Tyler Coburn's 'Some Monologues' Explores Human Identity in Technological Feedback Loops

Tyler Coburn's 'Some Monologues' is a collection of scripts and materials from performances over a span of 15 years, focusing on how individuals interact with technology-driven feedback loops. The book features 11 pieces organized in a non-linear fashion, with each segment referencing earlier works. For instance, 'NaturallySpeaking' (2013–15) utilizes speech-recognition training text to delve into disembodied voices, performed by Susan Bennett at Judson Memorial Church in 2015. 'I'm that angel' (2011–) reflects on human reliance on 'the cloud', while 'Tratteggio' (2018) addresses preservation methods. The 2023 piece 'Candlestick Man' includes textured pages that create sound. Coburn’s work raises questions about the potential unraveling of human biological and legal definitions through evolution. Recurrent themes involve primordial matter—depicting clouds as 'miasmatic' and bodies as 'profane mud'—with the first-person 'I' characterized as a 'germ' originating from language. Sven Lütticken provides one of 11 additional texts, highlighting Coburn's avoidance of a 'cringy sub-Latourian parliament of things'. Instead, Coburn’s scripts shape the human-in-the-loop to take on a semblance of a figure or voice. Released by Wendy's Subway at a price of US$25, the softcover edition was featured in the January & February 2025 issue of ArtReview.