Keywords: prosthetics, artificial intelligence, ritual, wound, sculpture
World Premiere: 2017, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin
Amygdala MK1 is a prototype for an artificially intelligent (AI) robot in the form of an uncanny human-like limb. Disturbing and yet sensual, abject and sinuous, Amygdala MK1 uses a knife to manipulate and sculpt pieces of skin. Its labour is repetitive, careful and neverending. The robot’s only aim is, in fact, to learn a ritual of purification known as “skin-cutting”.
This is a religious ritual consisting in cutting one’s skin in specific patterns and to thus allow impure blood to leave the body. Albeit in different forms and conceptualisations, skin-cutting and blood-letting rituals are found across indigenous religions in Papua New Guinea, Africa and Eastern Asia as well as in Christian and Muslim religions worldwide. Through the experience of pain and healing of the body-altering wounds resulting from the ritual, one achieves “purification”.
This page refers to Amygdala MK1, the first iteration of the final artwork entitled Amygdala. Please visit this page to learn more about the final artwork, its concept and techniques.
© Dario J Laganà | www.norte.it
© Dario J Laganà | www.norte.it
© Dario J Laganà | www.norte.it
Awards
2021, Magic Machine Award, RosyDX, C. Rockefeller Center, Netzwerk Medien Kunst and Technische Sammlungen Dresden (DE)
First Prize in Art Category
2018, German Federal Ministry for Education and Research and WiD (DE)
Artist of the Science Year
Exhibitions
- Enjoy Complexity, Schauspiel Dortmund
Curated by Alexander Kerlin, Dortmund, DE, 2018 - Retune Digital Arts Lab
Curated by Jasmin Grimm and Julian Adenauer, Bitkom Conference, Berlin, DE, 2017 - Close, Never Closer
Curated by Jan Verwoert, Berlin University of the Arts, Berlin, DE, 2017 - Salon fuer Aesthetische Experimente #2
Preview, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, DE, 2017
Technique
Organic skin, artist’s hair, wax, FPGA computer board, custom AI software (adaptive neural networks, reinforcement learning algorithms), servo motors, aluminum chassis, re-purposed industrial-grade server cabinet.
Credits
Amygdala MK1 – installation artwork
Concept: Marco Donnarumma
Artistic direction: Marco Donnarumma
Installation design, light design: Marco Donnarumma
Installation fabrication: Marco Donnarumma
Artwork’s description texts: Marco Donnarumma
Photography: Marco Donnarumma, Pawel Jozwiak – Ladznia Centre for Contemporary Art
Video trailer: Marco Donnarumma
Amygdala MK1 – Robotic prosthesis
Concept: Marco Donnarumma
Design, morphology, engineering, fabrication: Marco Donnarumma
Programming, AI software: Marco Donnarumma
Neurorobotics scientific advice, behavioural design framework: Prof. Manfred Hild
Scientific support: Neurorobotics Research Lab, Beuth Hochschule, Berlin
Mentoring, additional AI programming: Alberto de Campo
3D modelling, 3D printing, engineering support: Christian Schmidts
External shell design: Ana Rajcevic
The installation and the eponymous robot Amygdala MK1 are artworks and productions by Marco Donnarumma, realised during and funded by his Fellowship at the Graduiertenschule, Berlin University of the Arts. The installation and the robot are part of the 7 Configurations cycle ideated and produced by Donnarumma. In-kind support was provided by Baltan Laboratories.