Envisioned as a sequel to Blade Runner, the “japanese sci-fi porn film” I.K.U. (74min, 2001) scandalized audiences when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Following the adventures of seven sexy replicants as they attempt to gather data for the I.K.U. system (which enables touchless orgasms), I.K.U. is a cyberpunk fuck film for the internet generation, made by visionary multi-media artist Shu Lea Cheang. The artist will be in person to deliver an introduction to her film.

“I.K.U. is a phenomenon that wants to refuse definition and… crosses all categories – geographic, physical, conceptual – with a demented flourish. As much trans-genre as it is trans-gender, I.K.U. also wants to merge video and film into a fresh digital universe large-scale enough to overwhelm the viewer.” – B. Ruby Rich, Rhizome

This screening is part of a three event series presented by the PLASMA series at the Department of Media Study, SUNY Buffalo and Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. Don’t miss the Shu Lea Cheang’s screening of FLUIDØ on Saturday, March 10 at Hallwalls, and her artist talk at the Department of Media Study on Monday, March 12!

Preview

Bio of the artist
As an artist and filmmaker, Shu Lea Cheang has worked with various art mediums and film formats, including installation, performance, net art, public art, video installation, feature length film and mobile web serial. As a net art pioneer, her BRANDON (1998-1999) was the first web art commissioned and collected by the Guggenheim museum New York. She has been crafting her own film genre of new queer cinema, calling them eco-cybenoia (FRESH KILL, 1994), scifi cyberpunk (I.K.U., 2000), scifi cyphepunk (Fluidø, 2017). From homesteading cyberspace in the 90s to her current retreat to BioNet, Cheang takes on viral love, bio hack in her current cycle of works. She is currently developing UKI-cinema interrupted with mobile game intervention; Unborn0x9, a hacking performance with open source ultrasound stethoscope and Mycelium Network Society, an organic living network initiative. More info at http://mauvaiscontact.info

Image: Shu Lea Cheang. I.K.U.: This is not LOVE. This is SEX. (2001)