Half-finished Heaven – with Shi Liu
2024 | robot cellist and piano
Ode to Joy – Collaboration with cross-media artist Shi Liu https://shiliupom.com/
Two-channel HD video, 2’22’’
“The video work records the emotional fluctuations of Wu Xiaotian under the variations of brain-computer interface parameters. Wu Xiaotian is among the world‘s first patients to be cured of depression through a brain-computer interface. During the treatment, a device was implanted into his brain to generate different electrical signals to control his emotions. In the video, by synchronizing the activation of neural switches with the emotive crescendos and decrescendos of music, the project visualizes the intricate dance between human emotion and mechanical control.
This exploration culminates in a poignant scene where a robot, playing the cello, becomes the conductor of this emotional symphony. This imagery is not merely a statement on the capabilities of technology but a metaphor for the broader question of control and influence. Are we, as humans, truly the masters of our emotions, or have we ceded this power to the machines we have created?” – Shi Liu
Exhibitions:
Gallery Func, Shanghai, June 2024 (premiere)
Luohu Art Museum, Shenzhen, October 2024
Ode to Joy – Ludwig van Beethoven
Camera: Christian Åslund