IXI

2020

Code, CGI, game engine, dimensions 900m x 450m, shown at CTM, Berlin (Germany), 2021, SXSW, Austin (Texas), 2021, Venice Biennale, Venice (Italy) 2021

About
“ixi”, “IXI”and “jxj“ are sculptures as walkable, virtual spaces. The sculptures are built by translating two hyper-spaces into one 3-dimensional virtual object. The hyper-spaces are part of current (2020) research into the „theory of everything“; physicists‘ search for a unified theory, which describes why and how the universe and everything within it works. Each hyperspace represents one possible mathematical outlay of our universe. Two hyper-spaces are translated into one 3-dimensional object and animated to morph slowly from one space to the other over the course of 12 hours. Over the following 12 hours the morphing reverses. As a result the virtual space can be re-visited at different times of the day and will show different shapes at different times. Which model correctly describes our universe? Or does reality lie anywhere in between? 
The soundscape is based on the first officially released music using a new algorithm for AI sound synthesis developed by Google in 2020 („bayes“ by Byrke Lou) .

Experience
The transparent space is rendered visible only through the light reflected on its surface. ixi’s slowly morphing shape, incrementally changing light situation and AI-generated soundscape can be experienced in virtual reality. Visitors can talk to and engage with fellow visitors. The algorithmic composition and AI synthesised sounds build a dreamy, abstract sonic field, which guides the visitor through the space.

Why
“ixi’s” hyper-spaces stem from current research into the theory of everything, which would explain the fundamental rules our universe operates on. “ixi” reflects on the question of how we conceptualize and construct physical space and everything within it and how we could re-think building virtual space.