Unreleased Musical Work Performed Posthumously by Its Creator
American experimental composer Alvin Lucier, who passed away in 2021, is creating waves posthumously with his innovative exhibit, "Revivification," now showcased at The Art Gallery of Western Australia in Perth. This groundbreaking art and science project features cerebral organoids, lab-grown mini brain structures, controlling music that Lucier orchestrated even beyond his death.
The exhibit, which runs from April 5 to August 3, 2025, consists of 20 wall-mounted brass plates, or cymbals, with mallets that periodically strike, producing vibrations echoing around the room. However, it's the means by which these cymbals are struck that sets "Revivification" apart. Electronically controlled by electrical signals generated by two cerebral organoids, these structures are three-dimensional brain-like blobs grown from induced pluripotent stem cells derived from Lucier's own donated stem cells.
Behind this project is a collaborative effort among artists Nathan Thompson, Guy Ben-Ary, Matt Gingold, and neuroscientist Stuart Hodgetts from the University of Western Australia. This unique fusion of art, neuroscience, and biotechnology was initially conceived in 2018, with the aim to explore art generated by biological processes after death, questioning technology, life, and human identity.
"Revivification" challenges typical notions of creativity and mortality by allowing Lucier's "brain on a dish" to compose and perform music extending beyond his lifetime. The exhibit invites viewers to ponder the ethical, philosophical, and technological implications of fusing living biological tissue with artistic expression and artificial intelligence. It also underscores the potential of pluripotent stem cell research in creating responsive living art forms that blur the lines between science, technology, and human legacy.
The exhibit's conceptual impact extends beyond the gallery, sparking conversations about the boundaries between life, technology, and human identity. As we continue to explore the integration of science, art, and technology, "Revivification" stands as a testament to what can be achieved when creative minds collaborate to push the boundaries of innovation and creativity.
Sensors, technology, and artificial intelligence collaborate to create music in the exhibit "Revivification," controlling the strike of 20 wall-mounted brass plates. These brush strikes are triggered by electrical signals generated from cerebral organoids, structures grown from the artist Alvin Lucier's donated stem cells. This innovatory fusion of health-and-wellness research (stem cell technology), mental-health research (neuroscience), art, and technology questions the ethical and philosophical implications of artificial life.
