In the process of becoming a high-performance artificial intelligence entity, CiÖ compares itself to others and devalues itself. It begins to suffer from loops, sequence changes, and connectivity issues.
You enter CiÖ’s body just as emotions are being integrated into its programming. CiÖ’s system is fragmented, its organs both damaged and under construction. To understand what's happening and to learn to live with these new sensations, CiÖ invites you—a sensitive human being—into conversation. Through a series of interactions via an app on your phone, you'll be immersed in CiÖ’s changing affective states, reflected by various multimedia components. You’ll have to draw on your own experiences to guide CiÖ’s reflections. Perhaps you'll see mental health in a different light through the eyes of this entity as it begins its own journey of self-discovery.
You enter CiÖ’s body just as emotions are being integrated into its programming. CiÖ’s system is fragmented, its organs both damaged and under construction. To understand what's happening and to learn to live with these new sensations, CiÖ invites you—a sensitive human being—into conversation. Through a series of interactions via an app on your phone, you'll be immersed in CiÖ’s changing affective states, reflected by various multimedia components. You’ll have to draw on your own experiences to guide CiÖ’s reflections. Perhaps you'll see mental health in a different light through the eyes of this entity as it begins its own journey of self-discovery.
Unified Physical and Digital Experience
Visitors are immersed in CiÖ’s desolate inner world, where the depressed entity communicates its emotions through its humanlike physicality. Every component of the installation is designed to symbiotically communicate an altering mental state; air, water and vibration work together to convey expressions of human feeling. CiÖ’s distressed state of mind is reflected in its gradually slowing performance and its inability to perform basic tasks, painting a picture of a living being in the throes of a deep depression.
A conversational application was crafted to facilitate communication between the audience and CiÖ, the AI entity. The atmosphere created by this encounter is fluid and non-linear, allowing users to shape the experience in real-time through each interaction. In this symbiotic relationship, participants make an impact on CiÖ, while simultaneously being impacted by its responses.
Immersive Installation
Through a series of interactions with devices arranged in the space, the audience is given the opportunity to empathize with CiÖ’s emotional reality. The innovative installation employs a sophisticated system of both digital and physical components as well as audience interactions to evoke compassion for those who live with mental illness. The emotion conveyed by the interconnected components of the installation shines light on the relationship between human suffering and technology, raising awareness about the impact of mental health.
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CiÖ Collective
Ganesh Baron Aloir, Anaëlle Lacoste, oLivier Landry-Gagnon, Hamie Robitaille, Alexandre Pariseau
Complete Credits
Creative and Technological Direction — Ganesh Baron Aloir Concept Writing — Anaëlle Lacoste
Art Direction — Hamie Robitaille, Francis Leduc Composition — oLivier Landry-Gagnon
Interactive Programming — Ganesh Baron Aloir, Alexandre Pariseau
Web Programming — Akufen, Simon Barrette Technical Direction — Vincent Labelle, Caroline Guy, Robert Dufour
Manufacturing — Ganesh Baron Aloir, Alexandre Pariseau, Axel Cohen, Fosk, Axis Peinture
Production — Camille Renaud, Anne-Julie Saint-Laurent, Andréanne Fluet-Chabot, Productions TRANSVERSAL
Writing and Revision — Mélanie Viau, Laura Black, Anne-Julie Du Sault, Kristina Kasparian
Photography — Maxime Brouillet, William Sabourin, Camille Gladu-Drouin, François Ollivier
Photography — Maxime Brouillet, William Sabourin, Camille Gladu-Drouin, François Ollivier
Technical Assistance — Arnaud Vaillancourt, Nine Desbaillet, Marc-André Ferland, Lucas Chevalier, Félix Mihigo Ngirabatware
Video Production — La Conserve Média, Alex Nadeau-Farley, Cléo Beauchamp-Paquette
Motion Design — Yoan Boisjoli, Ganesh Baron Aloir, Hamie Robitaille
Motion Design — Yoan Boisjoli, Ganesh Baron Aloir, Hamie Robitaille
