Can I Talk to a Squid? The Origin of Visual Communication Through the Behavioral Ecology of Cephalopod

The quest of modernity has come to its final phase in the form of post modernism. Many past attempts to define “individualism” and “self” encountered the wall of linguistics structure and categorization, the governing principals of human consciousness. Postmodernism tends to recycle the façade of preexisting methods and theories, thereby creating fragmentation and dislocation. Simultaneously, computer technology is rapidly reshaping our visual culture by offering more streamlined production and distribution possibilities. Considering this environment, it is essential to investigate its effect and implication on the visual culture, by asking existential questions such as: Why do we make images? Where do they come from and what is their primary function? In order to pursue these rather difficult questions, my work focuses on the adaptive coloration of cephalopods’ (squid, octopus and cuttlefish) as comparative models that can code and re-map visual information such as paintings, photographs, and videos. The genetically and evolutionally pure empirical data of the squid and cuttlefish not only uncover certain key information needed to understand the origin of visual communication, but also function as a catalyst that can redirect our culture away from the over-stimulated hyper reality. This, in turn, can create a valuable interdisciplinary platform to discuss the current trends in both art and science.