An exhibition titled Unrecorded Voices, featuring synthetic archives crafted by 11 South African creatives, offers a groundbreaking interactive showcase at the upcoming Playtopia Festival in Cape Town on 6 and 7 December 2024.

This unique project is the result of a collaborative AI programme hosted by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), in partnership with the French studio u2p050 and Playtopia Festival, Africa’s premier event dedicated to indie games and immersive arts.

Exploring AI and Storytelling

Earlier this year, IFAS launched an open call to South African creatives, selecting 11 artists from diverse disciplines. Over a month-long programme, participants engaged in:

• Technical workshops.
• Ethical discussions.
• Mentorships and creative production with leading experts.

Their mission? To explore how AI technology intersects with artistic storytelling and cultural archiving in a country where much historical documentation has been lost or passed down orally.

Emmanuelle Denavit-Feller, Regional Head of New Media, Film & Music at IFAS, explained:

“In a country with a significant gap in ‘recorded’ archives, we saw this as a compelling space to explore. What if artists could create new or reimagined histories, whether rooted in fiction or fact? What ethical questions would guide such an endeavour?”

An Immersive Visitor Experience

The resulting artworks will be presented in an interactive space featuring:

• Augmented Reality (AR).
• Animation and film.
• Three-dimensional audio-visual experiences.
• Printed creative works.

Participating artists include Chelsi Leonora Goliath, Elize Vossgätter, Henrietta Scholtz, Irish Éire Sloane, Lomawa Elizabeth Maelane, Nhlanhla Michael Dhlamini, Nicola Pilkington, Queer.Space, Siphokazi Matshaka, Vanessa Chen, and Xopher Wallace.

Vanessa Chen, one of the featured artists, shared her thoughts on the experience:

“This process helped me understand how AI-driven technologies can transform traditional historiography by visually representing marginalised histories. It also prompted me to critically examine the ethical implications of shaping collective memory through AI.”

Themes and Impact

The artworks explore themes ranging from:

• Otherworldly, mythological, and futuristic narratives (e.g., a queer utopia underground).
• Factual accounts of Chinese history in the Cape.
• Men’s mental health.
• Humanity’s evolving relationship with AI.

Denavit-Feller further highlighted:

“This exhibition introduces a new approach to archiving—experimentally documenting unrecorded and marginalised histories through AI-generation tools.”

Part of a Global Initiative

Unrecorded Voices is supported by IFAS and the Institut français in Paris, forming part of Novembre Numérique (Digital November), a global initiative celebrating digital cultures.

Learn More

For more information about Playtopia Festival, visit:
https://playtopiafestival.co.za/

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Press Release Submitted By

Organisation: French Institute of South Africa (IFAS)
Contact Person: Emmanuelle Denavit-Feller
Website: www.frenchinstitute.org.za

Total Words: 470

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Social Media Post

Unrecorded Voices at Playtopia Festival 
Experience the power of AI in storytelling with an immersive exhibition of synthetic archives by 11 South African creatives. Join us in Cape Town on 6-7 December! #UnrecordedVoices #PlaytopiaFestival #AICreativity #DigitalArchives #pressrelease #AfricaNewsroom #bizcommunity #publicrelations #africa #southernafrica #southafrica