ZEN A.I. (2021) - An Interactive AI Performance
In collaboration with Nathan Hirschaut and Treyden Chiaravalloti
“Close your eyes. Focus on your breath. Imagine how your right nostril is dragging you to the floor. Remember that a very spiritual guru once said that you can lie about your future. Allow your bowels to quietly drift. Keep breathing.”
ZEN A.I is a continuous endurance performance in which a meditation space and the meditative practice are being monitored, guided, and manipulated by Artificial-Intelligence (AI) algorithms. The performer, sitting in the middle of the space, is being constantly detected by a surveillance system that is trained to detect a variety of bodies and objects. This system constantly scans the space and continuously frames and classifies the body of the performer as a ‘Person’.
Another AI algorithm guides the performer’s meditation by generating a stream of instructions which are meant to simulate a common pattern of a ‘mindfulness’ practice. However, this algorithm often generates sentences which can be considered humorous on one hand or troubling and offending on the other.
Another AI algorithm guides the performer’s meditation by generating a stream of instructions which are meant to simulate a common pattern of a ‘mindfulness’ practice. However, this algorithm often generates sentences which can be considered humorous on one hand or troubling and offending on the other.
The meditation space also includes a few laptops and cell phones which are connected to the internet and display the footage of a burning candle. Some of these devices emit sounds of email notifications, text messages or other ringing tones which usually distract our everyday activities and demand our attention. The performer’s goal is to sit motionless and continue the meditative practice in a calm and serene manner despite the distracting environment.