The Hedonistic Imperative

During March and April of 2018, me and my classmates hosted an art exhibition at the Bedford Arcade based on The Hedonistic Imperative, which is a theory created by David Pearce that suggests that all human suffering, both physical and emotional, is unnecessary in a modern society and can be removed via the use of genetic engineering and nanotechnology.

My overall stance on the Hedonistic Imperative is fairly mixed; there is no doubt in my mind that the goals of the Hedonistic imperative are noble and good, but the implications and methodology used to put it in practice could be considered unethical and amoral. When it comes to altering the future in such a way through the use of genetic engineering and nanotechnology, there is a large moral grey area to be considered. This provides the setting in which I have created my artwork. I have utilised the imagery of flames in my work that appear to be consuming nature. This could represent death and destruction, but it could also represent change and rebirth.

Year 2