Evolving from the Sora short film 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.
Artist: Will Selviz
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.
Artist: Manuel Sainsily
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.
