As human and machine become more intertwined and evolution surpasses the biological our future is seemingly at a crossroads. Human+ covers a range of themes and perspectives on where we are now as a species, and where we are going, in an exhibition which blurs the boundaries between art and science.

The earlier parts of the exhibition paint a thought-provoking picture of a post-human era, casting light on the intersections between culture, technology and society. Technological extensions of the body, our limitations as people and how we overcome them, problems faced by over-population and ever-increasing lifespans and the interesting relationship between man and nature, are all central themes.

One artist portrays his experiences of the effects of different drugs through myriad self-portraits while other sections simply showcase technology in development – you are able to experience sound as a bat does and try out a headset which interprets your state-of-mind into music.

One documentary Nobody’s Perfect (2008) follows 12 people, who were born disabled due to the disastrous side-effects of the drug Thalidomide, who pose naked for a book of photos. With a touch of dark humour the film portrays the feelings and sensitivities of disabled people and society’s reaction to them.

In the latter stages of the exhibition various weird, wonderful, bleak or dystopian possible futures are explored. Some seem worryingly inevitable while others border on science-fiction. Ideas such as ‘euthanasia roller-coasters’ which casually combine thrill-seeking with the want for an early death or operations at birth, such as the removal of toes or the creation of an extra sphincter in the head for rapid drug ingestion leave you feeling uneasy, while another display comically argues the case that the future human will be 50cm tall.

Other items allow you to visualise more probable aspects of human life such as a long, multi-generational, typical family tree of the future based on current trends of life expectancy, divorce rates and pregnancy ages. One postulated idea is that marriages will no longer be based on the unrealistic premise of ’til death do us part’ but instead will be unromantically based on a 30-year contract. Another section looks at potential answers to the problems the farming industry will face as the demand to feed more and more mouths becomes a reality.

The main strengths of Human+ are the range of ideas which are explored, the balance struck between art and well-presented information and the effective use of multimedia – which together provide an engaging, challenging, imaginative exhibition.

Jamie Stephens.