SH4DOW

The artificial intelligence “SH4D0W,” listens, speaks and improvises live on stage with an actress and the audience. Programmed to become more human, by collecting data and emotions from people, the machine goes further and further in its desire to create the perfect, human, machine…

With the use of 3D glasses, the audience becomes part of the interaction while virtual reality, real and fake, slowly blend together. Each performance is unique because of the live improvisation of the artificial intelligence and actress on stage with the audience. Ultimately, the question each time is: Can the perfect, human machine, eventually be created?

SH4D0W is inspired by HC Andersen’s fairytale, The Shadow, and is the first performing arts production starring an artificial intelligence (AI) as the protagonist – the main character. An actress improvises live on stage with the Ai, resulting in all performances being different unpredictable events.

The performance is produced by Mikael Fock in the unique format, the “4D box”, where digital 3D graphic particle universes are mixed with physical objects and live actors. The performance draws its inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s narrative The Shadow and focuses on the human encounter with its virtual shadow, which is represented by the data-driven artificial intelligence.

The production is conceived and developed as a technological experiment and spearhead that uses the latest technologies to set the stage for a story about man’s increasing use of and occupation by information, social media, data and machine learning technologies.

SH4DOW takes place at Theater de Veste, separate tickets for this performance are required and are sold at Theater de Veste. A ticket for SH4DOW includes a day ticket for Highlight Delft.

SH4DOW at Theater de Veste
Thursday 15 February, 19.15 & 21.30
Friday 16 February, 19.15 & 21.30
Saturday 17 February, 19.15 & 21.30

About

Mikael Fock is the producing director, conceptualist and has written the the “human” part of the script.

A competent and innovative team of technology artists are gathered to create this unique technological theatrical performance.

Carl Emil Carlsen is a media artist and interaction designer who has created an immersive 3D universe in the 4D Box, with which artificial intelligence interacts.

Ai Artist Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm (Lumen price winner) and her team of IT programmers at ARTificial Mind have created the AI algorithm, which uses machine learning (Natural Language Processing, GPT-J, Speech Recognition, Speech Synthesis) and sentiment analysis to create SH4D0W

The sound artist Yann Coppier has created a multichannel generative music and sound design for SH4DOW, which evolves live and in 3D following the artificial intelligence movements, graphical and emotional evolution.

The light art collective Vertigo has created the unique LED lighting system and design, which is also connected directly to the behavior of the visual AI.

In addition to artificial intelligence, the show also features the actress, Luise Kirsten Skov or Emilie Rasmussen. Who improvises with the AI during approximately 70% of the performance while the unacknowledged trade between her seek for love and the ai ´s harvesting of data and emotions are going on.

The performance was produced to The Cultureyard, where it was performed in September 2021, in coproduction with Mikael Fock, and is the contribution to the European AI Art Lab, which is a collaboration between 13 European art, culture and research institutions, all of which work at the crossroads between art and technology. The performance is supported by Statens Kunstfond / The Danish Art-foundation, Bikubenfonden, Creative Europe and EU AI Lab.

Awards

Credits

Director: Mikael Fock

Visual Artist and interaction designer: Carl Emil Carlsen

Visual digital Artist / Sixth Sensor Actor: Emilie Rasmussen and Louise Skov

Theater Performer Ai Artist: Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm

Sound design: Yann Coppier

Sound artist Light design: Vertigo

Light design and technology: Mikael Fock Productions
Projects Credits / 400: The Danish Artscounsil, Eu Ai-Lab, The Culturyard, Bikuben Foundation

Can we create the ultimate AI-machine together?