uumwelt by Pierre Huyghe

Pierre Huyghe’s exploration of early AI technology at the Serpentine Galleries involved a transformative and autonomous art installation based on MRI scans, live animals and intense audience interaction. Huyghe used fMRI technology to capture the brain activity of an individual imagining selected images. This data was processed by a deep neural network attempting to reconstruct the images, resulting in continuously evolving visual representations displayed on large LED screens. The exhibition’s environment was dynamic, influenced by sensors detecting light, temperature, humidity, the presence of insects and even visitors' gazes. Live flies living in the gallery created unique patterns, and the space constantly morphed, embodying an ecosystem where human, animal and technological elements interacted unpredictably, reflecting Huyghe’s vision of art as a self-presenting ritual.