Techno Sapiens (1991–2020)

In the early 1990s, Balog noticed that endangered animals were not the only creatures living in an altered state. Humanity was, too: as we merged biology with technology, Homo sapiens seemed to be turning itself into a new species. Balog called that creature "Techno sapiens," publishing the term in articles he photographed for Fortune (July 8, 1996) and Time Digital (April 27, 1998).

In this series, Balog focuses on the use of technological garb to change the biological limitations of human experience, photographing humans in various uniforms of modernity, such as hazmat suits, deep-sea diving gear, and prosthetic limbs. He observed: “Technology can give us phenomenal power and flexibility, while making us weak and dependent. It can dramatically amplify some bodily capacities and simultaneously negate others. It can help us do things faster, though the pace can be brutal. It can extend our lives, but the stress can kill us.”

His prescient concept and imagery acquired additional urgency as the 21st century unfolded, when the “new normal” of online information and disinformation, social media, and artificial intelligence changed the terms of reality as humans had known it for eons.

 

Earth Vision Institute | Photographs by James Balog
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