EOM/OHE
Alaro, Illes Baleares

EOM-OHE: Extensions of Man & The Original Human Experience

I open this text with an open mind. I am writing this short statement as an open source document for those who find discontent with certain forms of social modernity. This is just the very tip of the iceberg within our vast landscape of humanities and ethics discussions, but nonetheless is a jumping-off point to a bigger discussion that I hope we can unpack in person, in real time, and continue to edit, document and resolve these core solution-based themes of social progression.

In this document I outline a basic overview to a few selected issues I believe deserve examination. In my short lifetime, being from a generation that grew up without wifi / mobile communication technology being incorporated into our daily social lives, I can clearly see the repercussions of now living within this life 2.0 development. These opinions are based on a first hand documented account of a perpetually connected virtual link experience that has exhausted certain personal senses through a myriad of complex anti-instinctual behavior patterns that distanced me from what I call the *OHE: Original Human Experience.

This experience has led me to discover the disconnection from our natural, tribal senses.

One important question I ask myself often is: We are inherently granted the natural occurrence of separation, why fight it with technology?

Every technology creates an extension of *man. Where once natural technology brought us together through fire, food and dance, now the most widely spread daily use - through systemic, once western, now global encouragement - of fabricated, industrial technology within social communication and environmental interaction, has detached us from our senses, surroundings and communities through introverting and isolating mediums i.e. phones, computers etc.

With media and technology influencing our lives, there has been a steady and prominent rise in red flags signaling the negative social implications in our new era of ‘Virtual Human Replication’, an instance where technology mimics human expression.

Inherently, through these red flag discoveries, i.e., mobile messaging communication and perpetually linked wifi-based living - we cannot deny the apathetic mental, physical and social numbness that has developed globally, thus sequestering us toward a less involved state of ‘Replacement Lifestyle Dystopia.’ This makes us rely on technology to replace our natural ability to resolve basic tasks such as logical communication - making formulated / coherent plans - encouraging geographic awareness - listening to directions, reviewing a map before moving around an unfamiliar place, accepting the idea of being lost, asking for directions etc.

“We cannot deny the apathetic mental, physical and social numbness that has developed globally”

During the rise in this dis-connectivity we see our new global era showcasing three prevailing and overarching themes that have developed into hazardous, and at times, detrimental social practices.

1: ‘On All The Time.’ Without proper rest, our physical and emotional state will be the first to suffer from a myriad of fatigue symptoms directly linked to the implementation of constant contact message-based systems creating a never ending stream of information we take on as a daily operation.

2: ‘Global Statistic Value Systems.’ This system sees that statistics have been appropriated to people, places and things leading to an equity system with more emphasis on value of our statistics than on the quality of our original, natural intended state and being.

3: ‘Digital Reward Systems.’ This virtual system has given rise to reliance on our digital inversions, such as phone / computer based social platforms, any app / platform with feedback comments and “like” / viewership statistics, SMS Emoji use, to be responsible for our ‘feel good’ responses to both analog and digital forms of relationships, creations, beliefs. These systems lead us to live our lives in the aftermath of an experience, not in our reality of the present module.

“Without proper rest, our physical and emotional state will be the first to suffer from a myriad of fatigue symptoms”

When we decide to incorporate and utilize these mediums in our daily lives, we then are at the mercy of these modern, fabricated and unsustainable technologies. These mediums are generally being handled with an assumed cavalier presence, fostering impulsive behavior and reductive communication habits.

As we are being thrust into this new space of socio-technology integrated living, the effects undoubtedly need to be questioned and examined on a core level. Making a conscious decision to find ways to reclaim a more realistic life cadence within our communities can be an important step toward restoring our natural order within a modern context.

*OHE (Original Human Experience) engages us through consciousness and awareness on a basic human level we all have intrinsically in our DNA - connecting us back to nature through appreciation and understanding of our surrounding environments. This is an experience far more sustainable than relying on manufactured material and mobile media to be responsible for our actions and emotions.

These writings are merely observationally based prose, personal reminders of the above selected themes. Equally important is to be continually aware of, examine and develop a closer perspective and understanding of our ever changing landscape of technology-influenced behavioral communication.

Referring to ‘EOM’ (Extensions of Man) The study of various texts in Marshall McLuhan’s book Understanding Media directly reinforces these observations and beliefs with an undeniable and in-depth analysis of our modern tackle. The book is the oracle of the electric age, a radical view of the effects of electronic communications upon man and the twentieth century. Hence the name of this series ‘Extensions of Man’ is taken from the title of the book.

“This is an experience far more sustainable than relying on manufactured material and mobile media to be responsible for our actions and emotions”

Referring to ‘OHE’ (Original Human Experience) This is a self-designed, imperative analogue operating system I have developed to better understand our relationships with natural creation leading toward personal balance and peace.

Throughout the works in this show I have incorporated many terms and phrases from these themes within the visual + audio expressions. The repetition of three, which can be seen in most of the paintings and drawings is an important narrative as it represents OHE (Original Human Experience), EOM (Extension of Man), MBH (Mind Body Heart) etc. The human character in abstract poses represent a celebration of our natural being. The phrases in the works are all directed to the premises of Global Evaluation, The Gods of Upset, Investigation is Due, etc.

Looking at the phrase: EOMOHE, the E’s represent Three (as outlined above) - they appear as the first and the last letter of the phrase. This acts as a housing to the phrase. Then reading from (Right to Left) as in many other cultures, the letters HOMO appear, which in turn represents HUMAN. (E) (OMOH) (E).

To put it simply, I want to protect the brilliant, natural, spiritual human exchange. We experience things, then we don’t - that is reality, that is interesting.

EOM/OHEAlaro, Illes Baleares