An “Out Of Control” Machine Roars To Life In Brussels

Out of Control from Visual System on Vimeo.

As the light grows in intensity, and the electric hum becomes a thunderous roar, a sudden presence fills the vaulted corridors of the Brussels Atomium. “Act. React. Insist. Resist.” In the video above, the words sputter from an unidentifiable voice box, establishing firmly the existence of a self-aware machine. And then, just as quickly as it was born, the unthinkable happens: a virus breaches its mainframe, and the machine loses control. 

Back in June, we debuted the trailer for Out of Control, a massive audiovisual installation created by French art and design collective, Visual System, for the Atomium, the culture center made from a repurposed Worlds Fair pavillion in Brussels. A series of light cycles designed around the sounds of musician and composer Thomas Vaquié (which were inspired by Stéphane Beauverger‘s short story, “Hors Contrôle”), Out of Control “looks at the conflict between two opposing sides: the Heart and the Virus,” as described by Visual System (see The Creators Project’s documentary on Visual System here). 

If it sounds a lot like real life science fiction, that’s because it is. Visual System explains: 

The Atomium was born in an era that saw the future both as a promise of progress and a source of concern. The site is an incarnation of this golden age of science fiction, examining the relationship between a man and the conscious machine. By welcoming the disoriented machine of Out of Control, the Atomium reminds us that technology continues to question humankind about its very nature.

Today, we debut the fruits of Visual System’s labor: the multisensory installation in all its simulated sentience. Above, see Out of Control in action. Below, check out the making of Out of Control, as well as some exclusive images of Visual System’s humbling and awe-inspiring machine:

OUT OF CONTROL- Making Off from Visual System on Vimeo.

Out of Control made its debut at the Brussels Atomium in August. Learn more about the project here.

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