S.E.E.D. Psychedelic AI Installation Comes to Toronto and Mexico City

Artist Devin Fleenor will debut S.E.E.D., an artificially intelligent installation, in Toronto and Mexico City in Fall 2017. The piece will be on view at OnlyOneGallery as part of Nuit Blanche in Toronto from September 30 to October 7 and at Museo Franz Mayer at part of MUTEK.MX and Abierto Mexicano de Diseño in Mexico City from October 11 to 23, 2017.

S.E.E.D. offers its participants an algorithmic exploration of time and the physical senses. Through self-reflection, layers of consciousness are revealed and unlocked through mysterious mechanisms. Full-spectrum lasers and mirrors create three dimensional geometric light structures reverberated by analog video feedback. The many reflections of the participants are synthesized, processed, and glitched forming a perplexing, yet minimal psychedelic visual experience.

Housed in an eight-foot magnesium, acrylic, and glass cube, the piece is activated and modulated by human interaction. Participants do not control S.E.E.D.; rather they converse with an autonomous "machine entity" using motion sensors, infrared cameras equipped with facial recognition, and a hexagonal haptic pressure sensitive interface on the face of the cube.

The visual experience is integrated with an algorithmic, immersive quadrophonic sound field. Both sonic effects and emotive musical landscapes are generated by the lasers themselves, which are in turn reacting to the environment. S.E.E.D. has moods of its own, with matching behaviors, stories, reactions, and soundscapes. S.E.E.D. also understands the mood of the participant. Positive emotion is monitored and remembered, allowing the installation to adapt its algorithms to give the user more of what they like.

S.E.E.D. is conceived of as an art form with research and therapeutic value: drawing from neuroscience research demonstrating that music, light, art, movement, and creativity can generate new neural pathways and enhance neuroplasticity.

Fleenor is partnering with Dr. Sri Krishnan, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering at Ryerson University in Toronto. Starting this fall semester, pending ethics review, Dr. Krishnan and his team of graduate students will be analyzing the biofeedback data generated by S.E.E.D. with the intention of demonstrating significant physiological changes and wellness improvements from interactive art therapy sessions. S.E.E.D. has potential as a tool for healing in those who suffer from brain trauma, Alzheimer's disease, depression, PTSD, autism, and other neurological conditions.

Lead by Devin Fleenor and a team of designers, coders, artists, musicians, and academics, S.E.E.D. technology synthesizes advanced algorithms, artificial intelligence, high coherence laser projectors, LED video, proprietary robotic laser mirrors, motion sensor cameras, multi-site interconnectivity, live HD video processing, and generative sound. The brain of S.E.E.D. is programmed in and powered by openFrameworks, Max for Live, VDMX, Ableton and BEYOND.

About Devin Fleenor

Devin Fleenor is an interactive audio-visual artist based in Phoenix, AZ. He has toured the world with Mr. Meeble, and collaborated with Decibel Festival, Missy Elliott, Nosaj Thing, The Acid, ODESZA, Tycho, Mija, the Black Madonna and various other visionaries, artists and explorers. In 2017, he will partner with MUTEK, Nuit Blanche Toronto, and Abierto Mexicano de Diseño to feature S.E.E.D. Recognized for synthesizing mediums of sound, light, lasers, algorithms and robotics, Devin is creating artificially intelligent art to be discovered in unique spaces across the planet. For more information, visit devinfleenor.com or follow him on Instagram @epicdevin.