Cybernetics and the Chimeric Body with Hugh Herr and Ana Rajčević
About This Event
At Pioneer Works, "Cybernetics and the Chimeric Body" pairs Hugh Herr with Ana Rajčević. Herr, the climber-engineer who returned to elite-level climbing using prostheses he designed and who holds patents including the Rheo Knee, frames the program's focus on prosthetics, powered ankle-foot devices and the interplay of cybernetics and the human body.
About Cybernetics and the Chimeric Body
Now playing at Pioneer Works, *Cybernetics and the Chimeric Body* brings together climber-engineer Hugh Herr and designer-performer Ana Rajčević in a Rock/Pop setting shaped by prosthetics research. Herr’s work, including patents such as the Rheo Knee and powered ankle-foot systems, anchors the program’s attention on bodies rebuilt through engineering and the politics of “normal” movement. The piece sits inside New York’s long-running conversation about disability, technology, and performance, even without a documented NYC premiere. One clear point emerges: the future body is already here, and it arrives unevenly.
About the Artist
Hugh Herr
Hugh Herr is an American rock climber, engineer, and biophysicist. When he was young, both of his legs were amputated below the knee due to an accident during an unexpected blizzard that occurred on a rock climbing trip.