Cristin Millett and Cynthia White. Juried Artist
Artist Statement
The Placenta Underground is part of an ongoing project called Ex-Utero, a provocative exploration of human reproduction and the extraordinary possibilities of ectogenesis. Imagine a future where artificial wombs can support pregnancy outside of the uterus. That future is closer than you think. With the development of incubators as surrogate wombs, new technologies will provide an environment for gestation ex vivo. But what will happen to the placenta, a critical gestational organ, in this scenario? This short film explores the social, political and technological future in which pregnancy occurs ex-utero and the placenta is no longer a necessary reproductive organ.
About the artists
As a transdisciplinary artist, Cristin Millett’s investigations of medicine are integral to her process. She examines the intersection of art and science, specifically sculptural processes and reproductive futures. Her sculptural objects and installations prompt a contemporary cultural critique of societal issues surrounding reproduction and gender identity. Cristin’s artwork has been widely exhibited, including at the Villa Strozzi, Florence; the International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago; the Exploratorium, San Francisco; the Mütter Museum, Philadelphia; and the Moving Poets Novilla, Berlin. She is a Professor of Art at the Pennsylvania State University and was a 2020 Fulbright Senior Scholar at SymbioticA at the University of Western Australia.
Cynthia N. White is an award-winning filmmaker whose projects have broadcast on television, at film and arts festivals, and at conferences around the world. White’s work aims to further the understanding of, and create dialogues about, the intersection of art and science. Through visual narratives, she looks to bridge gaps in the public’s perception of science. Her work includes teaching courses about digital media, community health, and social justice at the Pennsylvania State University.
Credits: Cynthia White and Cristin Millett