Dana-Fiona Armour has been announced as the recipient of the 2024 Sigg Art Prize. The prize is an initiative set to redefine the boundaries of artistic creation through the lens of Artificial Intelligence.
Her winning project submission, Alvinella Ophis, is an interdisciplinary 3D animated video installation that explores the interplay between biotechnology, artificial intelligence and contemporary art. Set in a dystopian future desert devastated by ecological disaster, it introduces a hybrid species - Alvinella Ophis, a combination of the Pompeii worm and a snake - that symbolises evolutionary resilience. Interactive elements, including infrared sensors that detects it thermal presence, mimic the heat sensing capabilities of a python's pit organ. AI processes this data to create dynamic visual responses, accompanied by. a quadrophonic soundscape, transforming the space into a surreal environment and a re-evaluation of humanity's role in a non-anthropocentric world, urging us to reconsider our ecological significance.
The jury - comprised of leading figures in art, technology, philosophy, and cultural management, in addition to an AI programme - based their decision on the technological integration, innovation, creativity and artistic impact of the works submitted. Factors such as engagement with social issues and diversity representation was also taken into consideration.
