Neil Harbisson

Cyborg artist, officially recognised as a cyborg by a government

Biography

Neil Harbisson is a Catalan-raised, British-born contemporary artist and cyborg activist best known for having an antenna implanted in his skull and for being officially recognised as a cyborg by a government. The antenna allows him to perceive visible and invisible colours via audible vibrations in his skull including infrareds and ultraviolets as well as receive colours from space, images, videos, music or phone calls directly into his head via internet connection. Harbisson identifies himself both as a cyborg; he feels he is technology, and as a transpecies; he no longer feels 100% human.

Neil Harbisson studied art and music at various schools in Spain. At the age of 11, he began to compose his first piano pieces and with 16 years, he studied fine art at the Institut Alexandre Satorras. In 2001, Harbisson moved to Ireland to finish his piano studies at Dublin’s Waltons New School of Music. In 2002, he moved to England to study music composition at Dartington College of Arts. The antenna is a result of the co-operation between Adam Montandon, a cybernetics graduates, and Neil Harbisson himself. For this work, they earned the award for Innovation and Submerge in Bristol and the European Award for multimedia interface Design EURO-PRIX Top Talent Award in Vienna.

His artwork explores identity, human perception, the connection between sight and sound and the use of artistic expression via new sensory inputs. In 2010 he co-founded the Cyborg Foundation with Moon Ribas, an international organisation that aims to help humans become cyborgs, defend cyborg rights and promote cyborg art. In 2017 he co-founded the Transpecies Society, an association that gives voice to people with non-human identities, defends the freedom of self-design and offers the creation of new senses and new organs in community.

Harbisson identifies himself as a cyborg, he feels both his mind and body are united to cybernetics. In his presentations Neil Harbisson kidnaps his audience in his world and illustrates in a brilliant way how his antenna really works. Furthermore, he underlines how important new technologies really are and tells funny anecdotes he already has experienced because of the antenna.

His special and unconventional presentations, as well as his great mixture of a good sense of humour and simple explanations about technology, making him a highly appreciated guest for every kind of event.

Topics

What’s a cyborg?
Cyborg Art
Artificial Senses
The Future of the Human
The use of the internet as a sense
Cyborg Activism
Cyborg Law

Languages

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