Title of the artwork: Francine was a Machine
Research theme: Paving the way towards interspecies economy (N. Nazarova; read more…)
From the artist: Francine Was a Machine tells the story of René Descartes’ mechanical daughter, a fable about a man of rationality and science creating a human-like machine to replace his deceased daughter, Francine. During a travel through a storm at sea, the crew on the ship discovers the doll in Descartes’ cabin and throw it into the ocean with great awe and horror.
What became of Descartes doll when she was thrown overboard and escaped the rational dualist worldview of her creator? Did she encounter other species; from the marine fauna, who accepted her more readily than her human violators? Is our hostility or estrangement towards the not-quite human, weather a mechanical doll or a cephalopod, also a missed opportunity?
The film draws upon concepts from post-humanist discourse on human-non-human-animal relationships, suggesting that it may be necessary to rethink our approach to fellow creatures. In this way, it aligns with Nadezda Nazarova’s research project, Paving the Way Towards Interspecies Economy.
