Marco Mancuso's 'Chimera' Explores the Expanded Body in Art and Design

Marco Mancuso's book 'Chimera. Il corpo espanso per una nuova ecosofia dell'arte' (Mimesis Edizioni, 2023) examines the concept of the 'Expanded Body' in contemporary art and design. The work traces how human-technology integration, from the Second Industrial Revolution to the new millennium, has transformed the body into a site of interdisciplinary research involving neuroscience, biotechnologies, AI, bodyhacking, and prosthetics. Mancuso identifies a growing number of institutions, media labs, and research centers, alongside a new generation of artists and designers, who explore ethical dialogues between humans, their bodies, and the environment. The book focuses on the relationship between human and non-human entities, living and non-living, defining the Expanded Body as a plastic representation of these interactions. Mancuso, a critic and curator, draws on his experience as founder of Digicult and professor at the Politecnico delle Arti di Bergamo and the University of Bologna. The publication is scheduled for release on Friday, October 13, 2023.