2024-12-28 –, Saal GLITCH
Language: English
In this talk, artist and robotic musician Moritz Simon Geist explores whether robots and avatars can establish an emotional connection with a human audience, and examines the implications this has for arts and culture.
Algorithms and machines are transforming how artworks are produced - but can they replicate the complex psychosocial capacity of empathy in performative arts like music and theater?
Moritz offers an example-based overview of the history of non-human performers in the arts and shares current state-of-the-art projects in this field. He discusses his personal journey of combining engineering with art, highlighting projects like the "MR-808 Drum Robot" and automated installations like "Don't Look at Me." Through these works, he examines how robotic performers impact audience perception and emotional engagement.
The talk asks critical questions: How do machines alter the psychosocial dynamics of performance? What are the minimal structures needed to evoke an empathetic response from the audience? How does the concept of the Uncanny Valley, as proposed by Masahiro Mori, influence our reactions to non-human performers?
So - can we automate empathy? Let's find out!
Moritz Simon Geist is a music producer and researcher working with sound, robotics and algorithms. Beginning his academic career in semiconductor sciences as a PhD student, Geist made a career shift to focus on art and music, where he now merges sound with robotics and algorithms. His approach to electronic music, which involves creating sound through mechanical robots, has earned him international recognition.
In 2012, Geist's first work, the "Drum Robot MR-808," went viral, and he has since explored the sound making and producing of electronic music with robots and mechanics as well as releasing many influential and viral works.
Geist's compositions are influenced by a broad range of musical styles, including various electronic music genres and classical music, creating a unique and experimental sound. Over the years, he has collaborated with a range of renowned artists, including Mouse On Mars, Tyondai Braxton, Robert Lippok, and Thieß Mynther. His work has been showcased at many international venues and events such as the Venice Biennale, South by Southwest (SXSW), the Philharmonie de Paris, and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. He has also presented his work in Japan, Australia, and South Korea.
From 2017 - 2020 he held a master class at the NYU Berlin. His contributions to the field have been recognized with numerous awards, such as the ISEA Conference 2024, the Working Grant ZER01NE Seoul in 2023, German Pop Music Prize 2022, and the VIA VUT Award in 2019