Keywords: prosthetics, artificial intelligence, ritual, wound, sculpture

Amygdala MK1

World Premiere: 2017, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin

Amygdala is an artificially intelligent (AI) robot in the form of an uncanny human-like limb. Disturbing and yet sensual, abject and sinuous, Amygdala 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 page refers to Amygdala MK1, the first iteration of the final artwork entitled Amygdala MK3. 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

An artwork by Marco Donnarumma in collaboration with Neurorobotics Research Laboratory and Ana Rajcevic Studio.

Marco Donnarumma – Concept, research, artistic direction and programming
Prof. Alberto de Campo – Additional programming and research
Christian Schmidts – 3D modeling and printing
Rosalie Laurin – Exhibit design research
Margherita Pevere, William Veder, Marco Donnarumma – Photography
Retune Festival – Co-production
Berlin University of the Arts, Graduiertenschule – Funding
Einstein Stiftung – Funding
Berlin Center for Advanced Studies in Arts and Sciences – In kind support
Baltan Laboratories – In kind support / Dissemination