new media designs and
visual-spatial arts theories practice
CGI, Simulations & Research
- IDIOGLOSSIA
- MACHINIMA GTA V
- DIGITAL AVATARS
- ALDI SÜD
- PERMACOMPUTING
- THE UNCANY VALLEY
- GENDER&ART IN THE GDR
- AI - GENERATED ANIMATION
INDEX
CONTACT
new media designs and
visual-spatial arts theories practice
CGI, Simulations & Research
INDEX
CONTACT
video co-directed with Felix Geen
Format: 3D, AI animation
Duration: 3,42 min
Scientists throughout modern history, from Konstantin Tsiolkovsky to Enrico Fermi and Frank Drake, have fervently pursued the quest to make contact with extraterrestrial life, encapsulated by Fermi's phrase: "Where are they?" Tsiolkovsky, a pioneer in space exploration, contended that disbelief in the presence of intelligent beings on other planets stemmed from two premises: first, that if such beings existed, they would have visited Earth, and second, that if advanced civilizations existed elsewhere, they would have provided some indication of their existence. This sentiment underlines the constant curiosity and desire to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos, driving forces such as SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) with its combination of technology and philosophy in the search for cosmic communication.
First contact, a subject of discourse among astronomers, social scientists, and philosophers, has long captivated human imagination and been a staple of science fiction. Imagine the scenario: intelligent species discovered in a distant galaxy. Scientists detect a highly modulated signal, distinct from natural sources like quasars, but contain information which could come from an exoplanet. Across the vast expanse of intergalactic space lies a planet teeming with new life forms, or "exobeings" (Raymond Hickey, Life and Language beyond Earth, 2023) — riches unimagined. This signal could be a strong beam like the radio directed towards the star cluster M13 in 1974, known as the Arecibo message.
Contemplating such a revelation brings profound questions: How would encountering another form of life feel? What language might they use? Would Earthlings want to communicate with them, and if so, how could we ensure our message is comprehensible? This endeavour reflects a quintessentially human pursuit — to reach out, to tell about our planet and civilization, and connect with the unknown.
At first glance, this question invites a simple answer: communicate using language, a multimodal system grounded in situated social interaction. However, this approach raises complexities concerning linguistic structure and comprehensibility. What if the language of these higher intelligences is fundamentally incomprehensible based on our knowledge systems of language, science, and maths? Moreover, there might exist superior modes of communication that transcend language and radio waves.
As Daniel Oberhaus suggests, one potential solution to use solely abstract art— which may be considered universally intelligible given its rejection of "cultural, historical or political contexts". (see Extraterrestrial Languages, MIT Press, 2019). While the interpretation of abstract art poses challenges, that also haunts linguistic and mathematical messages, it offers a means of communication that could be understood on a technical level, much like Bach’s fugues renowned for their mathematical precision. Considering the elusive definition of art, we explore the virtues of two artistic mediums — pictures and sound.
Drawing inspiration from xenolinguistics and the phantasmagorical Codex Seraphinius by Italian artist Luigi Serafini, we propose a speculative approach. Through idioglossian construction, invented words, altered syntax, and image and sound we aim to transcend verbal communication. This holistic approach incorporates gestures and body language, intending to convey information comprehensively, potentially bridging the gap with extraterrestrial life.
→ Featuring paraphrased excerpts of Raymond Hickey’s book Life and language beyond Earth, Cambridge University Press, 2023 and Daniel Oberhaus, Extraterrestrial Languages, MIT Press, 2019
Credits:
Research, writing, motion graphics: Natalya Bashnyak
Creative direction, AI animation: Natalya Bashnyak and Felix Geen
3D Assets, Editing, Camera, VFX: Felix Geen
Lyrics: open-source mystical language
Music: Lila Tirando a Violeta & Sin Maldita
Produced with the support of HyperDub, Unguarded