The “Machines of Empathy” exhibition, a collaboration between ITMO University’s Art & Science program and the Russian Museum, is now open to the public in the Western Pavilion of the Mikhailovsky Castle. The exhibition features 13 projects exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and biological processes.

The exhibition delves into two primary themes: the emotional connections humans develop with non-human entities and a re-evaluation of our understanding of machines. Curator Olga Vad emphasizes that contemporary technologies differ significantly from those of the past, resembling living organisms in their capacity for digital reproduction.

Visitors can experience a virtual Barnaul greenhouse, explore the sounds of air bubbles, and interact with installations that respond to human emotions. The exhibition includes works such as Valeria Makarova’s project on the culture of gardening in Russia, Lyudmila Friedman’s “Affective Computing” installation which responds to smiles, and Valeria Dobulevich’s “Lingua Franca,” addressing the disappearance of minority languages.

On the second floor, projects explore topics like the impact of radiation on living organisms and conversations with mushrooms. Irina Korotkaya’s “Ivory Tower,” a collaboration with other artists, presents a fictional scientist’s office complete with a mystifying apparatus that creates algorithmic musical compositions from the dynamics of bubbles. These experimental projects aim to engage viewers with a playful and thought-provoking experience.

The Russian Museum’s willingness to host such experimental works highlights its position as a major institution embracing contemporary art. In conjunction with this exhibition, the “Crypto / Farm” exhibition has also opened in the Tsarskoye Selo pavilion “Imperial Farm,” further demonstrating the collaboration between the Art & Science Center and museum institutions.