Observing the project in process Gallus gallus roboticus at MFRU stands as an incubation, rehabilitation, educational and continued research space, where rescued battery hens, usually killed as they are considered uneconomical by the industry due to a drop in “normal” (actually totally abnormal) egg production, will be rehabilitated before being rehomed to a free range space, while the Artificial Intelligence can be trained on complex real-world data, assisted by gallery visitors.
Wondering whether Gallus gallus domesticus, the domesticated chicken, could be considered – within the framework of the Capitalocene – the most or least successful bird from an evolutionary perspective, as well as a prized artifact of human biotechnology, the project stems from a morbid fascination with the current and historical relationship between chickens and humans and the intricacies and problematics of technological exploitation, selective breeding, symbiosis, domestication, animal rights, farming practices, and food safety and security which riddle this narrative.
Gallus gallus roboticus thus speculates whether machines are perhaps more capable of being humane than humans – and, conversely, whether an AI trained by chickens could be more ethical than one trained by humans.
Project development website: https://mirandamoss.com/gallusgallusroboticus/
Project development within konS – Platform for Contemporary Investigative Art, which was chosen on the public call for the selection of the operations “Network of Investigative Art and Culture Centres”. The investment is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union.