Revivification

What happens to creativity when it is no longer bound to a living body? This groundbreaking sound installation is situated within debates around human agency and generative AI. Revivification attempts to posthumously extend the artistic life of experimental composer, Alvin Lucier , who passed away at age 90 in 2021. His donated biological material becomes the basis for a living installation — and a new kind of biological performer that continues his artistic and cellular journey. Lucier’s practice redefined composition, shifting attention from performance to the physical properties of sound. His work with brain waves, echolocation and acoustics folded music, science and art into one another. Developed through years of collaboration and conversation with Lucier before his death, Revivification transforms his cells into cerebral organoids – or ‘mini-brains’. Ever-changing sonic landscapes emerge in response to their neural activity, creating a continuous dynamic presence.