“The usual nexus”

„The usual nexus“ is an experimental theatre, consisting of a series of interactive sound installations and two performers. “The usual nexus” is set in an experimental laboratory situation in a not too far away future. It conjures up a scenario where human beings serve their own creation – Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Humans’ aim to overcome their deficiencies, such as imprecision, fallibility and time-inefficiency, is likely to result in the replacement of human labour by blue-and-white collar machines.

While science fiction scenarios very often involve an active conflict between human and machine, who see each other as threat, „The usual nexus“ depicts a scenario where humans comply with the control of AI over human society.

As the performance is an obvious low-fi setup of a fake-intelligent commander that is in fact written by the artists themselves, it raises the question why the artists put themselves in this situation, and more generally speaking, why we create at all. What are our roles as humans and how do we feel within the system created by ourselves? Will we be enslaved by machines, that we in the first place created or has AI the potential to save us from ourselves and enable us to pursue deeper self-reflection and a more human life?

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Technical description

All sounds and visuals are generated in real time using an interactive system consisting of light sensor, light and shadow, motors, modular synthesizer, random generators, objects, 2 performers and live radio.

Total duration: 40 minutes

Some photos from the performance in Mohsen Gallery, Tehran, Iran and Taipei Contemporary Art Center (Fotos by Yi Yang Yeng, b/w foto by Hessam Ravanfar)