The Art of Deception

Exhibition by Isaac Monté, in
collaboration with Toby Kiers

Mediamatic, Amsterdam, 04-10-’16 / 14-02-‘17

Exhibition review by: Tim Renders

This exhibition discusses the human urge for perfection by displaying transformed pigs hearts that resemble the urge for inner beauty. Belgian design activist Isaac Monté cooperated for this project with evolutionary biologist Toby Kiers, who is also Professor of Mutualistic Interactions at the VU Amsterdam. Together they have manipulated several pigs hearts into artworks that display certain aesthetic qualities in the same manner as humans manipulate themselves for aesthetic purposes. The question that rises from this uncommon exhibition is whether humans will extend their quest for beauty towards their physical inner self. How far will this pursuit for perfection take us now we have entered the scientific era that makes it possible to manipulate on a cellular level?

The exhibition takes place in an old industrial building next to Mediamatic’s restaurant and can be visited for 5 euro’s, which also includes the book The Art of Deception. The industrial feeling of the building fits very well with the idea of constructing beauty and all artworks are lighted so that they can be seen through windows from outside the building during darker hours. The building then takes the place of the outside body with the decorated hearts inside it, true inner beauty.