-centric perspective. As a result, their creative domain shifted from indoor exhibition spaces to natural environments, employing sensors and algorithms to detect, analyze, and transform scenarios not limited to human experience but constructed by both living and non-living entities. This approach has solidified the collective’s methodology of integrating research and creation, highlighting the ontological world structured by the two artists.

Chou is an emerging Taiwan artist, renowned for her installation art that incorporates living organisms and physical materials. She also oversees the organization of the collective's exhibitions. Chou is currently pursuing a PhD at Tsinghua University under the guidance of Professor Chia-Wei Li. As the 2024 recipient of the Asian Cultural Council fellowship, she is currently residing in NYC. She was also a member of the IDSA x Ars Electronica Founding Lab.

Hu is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher whose expertise in firmware integration leads the collective’s development capabilities. His work spans bioinformatics, AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms, human-computer interaction, and mixed reality research, with many publications in top conferences and journals in computer science. He is currently a PhD student at Professor Yasuaki Kakehi Lab at the University of Tokyo.

About the Pace University Art Gallery

Founded with the conviction that art is integral to society, the Pace University Art Gallery is a creative laboratory and exhibition space that supports innovation and exploration for both artists and viewers. Open to students, staff, and faculty from across the Pace campuses and, equally, to the Lower Manhattan community and visitors from around the world, the Art Gallery encourages personal investigation and critical dialogue via thought-provoking contemporary art exhibits and public programming. Enhancing the Art Department's Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs, the Art Gallery offers students real-world opportunities to exhibit their own art and to work directly with professional artists to install and promote exhibitions. All exhibits and events are free and open to the public.

About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.

About Pace University

Since 1906, Pace University has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, Sands College of Performing Arts, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.