Zeitgeist: Decolonising AI

Dr Shama Rahman and Dr Oliver Gingrich

Artwork Description:

Zeitgeist is an interactive AI-based XR experience of Flow mental states. Flow - a state of creativity, peak performance & wellbeing - is a concept shared among artists, coders & athletes - in fact, everyone can experience Flow. Zeitgeist explores the probability of getting into Flow, higher creativity, peak performance & wellbeing through participatory art engagements. Using deep-learning algorithms and EEG wearables that measure your brain activity, participants interact with each other to experience 'Flow': The performance brought together researchers, artists and community members for a lively exploration of AI, liveness, and creativity. Performed by artists and researchers Dr Shama Rahman and Dr Oliver Gingrich this participatory performance invited the public to experience Flow mental states in real-time. Embedded into a discourse around bias in AI, the performance will be framed by discussion on the collective effort to de-colonise AI. The performance shows multicultural approaches to collaboration, through visual sound patterns testing boundaries between sound, visual interpretation of human creativity through AI. Brainwave patterns are visualised in 360 degree projection. Using real-time input of sound as prompts for generative AI image generation, these brainwave patterns are overlaid ontop of visual imagery created by AI, often indicating the short falls of image generation prompts. As a community-led activitivity, Zeitgeist bridges arts, humanities, and STEM. The original presentation of the participatory performance formed part of the Being Human Festival in November 2025, led by the University of London's School of Advanced Study and was held at Bathway Theatre at University of Greenwich.

Project Collaborators:

Shama is an artist, scientist and entrepreneur. Shama uses her expertise in AI and neuroscience to design tools for enhanced creativity (NeuroCreate). She has a PhD in creative cognition and background in creative art/science-direction (Jugular Productions) and boundary-pushing art (first Sitarist in Antarctica). Olive is an artist, researcher and founder of Art in Flux. Olive's practice centres on real-time animation. Olive is PI on a research project on participatory art and leads the BA (Hons) Animation programme at Greenwich. Partners: NeuroCreate University of Greenwich University of Edinburgh.