MODINA showcase: nino
Ruth Gibson, Bruno Martelli
Installation “nino” is open on the 16th of January 2026 from 12:00 – 17:30 at Von Krahl small stage. The entrance is free.
At 17:30 there will be an artist talk with the creators.
Creators: Ruth Gibson, Bruno Martelli
Dancers: Eszter Gál, Csilla Gesztelyi Nagy, Balázs Oláh, Mar Serra Martí, Helén Tamaskó, Robert Anderson, Ally Clarke, Ruby Portus, Zara Philips
Music: Mechanoid Muse (Marcus Villaca), Casually Here (Nic Nell)
Sound design: Nic Nell
Dramaturg/Vo: Catherine Duquette
Costume: Kitti Laposa
Special thanks: Liza Nagy, Naoto Hieda, William Ruddock Primett, Ulrich Schrauth & LFF Expanded.
Supported by: MODINA, Creative Europe program of the European Union, SIN Arts Centre, MotionBank/CCL University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf (HSD), Trafó Kortárs Művészetek Háza, Budapest
Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava (STL) present the projects of the dance and technology residency MODINA.
The Novacene is the conceptual lens through which nino frames anxiety about AI, as well as issues of identity & connection prevalent in contemporary society and promotes a future characterised by increased connectivity, a return to the body, and a reconnection with the environment. The novacene1, proposed by scientist James Lovelock, originator of the Gaia theory, describes a hypothetical new geological era succeeding the Anthropocene, one in which ultra-intelligent, self-improving artificial systems become the dominant force shaping Earth’s biosphere.
Through the use of virtual incarnation and social interaction, an immersive experience is created, facilitating connections and collaborations with the audience. Technology, including real-time motion capture, AI, and game engines, is employed to develop avatars and environments. The unconventional body types of the avatars invite consideration of how we define ourselves and how those definitions evolve interactions in virtual spaces. In this speculative simulation, the user becomes at once the author and the viewer of the artwork, an unconventional gamelike experience.
The MODINA project is co-funded by the European Union.
