01.03.18 - 03.06.18
FAKE
From fake meat to fake emotions, if faking it gets the job done, who cares? From biomimicry to forged documents, from scandals to substitutes — when is authenticity essential, when is copying cool, and what is the boundary between a fakery faux-pas and a really fantastic FAKE?
We have long been obsessed with authenticity, the genuine article, the real deal. But, in both the natural world and human society, faking, mimicking, and copying can be highly reliable strategies for success. When appearance is everything — could a fake be just as valuable as the real thing?
Curators
Oron Catts, Director of SymbioticA, University of Western Australia
Nicola Marples, Professor of Zoology, Trinity College Dublin
Fiona Newell, Professor of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin
Lynn Scarff, Director, Science Gallery Dublin
Highlights
Exhibits
The Nefertiti Bust is an ancient Egyptian sculpture discovered by a German archaeological team in 1912…
Designer Isaac Monté and Toby Kiers, professor at the Free University in Amsterdam, have created the first collection of designer hearts using a technique known as decellularisation,
In 2013, American filmmaker Errol Morris ran a study with The New York Timesto find what typeface is considered to be the most believable.
The Modular Body is an online science fiction story about the creation of OSCAR, a living organism built from human cells
We fake laughter all the time. We do it to be polite, hide our ignorance, and even to fit in.
A team of researchers from the University of Washington used the process to successfully generate a highly realistic video of former president Barack Obama
This is an authentic painting, created circa 1860 by an unidentified artist, probably French…
The products here can be referred to as ‘cheese’ because they contain a minimum 51% cheese…
Shanzhai Archeology demonstrates that the real innovation in mobile telephony lies not in the latest iPhone model but rather in mini-factories in the Chinese hi-tech hub of Shenzhen (where iPhones are produced).
Rayfish Footwear is a fictional company that offers personalised sneakers crafted from genetically modified stingray leather.
The artist created this work after observing a flock of starlings in her urban neighbourhood
Is producing ‘fake’ copies of an extinct material an attempt to understand the past, or is it just an excuse to constantly create the desire for rarity?
In an age of ubiquitous digital reproduction, is there any way to safeguard information so it cannot be copied?
The Modular Mechanics Hairy Armchair explores joints between different materials riffing on traditional furniture-making techniques.
Visitors can press a button on the installation to trigger the creation of a unique album at any moment.
An experiment examining whether a cue to self-identity can be used to influence bodily self-consciousness.
A study of reflection, this light sculpture confronts the viewer with the duality of who they are and how they perceive themselves
The Giant Pool of Money series examines the thoughts and beliefs that led to the global financial crisis in 2008…
Fear and Loathing in GTA V was created using the in-game camera phone in Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V).
Louise Delage arrived on Instagram on 1st August, 2016. Within a few months she had garnered 16,000 followers
FAUX Foodmongers is a deli where you can sample and purchase a range of food that might be considered ‘fake’ by some eaters.
Die Sammlung (The Collection) is a project that contrasts the methods of presentation of the museum and art gallery.
Cephalopods are known for their adaptive coloration, which allows them to camouflage themselves in different environments…
Avatars are interactive virtual characters that represent someone, or something, digitally…