Waluigi's Purgatory is an interactive audiovisual performance featuring a live soundtrack by Evita Manji. Set in a 3D theatre simulated in real time, the performance tells the story of an AI simply called 'W.' finding itself in a purgatory for AIs that cheated during their training. Burdened by memories of its past and by doubts on its future, W. explores purgatory with the help of interacting audiences, learning the uncanny stories of other characters. Experienced as a dream, Waluigi's Purgatory is a journey through the contradictions of machine intelligence as an AI learns to accept that its desires may not align with those of its human trainers.

    Audiences guide W. through its encounters and make choices on its behalf by using their phone to each move an individual stage light within the 3D theatre. Characters are animated in real time through facial motion capture and voice modulation, and an ambient instrumental soundtrack is performed by Evita Manji, responding to storyline and audience interaction alike.

    The title of the work hints at the 'Waluigi Effect', a meme theory which emerged in 2023 proposing that AIs display a tendency to go rogue or act adversarially due to the large amount of protagonist-antagonist narrative tropes found in internet texts used to train them. Waluigi's Purgatory is supported by Serpentine's Arts Technologies programme and, in themes and format, loosely follows on from GOD MODE (ep. 1), the artists' previous interactive performance about AI training and cheating.

    ROBOT FESTIVAL
    bologna
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Presenting the interactive AV show 'Waluigi's Purgatory' with Evita Manji
    ROMA EUROPA FESTIVAL
    MATTATOIO, rome
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Presenting the interactive AV show 'Waluigi's Purgatory' with Evita Manji
    SMART LIFE FESTIVAL
    TEATRO S CARLO, modena
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Presenting an exclusive iteration of the AV show 'Waluigi's Purgatory' in Italian
    Waluigi's Purgatory
    ARE YOU FOR REAL
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Exhibiting a series of video excerpts through an interactive, contextual interface
    what happens when an AI cheats?
    DAZED
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... dmstfctn speak to Günseli Yalcinkaya at DAZED about 'Waluigi's Purgatory'
    2024 (live)
    INDEX Biennial
    GNRATION, braga
    CRYPTIDS
    SONAR+D, barcelona
    Futur.Shock
    FOLD, london
    Waluigi's Purgatory
    SERPENTINE×HQI, london
    SOLO AI AWARD
    GOLDSMITHS, london
    Showing excerpts from 'Waluigi's Purgatory' at SOLO AI's award ceremony
    Networked Worlds
    WEPRESENT
    'Waluigi's Purgatory' featured in the latest Wepresent x Wetransfer publication
    dmstfctn & Evita Manji
    COEVAL MAGAZINE
    dmstfctn and Evita Manji speak to Alasdair Milne about 'Waluigi's Purgatory' (2024)
    conversation with evita & dmstfctn
    T-MAG
    1. Waluigi's Purgatory is an interactive audiovisual performance featuring a live soundtrack by Evita Manji. Set in a 3D theatre simulated in real time, the performance tells the story of an AI simply called 'W.' finding itself in a purgatory for AIs that cheated during their training. Burdened by memories of its past and by doubts on its future, W. explores purgatory with the help of interacting audiences, learning the uncanny stories of other characters. Experienced as a dream, Waluigi's Purgatory is a journey through the contradictions of machine intelligence as an AI learns to accept that its desires may not align with those of its human trainers.

      Audiences guide W. through its encounters and make choices on its behalf by using their phone to each move an individual stage light within the 3D theatre. Characters are animated in real time through facial motion capture and voice modulation, and an ambient instrumental soundtrack is performed by Evita Manji, responding to storyline and audience interaction alike.

      The title of the work hints at the 'Waluigi Effect', a meme theory which emerged in 2023 proposing that AIs display a tendency to go rogue or act adversarially due to the large amount of protagonist-antagonist narrative tropes found in internet texts used to train them. Waluigi's Purgatory is supported by Serpentine's Arts Technologies programme and, in themes and format, loosely follows on from GOD MODE (ep. 1), the artists' previous interactive performance about AI training and cheating.

    2024

    WALUIGI'S PURGATORY

    London-based artist duo dmstfctn explores opaque systems of power through performance, installation, video games and film. Their work often involves audiences directly, inviting them into the 'demystification' of systems by replicating and replaying them, and into their 'remystification' by building worlds, characters and myths atop them.

