#ALPHALOOP is an innovative performance exploring the intersection of nature and technology through techno-shamanism. Inspired by Timothy Leary’s cybernetic shamanism and northern Quebec’s myths, it critiques Extended Reality (XR) technology and spirituality. With a mix of 360° cinema and live performance, it immerses up to 6 participants in a unique experience that blends reality with digital perceptions, guided by two antagonists, HIM and the MÉTA.
The core research question of #ALPHALOOP centers on exploring the intersection of the sacred and technology through the concept of techno-shamanism. The work challenges the conventional dichotomy between nature and technology, proposing that both are integral manifestations of reality. Inspired by Timothy Leary’s theories on cybernetic shamanism and enriched by a research trip focusing on the myths and cultures of northern Quebec, the project critically examines Extended Reality (XR) technologies, the ideology of innovation, and spirituality.
Registration required: https://ars.electronica.art/hope/en/events/alphaloop/
Photo: deletere
Photo:
The audience experiences this as a 50-minute performance that merges 360° cinema and live performance. Limited to up to 6 people per session, participants follow a guided path led by two antagonists, HIM (a shaman) and the MÉTA (a technomancer), while equipped with DIY mixed reality headsets. This immersive setup transforms their sensory perception, blending physical and digital realities of the world around them.
Bio
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Photo: Stéphane BailbyAdelin Schweitzer
FR
Adelin Schweitzer is a French contemporary artist, director and performer renowned for his technological detour and iconoclastic use of Extended Realities (XR). His creations go against the techno-solutionist ideology and belief in a technology capable of resolving all social, economic and environmental issues. The artist develops a form of self-defense manual, unusual and mischievous, enabling us to rethink a society that has been nibbled away by technology.
Credits
Artistic Direction: Adelin Schweitzer
Write & Play: Fred Sechet & Adelin Schweitzer
Dramaturgy: Pina Wood
Software Developement: Naoyuki Tanaka & Gaëtan Parseihian
Sound Design: Lucien Gaudion & Gaëtan Parseihian
Co-Production: Crossed Lab / Deletere / Station Mir
Partners & Supports: Cnc-Dicréam / Région Sud / Drac Et Scan Région Auvergne Rhône-Alpes / Région Normandie / Consulat De France Au Québec
Presented in the context of the Realities in Transition project. Realities in Transition is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
