AI to reshape historical events

Twelve South Africans have been selected for a ground-breaking AI programme called Unrecorded Voices. The explorative  programme is hosted by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) in partnership with French studio u2p050, and Playtopia Festival.

The cohort represents a cross-section of creative professionals interested in AI and its application across various disciplines, ranging from animation and visual arts to architecture, curation, broadcasting, immersive storytelling, gaming, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR).

The programme merges cutting-edge AI technology with artistic and cultural narratives. The participants, representing a range of creative disciplines, will explore AI’s potential to reshape how we understand and represent historical events.

During the programme, the participants will engage in workshops, mentorships, and a collaborative exhibition, focusing on creating AI-generated visual and auditory representations of unrecorded or marginalised histories. By blending AI with traditional historical research, participants can redefine storytelling and gain critical insight into the ethical implications of generating synthetic historical content. 

The programme will culminate in a series of AI-generated short films or interactive experiences, which will be showcased at the Playtopia Festival in Cape Town from 6 to 7 December 2024.

Meet the cohort

The 2024 participants include individuals exploring themes ranging from environmental and social justice to the reimagining of marginalised histories. They are:

• Chelsi Leonora Goliath: Creative Technologist and Immersive Artist, currently pursuing her Master’s in Human-Robot Interaction at Wits University.
• Dune Tilley: Award-winning multidisciplinary creative, founder of Luca (AI creative solutions consultancy), and Director of R&D at Thebe Magugu.
• Elize Vossgätter: Visual artist exploring humankind’s unnatural relationship with nature, represented by Everard Gallery (Cape Town) and Hoop Gallery (Senegal).
• Henrietta Scholtz: Visual archaeologist and interdisciplinary artist investigating the interplay between new technologies and cultural development from ancient to modern times.
• Irish Éire Sloane: Digital artist and animator, specialising in integrating AI into animation pipelines.
• Lomawa Elizabeth Maelane: Digital media artist and educator unpacking African diasporic heritage through performance, animation, and installation.
• Mika’il the Muezzin: Social sculptor, architect, and storyteller focusing on gender, sexual, and ethnic identity, as well as social justice issues.
• Nhlanhla Michael Dhlamini: Underground digital musician, artist and AI activist exploring AI and digital mysticism since 2009.
• Nicola Pilkington: Artist with work spanning stage, screen, and multimedia projects, UCT lecturer and Doctoral candidate specialising in intermedial performance. 
• Siphokazi Matshaka: Fine Arts student at Wits integrating AI and coding into her creative processes.
• Vanessa Chen: PhD candidate at UCT, researching the early Chinese community at the Cape, using marginalised and non-documentary type archives for research.
• Xopher Wallace: Creative technologist specialising in AR, VR, and immersive storytelling.

“The participants have motivated their involvement with the programme based on myriad potential outcomes,” says Emmanuelle Denavit-Feller, Regional Head of New Media, Film & Music at IFAS. 

“From investigating the potential for archives and redefining historical documentation and interpretation and reconstructing neglected histories to pushing boundaries in AI storytelling and environmental and social justice issues, to ‘destabilising’ dominant narratives. These are all very exciting pioneering possibilities that IFAS proudly supports.”

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