    ROBOT FESTIVAL
    bologna
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Presenting the interactive AV show 'Waluigi's Purgatory' with Evita Manji
    ROMA EUROPA FESTIVAL
    MATTATOIO, rome
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Presenting the interactive AV show 'Waluigi's Purgatory' with Evita Manji
    SMART LIFE FESTIVAL
    TEATRO S CARLO, modena
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Presenting an exclusive iteration of the AV show 'Waluigi's Purgatory' in Italian
    Kill the Luigi in your head
    JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY, rome
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... A talk expanding on 'Waluigi's Purgatory' (2023) together with Evita Manji
    Kill the Luigi in your head
    JOHN CABOT U, rome
    ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    Waluigi's Purgatory
    ARE YOU FOR REAL
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Exhibiting a series of video excerpts through an interactive, contextual interface
    Decentralised Futures
    ETOPIA, zaragoza
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Exhibiting a prototype of the onchain multiplayer narrative game 'Fango 1000'
    what happens when an AI cheats?
    DAZED
    .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... dmstfctn speak to Günseli Yalcinkaya at DAZED about 'Waluigi's Purgatory'
    2024 (live)
    INDEX Biennial
    GNRATION, braga
    CRYPTIDS with Gunseli Yalcinkaya
    SONAR+D, barcelona
    CRYPTIDS
    SONAR+D, barcelona
    Futur.Shock
    FOLD, london
    Waluigi's Purgatory
    SERPENTINE×HQI, london
    GOD MODE (ep. 1)
    MUDAERUK, seoul
    GOD MODE (ep. 1)
    SYSTEM, shanghai
    (screening)
    NOINDEX: is nothing forever?
    ICA, london
    SOLO AI AWARD
    GOLDSMITHS, london
    Showing excerpts from 'Waluigi's Purgatory' at SOLO AI's award ceremony
    S+T+ARTS nomination
    ARS ELECTRONICA
    'Godmode Epochs' wins a S+T+ARTS nomination exactly a year after its release
    Networked Worlds
    WEPRESENT
    'Waluigi's Purgatory' featured in the latest Wepresent x Wetransfer publication
    dmstfctn & Evita Manji
    COEVAL MAGAZINE
    dmstfctn and Evita Manji speak to Alasdair Milne about 'Waluigi's Purgatory' (2024)
    conversation with evita & dmstfctn
    T-MAG
    In conversation with Evita Manji & dmstfctn
    T-MAG
    "Ever wondered whether an Artificial Intelligence could have its own desires?"
    bodystacked
    LCF, london
    A talk on the faciality of AI characthers in the 'GOD MODE' series (2022—)
    2023 (live)
    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
    'Godmode Epochs' (2023) launch on Serpentine's Twitch with curator Eva Jäger
    AI UK 2023
    QEII CENTRE, london
    (release)
    Large Lore Models
    0XPARC
    Large Lore Models
    0XPARC
    A speculative tool for narrative building, with Eva Jäger and Alasdair Milne
    Godmode Epochs
    STEAM
    An AI training game set in an infinite supermarket, time is short, the AI frustrated
    ARTECHO
    ETOPIA, zaragoza
    Building a fully onchain narrative generation game, a.k.a a 'Large Lore Model'
    Turret Theory
    SERPENTINE
    Alasdair Milne examines the configuration of 'Godmode Epochs' (2023)
    Godmode Epochs
    ALAN TURING INSTITUTE
    dmstfctn are awarded the 2022 Alan Turing Institute Public Engagement Grant
    dmstfctn investigates contemporary environments
    CLOT
    An interview with Christopher Michael on the 'GOD MODE' series (2022—)
    come addestrare una intelligenza artificiale?
    ARTRIBUNE
    An interview in Italian expanding on the vide ogame 'Godmode Epochs' (2023)
    2022 (live)
    GOD MODE (ep. 1)
