In Vitro (Xiyue Hu et Xing Xiao)

Installation

The word “autonomy” comes from the Greek and means “to give oneself one’s own law.” The expression “autonomous machine” is therefore paradoxical, given that a machine is a deterministic system controlled by external inputs. Can a machine, or a symbolic system, acquire a form of autonomy by coding itself, as biological systems do? When these systems are used to manage human society, do they represent a constraint or a form of freedom? In nature, living beings perpetuate life through reproduction. However, this continuity is limited by physical laws, notably the second law of thermodynamics. Despite this, the idea of immortality persists in many cultures. In Chinese mythology and folklore, the lifespan of species is governed by a natural order imposed by a supernatural entity called “Heaven” or “Heavenly Court” ( 天庭Tian Ting ). Any attempt to attain immortality is thus punished or hindered. Only beings like the Firebird can escape this punishment and travel freely through time and space. Our story continues the narrative begun in the first year. This time, the Firebird travels to a deserted planet, where it meets an old computer, and the two strike up a conversation.

In Vitro (Xiyue Hu et Xing Xiao)

As In Vitro, the artistic duo they formed in 2017, Xiyu Hu and Xing Xiao use narrative interactive installations, robotic devices, video games, films, and real-time simulations based on algorithmic biomimicry to explore questions related to intelligence, life and the automation of governance – in an attempt to rethink technology and systems based on the structures of living beings.

Production

Credits