cathedral.II
What would an angel trapped in a computer feel like?
Can humans
reject the fusion
of machine and
flesh without
conforming to
societal binaries?
How does this narrative shape identity in a cyberfuture?
What would the marriage of technology and a hyperhuman aspect look like?
cathedral.II is a multisensory installation that envisions a speculative future where flesh and machine merge, exploring themes of anarchotranshumanism, identity, gender, sexuality, and religion. The work critiques societal binaries and probes the tension between empowerment and entrapment in an increasingly digital world. By using projections of a “cyberhell” cathedral, distorted Gregorian chants, and industrial soundscapes, cathedral.II immerses viewers in an experience that challenges the boundaries between humanity and technology. Through chromed sculptures and cybernetic iconography, it asks whether rejecting full technological integration is possible without reinforcing the systems that perpetuate inequality.
This installation combines both tangible and digital components, where every part of the exhibition is alive—reacting, transforming, and evolving. The digital artworks breathe and shift, much like the human body, reflecting the ongoing process of convergence between organic life and technological existence.
cathedral.II is a body and audio-reactive exhibition where live inputs—such as music and participant interaction—generate real-time visual transformations. The visuals pick up and distort body images, translating them into the cathedral’s architecture. Colour, shape, and rotation continuously shift, reflecting the evolving nature of the exhibition. The audio is dynamically responsive to these visual changes, staying within a coherent framework while continuously transforming, enhancing the immersive experience. The exhibition creates a symbiosis between body, sound, and the digital cathedral, highlighting the interconnection between participants and the space.
The concept behind cathedral.II critiques anarchotranshumanism and explores speculative futures where humanity embraces complete digital integration. The breathing nature of both the digital artwork and tangible sculptures offers a visual representation of this merging of digital and real realms, embodying the delicate balance between human consciousness and artificial intelligence.
Initially developed as part of a university assignment to explore the emotional state of mesmerisation, cathedral.II is a personal passion project that delves into the boundaries of mesmerisation and hypnotization. The project addresses the paradoxes within anarchotranshumanism—promoting technological equality while critiquing the capitalist structures that deepen societal divides. The installation challenges viewers to reflect on the ethical implications of human integration with machines, particularly the ways in which it could widen the global disparities between the rich and poor.
The project solidifies the divide between mesmerisation and hypnotization, focusing on how attention is manipulated both politically and emotionally. It is a powerful critique of the technology that shapes our realities, questioning its influence on identity, human agency, and the future.
Alter
The Alter stands as the monumental core of Cathedral.II, embodying the concept of convergence between the body, technology, and religion. This piece is the epicentre where human interaction is merged with digital experience, drawing the viewer into the heart of the exhibition. By combining body- and audio-reactive technologies via TouchDesigner and 3D modelling, the Alter anchors the exhibition as a space where the boundaries between participant and artwork blur.
At the core of the experience is an audio-reactive piece that acts as a “breathing” digital lung for the cyberhell cathedral. The input changes continuously, reacting to the sounds generated within the space. This interactivity emphasizes the peripheral effect of attention, enhancing the sense of ubiquitous presence and constant transformation.
Stream diffusion technology is used to visualize participants’ bodies as they move within the space. The digital projection merges and distorts their forms into the architecture of the cathedral, enhancing the communal sense of connection. This stream diffusion reflects the exhibition’s core theme of rebirth, mortality, and the intersection of technology with human life, emphasizing how we merge with the digital world.
Sculptural Works
cyberangel
The cyberangel sculpture represents an angelic deity, symbolic of the intersection between religion, technology, and transhumanism. Built using reclaimed materials—primarily metal, with parts sourced from junkyards—the sculpture was chromed as part of its transformation. The chrome finish represents a “rebirth,” imbuing the figure with a sense of renewal and purity, much like the idea of transcendence in religious mythologies. In addition to the reclaimed materials, Gulliver 3D modelled and printed a prosthetic arm, further enhancing the sculpture’s futuristic and hybridized nature. The cyberangel challenges the idea of divine purity in the digital age and reflects the tension between the physical and the virtual.
Tapestries
The tapestries frame the altar and further the theme of “cyberreligion.” They blend metal, machine parts, and symbolic religious motifs, with spattered red paint and oil. These flowing, circular designs represent the eternal cycle of life and death, adding a visceral layer to the spiritual critique.
Shrine
The shrine in Cathedral.II is a handmade structure incorporating a Raspberry Pi and a monitor. It highlights humanity’s relationship with technology, specifically how machine learning often replicates or mutates existing creations. By evoking the concept of Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), the shrine imagines an angel trapped within the machine, acting as a bridge between worlds. This piece explores cyber-superstition and religious iconography in the digital age, questioning the supernatural and its place within technology-driven societies.