Message; Symbolic; New Media Art; Video Art; Parasite Eve; Heidhir Hamdan
Abstract
This study explores the symbolic messages embedded in Parasite Eve, a video artwork by Malaysian artist Heidhir Hamdan, which interrogates the intersection of technology, identity, and cultural tradition. Employing a qualitative art research approach, the analysis focuses on the structure, content, and function of visual symbols within the work. Parasite Eve portrays technology as a parasitic force, evolving beyond its utilitarian role into an autonomous entity that reshapes human biology, spirituality, and perception. Drawing from mythological, cosmological, and religious references, such as multi-armed deities and the Adam and Eve narrative, the work fuses Eastern spiritual symbols with futuristic cybernetic aesthetics. This fusion reflects a philosophical shift from humanism toward transhumanism and posthumanism, positioning technology as a new framework for existence—one that simultaneously empowers and threatens human freedom. The study contributes to discourse on new media art, highlighting how contemporary visual practices function as cultural critiques of technological evolution.