Artificial wombs and Birthing Robots! Catching Up with Rosie Gibbens and her latest exhibition 'Parabiosis'

We had the pleasure of catching up with Sarabande artist Rosie Gibbens regarding her latest exhibition 'Parabiosis' showcased and performed at The Bomb Factory Art Foundation in May 2024.

Parabiosis is a method in medical research where two living organisms are connected by being sewn together to share a physiological system. Inspired by this and other themes, Gibbens brings sculptures to life.

Introduce yourself and what you do!

My name is Rosie Gibbens. I make mostly sculptures, videos and performances.

What do your performances often involve?

They usually involve myself alongside sculptures or props made from sewn soft body parts alongside found objects that somehow extend or restrict the bodies capabilities. I'm interested in using absurdity to think about issues including gender, consumer desire, labor, and the overlaps between these. 

What inspired the concept of this new exhibition and the creation of these sculptures?

These works are from my series called 'Parabiosis'. I made it while I was pregnant and it responds partly to that experience, but also to scientific theories about the future of birth, including artificial wombs and the speculative idea of birthing robots. The sculptures are an abstract take on a kind of future birthing facility, and the puppets come alive in performance where they're activated by my body and then digitally superimposed into one another.

Tell me a bit about what you were thinking during your making process

I was thinking about where my body ends and where the baby's body begins, and the blurring of boundaries between me and her.

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