Evolving from a Sora short film of the same name by Manuel Sainsily and Will Selviz, this experience deepens the narrative by engaging multiple senses and creating an interactive journey that resonates on a deeply personal level. Visitors are invited into the futuristic realm of Protopica, where they embody ancestral souls on a quest to find their next vessel, evolving and morphing as they traverse this otherworldly space.
The exhibition leverages advanced technology to create a uniquely tailored experience for each participant. Upon arrival, users wear a EEG headset, which monitors their brain waves and emotions. This data, analyzed in real-time, shapes the unfolding experience, making it a deeply personalized journey. As participants engage with the visual and auditory elements around them, their interactions further tailor the narrative, creating a seamless fusion of technology and human sensation.
The visual experience is amplified by interactive visuals that respond to users’ hand and face movements, while a captivating soundscape envelops them. This multisensory engagement fosters a profound connection to the idea of “home” as participants navigate the world of Protopica. Their emotions and physical actions influence the story, morphing it in real-time and guiding them through a journey at the heart of the experience.
Protopica is more than just a visual spectacle—-it’s a transformative exploration of identity, heritage, and belonging. By blending state-of-the-art technology with cultural storytelling, the exhibition invites participants to rediscover their roots and reflect on the ever-changing meaning of “home.” This profound connection to ancestral legacy leaves visitors inspired, with a newfound sense of belonging that transcends the boundaries of time and space.
Manuel Sainsily and Will Selviz co-directed their first short film, Protopica, using Sora, OpenAI’s latest AI model that can create realistic and imaginative scenes from text instructions. This was made possible through their private early access.
Protopica is a realm where you can envision future possibilities and explore forgotten pasts. It fosters belonging and empathy, posing the question: “What if our lives are the result of choices made long before our existence?”
Join us in sparking meaningful conversations and inspiring future generations! Learn more at https://protopica.com
Artist: Manuel Sainsily
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Manuel Sainsily is a TED Speaker and XR Design Instructor at McGill University and UMass Boston, who has published an episode about AI, Ethics, and the Future on Masterclass.
Originally born in Guadeloupe, a French archipelago in the Caribbean, he moved to Montreal in 2010 to finalize his Master of Science in Computer Sciences. Over a decade of experience later in various industries from Aerospatial to Gaming, and a second citizenship as Canadian, he is now a trilingual public speaker, an educator, and a multidisciplinary artist who champions the responsible use and understanding of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Spatial Computing, Haptics, and Brain-Computer Interfaces.
From speaking at worldwide tech conferences, to receiving a Mozilla Rise25 Award, and producing events with Meta, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and VIFFest, Manuel amplifies the conversation around art and cultural content through inspiring, educative, and interactive experiences.
Artist: Will Selviz
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Venezuelan-born Will Selviz is a trailblazer in immersive media and experiential design. His diverse upbringing across Latin America, the Middle East, and Canada fuels his innovative approach to digital storytelling. A Clio Award winner and SXSW XR director, Will seamlessly blends traditional and cutting-edge technologies.
Will’s expertise brings tech adoption for industry giants like Nike, Meta, NBA, Microsoft, and OpenAI. Passionate about neuroscience and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology, he aims to fuse creativity with scientific rigor. Drawing on his computer science and design background, Selviz crafts inclusive experiences that foster a sense of belonging.