I’ve always had a fascination with living indefinitely and radically extending life span. Both for myself, my relatives and my dogs

(Matthew Deutsch, Cryonicist)

As somebody who loves technology so much to the point that I can’t wait to see what the future holds: I HAVE to see what the future holds! I’ve got to hold an iphone 20!

(Gary Abramson, Cryonicist)

The Residence Gallery is delighted to present Chris Calderwood’s solo exhibition CRYONIX Life Extension Foundation. The show features an expansive site-specific installation depicting a decaying cryogenic freezing company where people sit dead on ice, hoping to be woken in the future. The work will expand the artist’s use of audio, computer graphics and sculptural installation. Viewers will be immersed in a sensory-surround of different media forming a densely packed scenario born of science fiction fantasy, half demolished buildings, and life solutions marketed by internet cults.

In both form and content, Calderwood’s works refer to the aesthetics and social codes shared by popular fan culture and sci-fi nerd enthusiasm. In a blurring of fantasy and reality, a faithful devotion to technology is met by unspecified disaster. Calderwood sources audio content from Youtube videos of real individuals explaining why they have chosen to get cryogenically frozen (despite the fact the technology to revive them does not yet exist). Audio edits form the soundtrack to this scene comprised of crumbling walls, Mac screensavers, led lighting and the centerpiece, a large liquefied tube containing a humanoid. The exhibition will be accompanied by a limited edition of print works.

Chris Calderwood was born in 1992 in Norwich, graduated with a BA from Goldsmiths in 2016. He currently lives and works in London and has featured in group and solo exhibitions in London and Norwich. His work is typified by large-scale sculptural installations and sci-fi themes. He exhibited his first solo show at Stew Gallery, Norwich in 2014 and has completed artistic residencies with research departments within the John Innes Centre and Exeter University.