The Substation/​ Chamber Made, Robin Fox/​ Diaspora/

Inspired by the concepts found in the first chapter of Australian author Greg Egan’s legendary science fiction masterpiece of the same name, Diasphora presents a uniquely utopian reading of what life might be like if we surrender to the fact that software can be, and in fact is already, superhumanly organic. As we theorise and catastrophize about the perils of handing over control to an AI we often overlook the possibility that software could not only save our species but that it could also be a beautiful step in evolution towards an ethereal, non-body, consciousness. Using projection, illusions and lasers, a truly futuristic visual design houses an ensemble of extraordinary musicians who are charged with sonifying the complex and multi-layered build of a digital life-form.

The creative team is led by composer and audio-visual artist Robin Fox working in close collaboration with Chamber Made Artistic Director dramaturg and co-director Tamara Saulwick, co-composer and violinist Erkki Veltheim, video artist and system designer Nick Roux, and musician / performers Madeleine Flynn (ondes musicales and Moog synth) and Georgina Darvidis (vocals and theremin), with lighting design by Amelia Lever-Davidson.

Presented by The Substation, Melbourne International Arts Festival and Chamber Made. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council.