Ali Hossaini Work | Artist Statement & CV | Return to Artist List
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Artist Statement
Nowhere is the fragmentation of the human psyche more evident than in how we treat the environment. We know we’re pillaging our habitat, but we can’t make the leap from knowledge to right action. I attribute this disconnect, and many others, to the factionalizing of culture that began with modern science, industry and art.
I’m not saying we should turn our backs on the Enlightenment. But neither should we take it as dogma - we need to rethink its foundation, integrating our psyche into the cosmos in a way that builds on premodern wisdoms as well as modern science. The Enlightenment freed physics, astronomy and eventually art - think “art for art’s sake” - from tradition, spawning remarkable advances along with deep alienation.
It’s time to produce culture in a more holistic, organic way. For now science, art and religion - and I use “religion” here to mean a generalized psychology - lie in private tracks, each requiring extensive knowledge for appreciation let alone practice. How can these disciplines work together more effectively?
The answer doesn’t lie in the rejecting, merging or reconciling science and spirit. Instead we need to create a framework for integrating our experiences of these different realms, and this is precisely what artists can do. Art needs to step out of its self-referential confines, the safe house of galleries, museums and markets. It needs to be Saturday night and Sunday morning, be the new church, and it needs to invade pop culture. Mass appeal is critical.
Most of all art needs to rejoin itself to science. Both embody urges to explore, understand and create, and both have become specialized, mechanized and self-absorbed, given to destructive irony. Art cannot be science, but it can convey the sense of wonder that drives scientists. It can visualize the worlds of science while honoring our sense of self as beings that transcend the mundane.
Our experiences of spirit and matter cannot be reconciled, but they can be represented. And they can be represented in a way that sheds light on the complexities and responsibilities of being self-aware. Artists can rise above the dilemmas of modern life: they can comprehend the contradictions, integrating them into new levels of experience where knowledge, desire and energy meet the limits of human freedom.
Nowhere is the fragmentation of the human psyche more evident than in how we treat the environment. We know we’re pillaging our habitat, but we can’t make the leap from knowledge to right action. I attribute this disconnect, and many others, to the factionalizing of culture that began with modern science, industry and art.
I’m not saying we should turn our backs on the Enlightenment. But neither should we take it as dogma - we need to rethink its foundation, integrating our psyche into the cosmos in a way that builds on premodern wisdoms as well as modern science. The Enlightenment freed physics, astronomy and eventually art - think “art for art’s sake” - from tradition, spawning remarkable advances along with deep alienation.
It’s time to produce culture in a more holistic, organic way. For now science, art and religion - and I use “religion” here to mean a generalized psychology - lie in private tracks, each requiring extensive knowledge for appreciation let alone practice. How can these disciplines work together more effectively?
The answer doesn’t lie in the rejecting, merging or reconciling science and spirit. Instead we need to create a framework for integrating our experiences of these different realms, and this is precisely what artists can do. Art needs to step out of its self-referential confines, the safe house of galleries, museums and markets. It needs to be Saturday night and Sunday morning, be the new church, and it needs to invade pop culture. Mass appeal is critical.
Most of all art needs to rejoin itself to science. Both embody urges to explore, understand and create, and both have become specialized, mechanized and self-absorbed, given to destructive irony. Art cannot be science, but it can convey the sense of wonder that drives scientists. It can visualize the worlds of science while honoring our sense of self as beings that transcend the mundane.
Our experiences of spirit and matter cannot be reconciled, but they can be represented. And they can be represented in a way that sheds light on the complexities and responsibilities of being self-aware. Artists can rise above the dilemmas of modern life: they can comprehend the contradictions, integrating them into new levels of experience where knowledge, desire and energy meet the limits of human freedom.
CV
Ali Hossaini is a philosopher who uses art to express experiences inspired by scientific, intellectual and spiritual canons. He works predominately in video, printmaking and transmission media.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., philosophy, The University of Texas at Austin
BA, philosophy, Washington University in St Louis
Academic awards
University fellowship, philosophy, The University of Texas at Austin
Woolrich fellowship, poetry, Columbia University
Fellowship, photographic printing, The International Center for Photography
CURRENT PROJECTS
Neurodiversity: Multichannel video environment that recreates the perceptual universe of neurodiverse individuals – that is, people with autism, dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, synaesthesia and other conditions.
