CYBOTAGE: Infrastructural Flesh

Feb 6 to 28 | Step Gallery

Opening reception | Feb 6 | 6 to 9 p.m.

“CYBOTAGE” is a solo exhibition where art, biology, global security and social science converge. Named after its central body of work, this series of animated digital colossi probes the ethical dilemmas of human enhancement technologies—sparking dialogue on their impact on society and the environment. Inspired by the colossal guardian statues of Ancient Egypt’s Abu Simbel, these figures, constructed from MRI-like scans overlaid with mapping systems, stand as “guardians” of cyberspace, projected onto landmark facades, skyscrapers or displayed indoors.

Drawing from the legacy of Ancient Egyptian colossi, “CYBOTAGE” underscores our evolving reliance on technology––from “stone’s” materiality in temple construction, to digital “pixels” as building blocks for cyberspace visualization. “CYBOTAGE” presents a contemporary colossus as a "deity" of the Internet age—emphasizing our dependence on cyberspace as a permanent temple and the “guardianship” required to protect our digital lives. 

Image: Zeina Barakeh, “CYBOTAGE,” 2025, installation shot of animation projection, Catharine Clark Gallery, dimensions and duration variable.