Opening Reception: W.A.I. The Cast of the Invisible

Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space is very pleased to present W.A.I. The Cast of the Invisible, featuring new work by New York City-based artist Lau Wai on view from September 6 through November 2, 2024.

A response to the ever-expanding interference of the digital world, W.A.I. The Cast of the Invisible prods at the line between one’s virtual and physical existence in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Featuring three animated works by AAI LES Studio Program alum (2022-2023) Lau Wai, this exhibition introduces two short films and a single-player digital interactive work, all created using CGI (computer-generated imagery) software. Inspired by how the identities of CGI actors are lost beneath digitally imposed animation, W.A.I. The Cast of the Invisible stars W.A.I, a motion-capture-suit-clad virtual clone of the artist compiled over past video-based projects. While the character’s genesis started in work addressing how Western blockbusters imposed orientalist depictions of East Asian people, the focus of W.A.I.’s narrative takes a thematic departure in this exhibition. Elaborating on motifs of an infinitely mutable identity in the contemporary digital context, W.A.I. now must navigate the ontological implications of being a real-world replica whose purpose is to be digitally reproduced.

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