Oceanic Verses: 3-channel video triptych for an opera by Paola Prestini. Commissioned by Carnegie Hall with a lab production appearing in City Opera in April, 2010.
Epiphany: A 4-channel video/print installation shot in extreme locations inspired by the Bardo Thödol and the artist’s experience of his mother’s death.
4Monkeys: A multichannel interactive video installation generated by custom software that animates strings of characters based on a ∑* series, a formal definition of words found in logic.
Philogenesis: Ten plays each of which expresses a different philosophic concept through dramatic narrative. Noumena, The River, Zeno’s Arrow and Time is the Moving Image were staged at the Water Mill Center for the Arts in 2008.
RECENT REVIEWS
For 3D Travelers, A Cosmic Journey. New York Times, March 26, 2010.
Ouroboros. Cool Hunting, April 20, 2010.
NYC Gallery Brings Design to the People. Fast Company, October 5, 2010.
RECENT EXHIBITIONS
2010
Ouroboros: The History of the Universe. 6-channel video. Ise Cultural Foundation, New York City.
Oceanic Verses, 3-channel video. New York City Opera VOX Series, New York City.
Caro Ben Mio. 3-channel video. Galapagos Art Space, New York City.
2009
Frames from Epiphany. Digital inkjet prints. The Kaufman Arcade, New York City.
Frames from Epiphany. Digital inkjet prints. Gallery 8, New York City.
Baghdad Transcendental. Silver gelatin prints, architectural installation, marking pens. The Drop: 2012, New York City.
2008
Divine Machines. Single-channel video. The Hackney Empire Theatre, London.
Epiphany. Single-channel video. The American Museum of the Moving Image, New York City.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video.Perpetual Art Machine, Scope Art Fair, New York City.
Unperception Now. Single-channel video. Montreal Festival of Film on Art.
2007
Living Voom. Single-channel video. The Lincoln Center, New York City.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. SF Cinemateque, San Francisco.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. Orchard 47, New York City.
2006
Epiphany. Single-channel video. Anthology Film Archives, New York City.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. Anthology Film Archives, New York City.
Selected Publications
2010
“Mediation and Civilisation: The prehistory of optical representation” in Vision, Memory and Media, FACT Publications.
“Television Reimagined” in Robert Wilson Video Portraits, ZKM Publications.
“Cosmos in a Box,” Reality Sandwich.
2007
“Don’t Kill Your Television,” Reality Sandwich.
“Merging Art with Television,” High Def Magazine.
2006
“Aerial Photography,” “The Lens” and “Optics” entries in in The Encyclopedia of Photography, Routledge.
2004
“Beyond the multicultural ghetto,” Open Democracy
2003
“Vision of the Gods: An inquiry into the meaning of photography” in Logos Journal
“The nasty truth about the noble lie,” Open Democracy
2002
“Stop the downward spiral in digital TV!” Open Democracy
2001
“At War with Myself,” Maclean’s Magazine (reprinted in textbooks)
Ali Hossaini is a philosopher who uses art to express experiences inspired by scientific, intellectual and spiritual canons. He works predominately in video, printmaking and transmission media.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., philosophy, The University of Texas at Austin
BA, philosophy, Washington University in St Louis
Academic awards
University fellowship, philosophy, The University of Texas at Austin
Woolrich fellowship, poetry, Columbia University
Fellowship, photographic printing, The International Center for Photography
CURRENT PROJECTS
Neurodiversity: Multichannel video environment that recreates the perceptual universe of neurodiverse individuals – that is, people with autism, dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, synaesthesia and other conditions.
Oceanic Verses: 3-channel video triptych for an opera by Paola Prestini. Commissioned by Carnegie Hall with a lab production appearing in City Opera in April, 2010.