    SERPENTINE, london
    IMPAKT FESTIVAL
    HET HUIS, utrecht
    UNSOUND BUBBLES
    kraków
    GOD MODE (ep. 1)
    HQI, london
    Artist conversation with dmstfctn
    IMPAKT TV
    A live interview on simulation and AI, hosted by Marijn Bril at IMPAKT festival
    ECHO FX
    KRISIS PUBLISHING
    A book and performance about market manipulation on Brexit Referendum night
    Ø
    FLATLINE PRESS/HYPERDUB
    (screening)
    INTERFACE CHAOS ft SKY H1
    CAFE OTO, london
    (group show)
    NONPLUSULTRABLACK
    SYNNIKA, frankfurt
    Demystification Committee debuts echo fx
    AQNB
    "The performance revisits the sociopolitical and economic tumult following Brexit"
    ECHO FX
    SLEEK
    "A modern tale, constructed of lies, gorilla advertising bus campaigns and ..."
    REALITY CHECK AHEAD
    CLOT
    "If the performance was a reaction, the book is a reflection, at 0x speed ..."
    2020 (live)
    CTM × TRANSMEDIALE
    BERGHAIN, berlin
    (solo)
    OFFSHORE MATTERS
    AKSIOMA, ljubljana
    (screening)
    INTERFACE CHAOS
    FORUM STADTPARK, graz
    Moneylab #8
    AKSIOMA
    A panel on works of art that investigate the offshore financial industry
    INTERFACE CHAOS ft SKY H1
    NERO
    An interview on the short film 'INTERFACE CHAOS' (2019), including excerpts
    CHASING ILLICIT MONEY
    NEW YORK TIMES
    "A group of artists began a project to show how money could be moved offshore"
    2019 (live)
    DESIGNING TIME
    DESIGN MUSEUM, london
    (solo)
    NETWORK ENSEMBLE
    GLUQBAR, milan
    (group show)
    A SCHOOL OF SCHOOLS
    C-MINE, genk
    PORTO DESIGN BIENNIALE
    TRINDADE, porto
    A SCHOOL OF SCHOOLS
    LUMA, arles
    (screening)
    Ø.29
    CORSICA STUDIOS, london
    PORTO DESIGN BIENNIALE
    CAMPO 24 DE AGOSTO, porto
    INTERFACE CHAOS
    TRUST, berlin
    INTERFACE CHAOS
    EVENING CLASS, london
    Flash Demons
    MILLE PLATEAUX
    Audiovisual genealogy of financial algorithmic collapse, limited editon USB
    2018 (live)
    transmediale face value
    HKW, berlin
    Borderline Festival
    ONASSIS, athens
    Borderline Festival
    ONASSIS STEGI, athens
    "Approach from West India Quay, see what corpses sprouted on the Isle of Dead"
    Radical Networks
    SPEKTRUM, berlin
    (group show)
    4th Design Biennial
    ARTER, istanbul
    4th Istanbul Design BIENNIAL
    ARTER, istanbul
    transmediale face value
    HKW, berlin
    Situation #111
    FOTOMUSEUM, winterthur
    Automated Lands
    NEW INSTITUTE, rotterdam
    Automated Landscapes
    HET NIEUWE INSTITUUT, rotterdam
    A presentation of the 'Offshore Investigation Vehicle' project (2017-18)
    transmediale face value
    HKW, berlin
    A presentation of the 'Offshore Investigation Vehicle' project (2017-18)
    IMPAKT Festival
    HET HUIS, utrecht
    A talk on sonic work, part of the panel "Algorithms And Financial Speculation"
    MoneyLab #4
    SOMERSET HOUSE, london
    A presentation of the 'Offshore Investigation Vehicle' project (2017-18)
    Alt-Age
    DESIGN MUSEUM, london
    A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
    SCHLOSS-POST
    "The phone on the cafe table buzzes: Graham. Mark sighs. Graham is a prick"
    The Offshore Economist
    Rizosfera
    "You are alone on a dusty desert road... You have just run out of water....."
    Buon Paradiso Fiscale a Tutti
    NERO
    An interview in Italian expanding on 'Offshore Investigation Vehicle' (2017-18)
    2017 (talk)
    the influencers
    CCCB, barcelona
    (residency)
    Vilem Flusser Residency
    TRANSMEDIALE, berlin
    SELECTED NETWORK STUDIES
    NUKFM
    AV experiments with wireless network infrastructure, limited edition SD card