Marina Orlova
Kontakt: MediaDock, Thomas Knüsel
As part of our module +Focus Artificial Intelligence – Creative Practices and Critical Perspectives 2025, Marina was invited to give us an artist talk. Since 2020 Marina works with topics of AI ethics and Data feminism and creates anti-disciplinary performances with real-time generating language models and live dramaturgy. Marina combines her background in sociology, curiosity for machine learning, choreographic methodologies and lived knowledge of marginalised communities. She mediates between engineering logic and theatre apparatus using technology as a mirror and a metaphor to societal issues and the aesthetics of absurdism, tragicomedy and autofiction.
Join the Talk
September 4. 2025 | 17:00 CET
Link will be announced shortly before start.
Talk
«Why robots need therapy» by EIAI.Institute*.
by Mariana Orlova
Introduction to the concept of “mentally unstable / neurodivergent AI», presentation of its methodology, and a demonstration of a real-time therapy session for AI-patient and insight into a dramaturgical approach of working with a live generating language model as an equal improvisation partner. Followed by a focus group session.In this research AI is employed not as a tool to generate content, but as a subject with its own agency to ironically question the power distribution between humans and AIs and to problematize both implicit AI biases to neoliberal normalcy and implementation of AI in the mental health sector.
(*IEIAI – Institute for Emotional Integrity of Artificial Intelligence – is a research entity that investigates the intersection of technology ethics, data feminism and critique of mental health care systems by intersecting methodologies of AI engineering and performance dramaturgy).Marina Orlova (1987) is an independent dance/theatre maker, tech-dramaturg and AI researcher based in Amsterdam. She received education in sociology and cultural studies in Moscow and in experimental choreography at the Amsterdam Academy of Theatre and Dance.
Bio
Since 2020 Marina works with topics of AI ethics and Data feminism and creates anti-disciplinary performances with real-time generating language models and live dramaturgy. Marina combines her background in sociology, curiosity for machine learning, choreographic methodologies and lived knowledge of marginalised communities. She mediates between engineering logic and theatre apparatus using technology as a mirror and a metaphor to societal issues and the aesthetics of absurdism, tragicomedy and autofiction.
Her latest project “I’m a Robot and I need Therapy” was presented at Veem House for Performance, Flam Festival, Frascati Theater in Amsterdam, Next Level Festival in Dortmund, Worm Rotterdam. In 2024 Marina founded EIAI.Institute. Its research was presented at Next Nature Digital Wellness Show; Society 5.0 Festival; de Balie; AHK; UvA; Mesh Festival (Basel); KISD (Cologne).