Epiphany: A 4-channel video/print installation shot in extreme locations inspired by the Bardo Thödol and the artist’s experience of his mother’s death.
4Monkeys: A multichannel interactive video installation generated by custom software that animates strings of characters based on a ∑* series, a formal definition of words found in logic.
Philogenesis: Ten plays each of which expresses a different philosophic concept through dramatic narrative. Noumena, The River, Zeno’s Arrow and Time is the Moving Image were staged at the Water Mill Center for the Arts in 2008.
RECENT REVIEWS
For 3D Travelers, A Cosmic Journey. New York Times, March 26, 2010.
Ouroboros. Cool Hunting, April 20, 2010.
NYC Gallery Brings Design to the People. Fast Company, October 5, 2010.
RECENT EXHIBITIONS
2010
Ouroboros: The History of the Universe. 6-channel video. Ise Cultural Foundation, New York City.
Oceanic Verses, 3-channel video. New York City Opera VOX Series, New York City.
Caro Ben Mio. 3-channel video. Galapagos Art Space, New York City.
2009
Frames from Epiphany. Digital inkjet prints. The Kaufman Arcade, New York City.
Frames from Epiphany. Digital inkjet prints. Gallery 8, New York City.
Baghdad Transcendental. Silver gelatin prints, architectural installation, marking pens. The Drop: 2012, New York City.
2008
Divine Machines. Single-channel video. The Hackney Empire Theatre, London.
Epiphany. Single-channel video. The American Museum of the Moving Image, New York City.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video.Perpetual Art Machine, Scope Art Fair, New York City.
Unperception Now. Single-channel video. Montreal Festival of Film on Art.
2007
Living Voom. Single-channel video. The Lincoln Center, New York City.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. SF Cinemateque, San Francisco.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. Orchard 47, New York City.
2006
Epiphany. Single-channel video. Anthology Film Archives, New York City.
Curated work from LAB. Single-channel video. Anthology Film Archives, New York City.
Selected Publications
2010
“Mediation and Civilisation: The prehistory of optical representation” in Vision, Memory and Media, FACT Publications.
“Television Reimagined” in Robert Wilson Video Portraits, ZKM Publications.
“Cosmos in a Box,” Reality Sandwich.
2007
“Don’t Kill Your Television,” Reality Sandwich.
“Merging Art with Television,” High Def Magazine.
2006
“Aerial Photography,” “The Lens” and “Optics” entries in in The Encyclopedia of Photography, Routledge.
2004
“Beyond the multicultural ghetto,” Open Democracy
2003
“Vision of the Gods: An inquiry into the meaning of photography” in Logos Journal
“The nasty truth about the noble lie,” Open Democracy
2002
“Stop the downward spiral in digital TV!” Open Democracy
2001
“At War with Myself,” Maclean’s Magazine (reprinted in textbooks)
Ouroboros: Installation shot showing 26 x 9 foot video wall with 2 16-foot side panels.
Ouroboros: Frame from a 26 foot x 9 foot video wall, one of the six sections of Ouroboros: The history of the universe.
Ouroboros: Installation shot includes 16 foot & 26 foot video panels.
Ouroboros: Installation shot includes 16 foot & 26 foot video panels.
Ouroboros: Installation shot of 16 foot video panel.
Ouroboros: Frame from 16-foot video panel.
Epiphany: Frame from Eiffel Tower sequence.
Epiphany: Frame from Gates sequence.
Epiphany: Frame from Neon sequence.
Epiphany: Frame from Gates sequence.
Epiphany: Frame from Iceland sequence.
Oceanic Verses: Scene from Migration.
Oceanic Verses: Scene from Migration.
Oceanic Verses: Scene from Migration.
Oceanic Verses: Scene from Annannia (Birth).
Oceanic Verses: Scene from Fimmene (Women).
Oceanic Verses: Full triptych as intended for projection during opera.
4Monkeys: Frame from generative video sequence.
4Monkeys: Frame from generative video sequence.
4Monkeys: Frame from generative video sequence.