New Media Installation: TECHNE at BAM
Installation Dates:
January 4 — 19, 2025
Presented by:
BAM and Onassis ONX
In partnership with:
Under The Radar
Location:
BAM Fisher
321 Ashland Pl.
Brooklyn, NY
In the coldest days of the season in New York City, Onassis ONX and BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) present an experimental program comprising four large-scale digital artworks, titled TECHNE. Presented as part of BAM’s Next Wave festival and Under The Radar Festival, TECHNE is brought to life through generative AI, immersive soundscapes, and virtual ecosystems. The installation is a dream come true for any new media enthusiast that enjoys exploring new ways storytelling in the digital age.
On Friday, I was invited to experience one of the four digital installations curated by Onassis ONX, called The Golden Key, which immerses visitors in a mythical, AI-generated world that’s as thought-provoking as it is engaging. Created by Marc Da Costa and Matthew Niederhauser and a winner of the Jury Award in the 2024 SXSW XR Experience competition, The Golden Key is a standout example of how AI can be utilized to explore narrative, mythology, and human connection.
Here’s how it works: audience members step up to a podium, channel their inner poet or storyteller, and write down a short verse or idea via the computers provided. The AI then integrates these ideas into an ever-evolving, never-ending story. It doesn’t stop there — three visual interpretations of the input are generated, each paired with a shifting voiceover and art style. These elements combine to create a narrative that changes with every contribution. It’s like Mad Libs on AI steroids!
This interactivity makes The Golden Key so engaging. The experience feels collaborative, as the audience members co-author the story together. Whether it’s something whimsical, surreal, or downright hilarious, it keeps you hooked because, well, you helped create it. It’s the perfect blend of fun, creativity, and technology, as the AI generates a new chapter of the story with each unique contribution.
For those unsure what to write, two screens on the side provide prompts that spark imagination and help audience members jump in. The beauty of the experience is that every person’s contribution builds upon the next, creating a constantly changing narrative that’s never the same.
What’s fascinating about The Golden Key is not just the playfulness of its concept but the underlying exploration of how technology, mythology, and humanity intersect. The work was created by Marc Da Costa and Matthew Niederhauser, who programmed their AI system to simulate stories drawn from folklore across cultures. These myths are the narratives that have helped define who we are, where we come from, and what binds us together as human beings.
However, The Golden Key doesn’t just reimagine mythology — it also raises important questions. Da Costa and Niederhauser pointed out that AI-generated narratives could easily be manipulated for economic and political gain. “What if someone set up autonomous A.I. systems that operated on an industrial scale to fabricate stories that were meaningless or, worse, false?” Da Costa asks, pushing audiences to critically engage with technology.
On that note I must add, while the audience members often found themselves laughing over the quirky verses they added, from tales of cats and ants to horses, the human characters generated by the AI sometimes lacked diversity. For instance, a group of people depicted around a table would consist of mostly white men, reflecting the ongoing need for AI systems to be trained on more inclusive datasets.
This raises an important question about the role of AI in storytelling: How can we ensure the stories generated reflect the diversity and complexity of the real world? While The Golden Key excels in fostering creativity and collaboration, it also serves as a gentle reminder of the biases that can arise in AI-driven art.
In a time when technology — and AI, in particular — holds so much potential, it’s clear that artists like Da Costa and Niederhauser feel it’s crucial to engage with these tools. “This is not a time for artists to retreat from technology,” says Niederhauser. “It’s a super important time to engage and try to make you think critically about how it works.”
Afroditi Panagiotakou, Director of Culture at the Onassis Foundation, sums up the mission behind TECHNE beautifully:
“The key themes of this program are relationships, kinship, and affection. From Athens and Amsterdam to Taipei and New York, we present works that celebrate what brings us together rather than what drives us apart.”
The Golden Key embraces this sentiment, bringing together a group of strangers who, through storytelling and creativity, find common ground and share in the experience of myth-making.
This is a rare opportunity to engage with AI and storytelling in a way that’s not only fun but also insightful. The AI may produce whimsical results (expect cats to make regular appearances), but it also provokes a deeper reflection on the potential and power of AI to shape our shared narratives and even our perceptions of the world.
The Golden Key is an innovative, engaging, and thought-provoking installation that blends technology, storytelling, and creativity in a way that invites everyone to be part of the story. It’s a rare opportunity to engage with AI in a playful, yet insightful, way and reflect on the role that technology will play in our future narratives. Whether you’re an art lover, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about the possibilities of AI, this is one installation you won’t want to miss.
The Golden Key is just one of four digital installations featured in TECHNE, which runs through January 19 at BAM. The installations, presented in partnership with Under the Radar Festival, delve into themes of nature, technology, and human experience in innovative and thought-provoking ways. The other artists featured include Margarita Athanasiou, Stephanie Dinkins, John Fitzgerald, and Godfrey Reggio, whose works challenge the boundaries of storytelling for the digital age.
TECHNE offers more than just a unique art experience — it’s an invitation to become part of the art itself. By stepping into the installation, you’re not just a passive viewer; you’re an active participant in creating an ever-evolving story. Whether you’re writing for fun, thinking deeply about the power of AI, or just enjoying the dynamic visuals, there’s something for everyone.
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