Catius B
The Felinids are concerned by what is happening to the planet Earth and the humans that inhabit it who are disconnected from, and destroying their natural environment.
They have decided the best solution is to lead by example and have sent a time capsule so that humans may understand more about the Felinids, with the hope that humanity can be inspired by the way they live in harmony with their own planet Catius B.
The time capsule consists of several artefacts which when interacted with give experiences of wonder and tell stories through holograms and sound.
At the end of the experience it is revealed that it was created not by alien cats, but by AI which was created by us humans, and the sounds and stories are from our own wondrous world which we must preserve at all costs.
I’m not trying to provide all the answers in my art, but trying to get people asking questions. Through this project, with its grounding in the human world, I want to show that we have the tools which can give us the answers to the planet’s problems, we just need to ensure we are using technology in a positive and constructive way working towards preserving life on this planet.
Catius B Phase A
A series of short films and music videos based on the world of the Felinids.
Catius B Phase B - The Time Capsule
A Mixed Reality project currently under development in association with Malger Entertainment, Niraj Gera, Puroo Singla and Veer Solanki.
Prelude
For many artists, AI is viewed as a tool, even a competitor. I wanted to explore the idea of AI as a collaborator, not just facilitating human creation, but contributing to it, not just aesthetically but philosophically..
So much fear surrounds the potential harm that can be caused by AI; amplifying hate speech, misinformation, plagiarism, environmental impact etc. but what about the potential good?
The first incarnation of this project was created in three days for the 2024 Eyemyth/Unboxed Labs Artist Residency as a kind of thought experiment, to attempt to address the burning question: ‘is AI fundamentally good or intrinsically bad?’
And if AI is the culmination of the output of human creativity, can we even explore ‘are humans fundamentally good or intrinsically bad?’
Moreover, if AI can imagine a better future, can this give us some hope and direction as humans to go ahead and build one?
Inspiration
While some of my favourite Instagram artists like Nice Aunties and Ministry of Latent Places tell imaginative stories and have great visuals, many AI artists use their imagined worlds for social commentary about the real world and sharing of ideas.
I feel Indigenous futurist artists are a particularly important subset of the latter, even more so considering my British origins and the damage my ancestors have done through colonisation.
I’m conscious of the fine line between cultural appropriation and participation/collaboration. My goal is to bring awareness to these movements, create a dialogue, explore my own roots, spiritual beliefs and cultural heritage and imagine a better future so we can work on building one.
While Indigenous futurists imagine worlds specific to their individual cultures, and futurists generally imagine worlds specific to humanity, I want to imagine an alien world specific to cats.
Not only because I like cats (a lot), but because a cat-based world allows me a safe (and fun) space to explore themes relevant to humanity, without treading on any individual culture’s toes. Plus everyone (mostly) likes cats.
With the AI revolution taking place, impacting humanity as drastically as the industrial revolution or the age of the internet, it is essential to engage with it.
I am doing so via building this imaginary world together - if we can collaborate to build something aspirational, then I hope it will open people’s eyes to how AI might help us change our own world for the better (and start doing it!)
