A 20-minute performance where Yuting Tao’s AI and AR visuals, Malu’s portrayal of a cyber-alchemist, and Ti Wen Hsu’s augmented viola set intersect. Three artists unite their expertise in AI training, non-human character embodiment, and experimental viola music to explore the fusion of nature, technology, and the spaces between them.
Location: Harvestworks Art and Technology Program Building 10a, Nolan Park, Governors Island
Performance on October 28, 2023, @ 4:30 pm. Duration: 20 minutes
FREE
“Aligned Illusion”: A Convergence of Realms
In an era where the boundaries between the real and the virtual blur, we, as an interdisciplinary trio, seek to explore and question the very essence of existence, identity, and reality. “Aligned Illusion” stands as a testament to the evolving tapestry of human experience in the digital age.
Yuting Tao’s projections, AI-generated and ethereal, immerse audiences in a visual dialogue that questions the nature of our perceived reality. It’s an invitation to contemplate the evolution of our surroundings, where the organic seamlessly transitions into the digital, crafting an interstitial realm of coexistence.
With Malu’s embodiment of Sally, the cyber-alchemist, we delve into the heart of identity in a cyberland space. Sally, an un-alienated haptic-avatar, represents the complex interplay between technology and mysticism. As a femme bot, she crafts magic technologies, blending the primal with the progressive, highlighting our continuous journey towards integration in a constantly changing world.
Ti Wen Hsu’s viola set, sonically amplified and transformed by Max Msp, serves as an auditory voyage through time and space. It’s a symphony of the past, present, and future; a testament to the versatility and timelessness of music, transcending boundaries and defying categorizations.
“Aligned Illusion” is not just a performance. It’s a sensory experience, a philosophical query, and an artistic exploration of where we stand amidst the ever-evolving nexus of nature, technology, and self. Join us as we journey through realms both tangible and imagined, and ponder what it means to truly be alive in this multifaceted universe.
BIOS
Malu Laet
Malu (b. 1998, Rio de Janeiro) is a performance artist and creative technologies. She holds a degree in Fine Arts from Central Saint Martins and recently graduated a MFA Computational Arts at Goldsmiths University. Her artistic practice revolves around performance, sculpture, installation, and the exploration of haptic technologies and interactive music. At the heart of Malu’s artistic vision is an intuitive mode of worldbuilding, she crafts virtual realities and brings them to life theatrically.
Throughout her MFA, Malu has developed an experimental computational performance practice and theory fiction research project around the character “Sally,” an un-alienated haptic avatar. Sally practices the theurgy of cyber-alchemy in performances she names “Rites of Integration’.
She has participated in multiple exhibitions and performed in many events in the London emerging artist scene, including exhibitions at Rio Cinema, Crypt Gallery and The Ugly Duck.
And has created a series of sonic interactive sculptures like her magic technologies and wearable exo-hearts.
Yuting Tao
Yuting Tao is a forward-thinking media artist based in New York City, who investigates social interventions through immersive installation with narratives, technology and extended reality. With a focus on narrative development, Yuting endeavors to bridge the generational divide between Gen Z and earlier generations, fostering a shared understanding and appreciation for the evolving societal narrative.
Yuting earned her Bachelor’s degree from the prestigious UCLA Design Media Arts program, where her passion for blending traditional storytelling with contemporary digital mediums flourished. Her academic pursuits sharpened her skills in AR and VR, paving the way for her innovative approach to narrative exploration.
Yuting’s artistic journey is a testimony to her belief in the power of technology as a tool for social preservation and adaptation. Through her work, she creates not just visually enthralling experiences, but also platforms for dialogue, reflection, and connection across generational lines.
Ti Wen Hsu
Ti Wen Hsu, hailing from Taipei, Taiwan, has been immersed in classical music from a young age. She graduated from Fu Jen Catholic University with a degree in music and is currently pursuing an MFA in Sound Art at Brooklyn College, part of the City University of New York. Her dedication to her craft was recognized when she was awarded the Autumn 2023 Brooklyn College Scholarship.
Her recent works predominantly involve the collection of urban street sounds, which she skillfully combines with MAX/MSP, electronic soundscapes, and instrument performances. One of her notable pieces, “DrumCity,” was selected for the UK Noise Floors 2023 competition. In the years 2022 and 2023, Ti Wen Hsu participated in numerous live performances in New York. Beyond composing and performing, she has also worked as a recording engineer for jazz trios and various student projects. Some highlights from her recent work include:
– 2023: Interactive music performance for viola titled “SeeTi Bike” at Brooklyn Four One Four.
– 2023: Inclusion of “DrumCity” in the NoiseFloor 2023 event.
– 2023: Sound experiment and interactive music performance titled “Sonic and Food, Chinese culture made in the USA” at Scorpion Records.
– 2022: Interactive music performance for viola at the Brooklyn College Music Hall Buchwald Theater.
– 2021: An experimental electronic music concert titled “Supernatural Everyday” with a blend of electronic music, electroacoustic elements, viola, pan flute, and VJ.
MEDIA LINKS:
Malu: https://sallys2.hotglue.me/
Yuting: https://yutingtao.com/