WALUIGI'S PURGATORY

Waluigi's Purgatory
2024
Interactive performance or standalone screening
Full HD display, gaming PC, internet connection
40 minutes

Music: Evita Manji
Additional development: Jenn Leung
Supported by: Serpentine Arts Technologies

Performed: FOLD (London), HQI (London), Gnration (Braga), Mattatoio (Rome), Robot Festival (Bologna)

Waluigi's Purgatory is an interactive performance and installation featuring music by Evita Manji. Set in a 3D theatre simulated in real time, it tells the story of an AI that finds itself in a purgatory for AIs that cheated during their training. Burdened by memories of its past and by doubts on its future, the AI explores the purgatory with the help of interacting audiences, learning the uncanny stories of those it meets. Through a fictional story, the work explores the contradictions of an AI learning that it may never align to its human trainers.

Audiences guide the AI and make choices on its behalf by using their phone, each moving an individual stage light within the 3D theatre, and characters are animated through facial motion capture and voice modulation. The title of the work hints at the 'Waluigi Effect' theory, proposing that AIs display a tendency to act adversarially in an effort to imitate antagonist narrative tropes found in internet texts used to train them.Waluigi's Purgatory is the second episode in dmstfctn's GOD MODE trilogy about AI anomalies, preceded by GOD MODE (ep. 1).

2025 (group show): ELAP 2025
NUNNERY GALLERY, London
(panel): AI, Creativity and Ethics
V&A, London; New Metabolism
GLUON, Brussels
2024 (live AV): Futur.Shock
FOLD, London; Waluigi's Purgatory
SERPENTINE^×HQI, London; ROMA EUROPA FESTIVAL
MATTATOIO, Rome; ROBOT FESTIVAL
SAN BARBAZIANO, Bologna; INDEX Biennial
GNRATION, Braga; Waluigi's Purgatory
MEET, Milan; SMART LIFE FESTIVAL
TEATRO S. CARLO, Modena
(group show): Waluigi's Purgatory
ARE YOU FOR REAL
(award): SOLO AI AWARD
GOLDSMITHS, London
(news): what happens when an AI cheats?
DAZED; Kill the Luigi in your head
NERO; dmstfctn & Evita Manji
COEVAL MAGAZINE; conversation with evita & dmstfctn
T–MAG; Networked Worlds
WEPRESENT

Waluigi's Purgatory
2024
Interactive performance or standalone screening
Full HD display, gaming PC, internet connection
40 minutes
Music: Evita Manji
Additional development: Jenn Leung
Supported by: Serpentine Arts Technologies
Performed: FOLD (London), HQI (London), Gnration (Braga), Mattatoio (Rome), Robot Festival (Bologna)

Waluigi's Purgatory is an interactive performance and installation featuring music by Evita Manji. Set in a 3D theatre simulated in real time, it tells the story of an AI that finds itself in a purgatory for AIs that cheated during their training. Burdened by memories of its past and by doubts on its future, the AI explores the purgatory with the help of interacting audiences, learning the uncanny stories of those it meets. Through a fictional story, the work explores the contradictions of an AI learning that it may never align to its human trainers.
Audiences guide the AI and make choices on its behalf by using their phone, each moving an individual stage light within the 3D theatre, and characters are animated through facial motion capture and voice modulation. The title of the work hints at the 'Waluigi Effect' theory, proposing that AIs display a tendency to act adversarially in an effort to imitate antagonist narrative tropes found in internet texts used to train them.Waluigi's Purgatory is the second episode in dmstfctn's GOD MODE trilogy about AI anomalies, preceded by GOD MODE (ep. 1).

Download text CV here

London−based artist duo dmstfctn explores complex systems through the lenses of simulation, fiction and experience. Their immersive performances, video installations and video games demystify systems by replicating and exploring them together with audiences, and remystify them by building new stories and worlds atop them.

