Samson Young

"Pavilion" explores the legacy of the film "THINK," created by Charles and Ray Eames for the IBM Pavilion at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. At the dawn of the computer age, "THINK" pictured computers as models of how the human mind both receives and processes information, immersing audiences in a dynamic stream of images, sounds, and ideas. Taking as a point of departure THINK’s multiscreen setup and its distinctive orchestration of audio-visual rhythm, Pavilion revisits this early precursor to database cinema and reflects upon the optimism and apprehension that shaped its cultural context, at a time when generative AI has exponentially increased the scale and speed of data patterning. "Pavilion" integrates filmed and archival material, and uses generative AI to composite footage iteratively. It features new choral compositions performed by members of the Taipei Male Choir, presented in a multi-channel soundscape designed by the Taiwan Sound Lab.