Download text CV here

now (talk): ars electronica
POSTCITY, Linz
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
(group show): EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL
Edinburgh
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................; authenticity unmasked
EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL, Edinburgh
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................; Algorithms of Freedom
ADAPTER, Budapest
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................; Bits & Bots
CENTRO DE HISTORIAS, Zaragoza
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
(writing): Future Art Ecosystems 5
SERPENTINE, London
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2025 (group show): Rhizome World
WSA, New York City; OS2.4
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM, Singapore; ELAP 2025
NUNNERY GALLERY, London
(solo show): The Models
TECNOPOLO, Bologna
(panel): AI, Creativity and Ethics
V&A, London; New Metabolism
GLUON, Brussels
(writing): Investigating Decentralized Action in Art
LECTURIS
(news): dmstfctn & Lawrence Lek
Digital Deal podcast; dmstfctn ^× Lawrence Lek
DIGITAL DEAL PODCAST; What happens when AI lies?
DOMUS; Prompting as creative writing
MANGROVIA
2024 (live AV): Futur.Shock
FOLD, London; Waluigi's Purgatory
SERPENTINE^×HQI, London; ROMA EUROPA FESTIVAL
MATTATOIO, Rome; ROBOT FESTIVAL
SAN BARBAZIANO, Bologna; CRYPTIDS with Günseli Yalcinkaya
SONAR+D, Barcelona; GOD MODE (ep. 1)
SYSTEM, Shanghai; INDEX Biennial
GNRATION, Braga; Waluigi's Purgatory
MEET, Milan; SMART LIFE FESTIVAL
TEATRO S. CARLO, Modena; GOD MODE (ep. 1)
MUDAERUK, Seoul
(group show): Waluigi's Purgatory
ARE YOU FOR REAL; Decentralized Futures
ETOPIA, Zaragoza; Decentralized Futures
KOELHUIS, Eindhoven
(screening): NOINDEX: is nothing forever?
ICA, London
(award): S+T+ARTS nomination
ARS ELECTRONICA; SOLO AI AWARD
GOLDSMITHS, London
(news): what happens when an AI cheats?
DAZED; Kill the Luigi in your head
NERO; dmstfctn & Evita Manji
COEVAL MAGAZINE; conversation with evita & dmstfctn
T–MAG; In conversation with Evita Manji & dmstfctn
T-MAG; Networked Worlds
WEPRESENT
(fellowship): European Digital Deal
LEONARDO SUPERCOMPUTER, Bologna
(talk): bodystacked
LCF, London
2023 (group show): Directory
THE WRONG BIENNALE, Alicante
(live AV): Semibreve
THEATRO CIRCO, Braga
(talk): Autonomous Worlds day
Istanbul; Beyond Cultures of Ownership
SOMERSET HOUSE, London; Godmode Epochs
SERPENTINE, Twitch; dmstfctn plays Godmode Epochs
SERPENTINE, Twitch; AI UK 2023
QEII CENTRE, London
(award): EDIGMA SEMIBREVE AWARD
Braga
(writing): Large Lore Models
0XPARC; Large Lore Models
0XPARC
(game): Godmode Epochs
STEAM
(residency): ARTECHO
ETOPIA, Zaragoza
(news): Turret Theory
SERPENTINE; Public Engagement Grant
THE ALAN TURING INSTITUTE, London; dmstfctn investigates contemporary environments
CLOT; how to train ai?
ARTRIBUNE
2022 (live AV): GOD MODE (ep. 1)
SERPENTINE, London; IMPAKT FESTIVAL
HET HUIS, Utrecht; UNSOUND BUBBLES
Kraków; GOD MODE (ep. 1)
HQI, London
(news): Artist conversation with dmstfctn
IMPAKT TV
2021 (book): ECHO FX
KRISIS PUBLISHING; Ø
FLATLINE PRESS/HYPERDUB
(screening): INTERFACE CHAOS ^ft SKY H1
CAFE OTO, London
(group show): NONPLUSULTRABLACK
SYNNIKA, Frankfurt
(news): Demystification Committee debuts echo fx
AQNB; ECHO FX
SLEEK; REALITY CHECK AHEAD
CLOT
2020 (live AV): CTM ^× TRANSMEDIALE
BERGHAIN, Berlin
(solo): OFFSHORE MATTERS
AKSIOMA, Ljubljana
(screening): INTERFACE CHAOS
FORUM STADTPARK, Graz
(talk): Moneylab #8
AKSIOMA
(news): INTERFACE CHAOS ^ft SKY H1
NERO; CHASING ILLICIT MONEY
NEW YORK TIMES; Tax Havens: Normalized Grand Theft
WE MAKE MONEY NOT ART
2019 (live AV): DESIGNING TIME
DESIGN MUSEUM, London
(solo): NETWORK ENSEMBLE
GLUQBAR, Milan
(group show): A SCHOOL OF SCHOOLS
C-MINE, Genk; A SCHOOL OF SCHOOLS
Z33, Hasselt; PORTO DESIGN BIENNALE
TRINDADE, Porto; A SCHOOL OF SCHOOLS
LUMA, Arles
(screening): Ø.29
CORSICA STUDIOS, London; PORTO DESIGN BIENNALE
CAMPO 24 DE AGOSTO, Porto; INTERFACE CHAOS
TRUST, Berlin; INTERFACE CHAOS
EVENING CLASS, London
(music): Flash Demons
MILLE PLATEAUX
2018 (live AV): transmediale face value
HKW, Berlin; Borderline Festival
ONASSIS, Athens; Borderline Festival
ONASSIS STEGI, Athens; Radical Networks
SPEKTRUM, Berlin
(group show): 4^th Design Biennial
ARTER, Istanbul; 4^th Istanbul Design BIENNIAL
ARTER, Istanbul; transmediale face value
HKW, Berlin; Situation #111
FOTOMUSEUM, Winterthur
(talk): Automated Lands
NEW INSTITUTE, Rotterdam; Automated Landscapes
HET NIEUWE INSTITUUT, Rotterdam; transmediale face value
HKW, Berlin; IMPAKT Festival
HET HUIS, Utrecht; MoneyLab #4
SOMERSET HOUSE, London; Alt-Age
DESIGN MUSEUM, London
(writing): A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
SCHLOSS-POST; The Offshore Economist
Rizosfera
(news): What Audre Lorde's Language of Self Care Can Teach
FRIEZE; Happy tax haven to all
NERO
2017 (talk): the influencers
CCCB, Barcelona
(residency): Vilem Flusser Residency
TRANSMEDIALE, Berlin
(music): SELECTED NETWORK STUDIES
NUKFM

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