Phlegraean Fields: Mankind, Fear and New Sibyl

Abstract

We propose a multimedia work structured with the scientific and artistic consultancy of a volcanology expert (who also plays the role of interpreter as an actor and narrator) and the creation of high-resolution visual content generated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Our goal is to describe science through art and simultaneously create art using the language of science. This multimedia project aims to narrate the fear of humans in the face of the dangers of a volcanic eruption, and we have chosen the location of the Phlegraean Fields with the continuously evolving phenomenon of bradyseism. The Phlegraean Fields are a land with a millennia-old history, rich in culture and mythology, and among these myths is that of the Cumaean Sibyl, to whom people turned to know their future and find answers to their problems. In this modern era, with its fears, humanity seeks answers from a new sibyl, an AI created by humans, which in our show is indeed the "NewSibyl." Scientific data on bradyseismic activity in the Phlegraean Fields have also been used for the generation of scores, sounds, and images through both traditional and non-traditional compositional processes. Furthermore, the musical component involves the fusion of sounds generated by traditional acoustic instruments, electronic instruments, and synthetic sounds generated by algorithms for sound synthesis. Finally, this multimedia work that combines past and present, mythology and technology, science, and art through an interdisciplinary approach and the creative use of technology promises to offer the audience a memorable and stimulating experience. We want to emphasize that our performance is not just a regular report of a past event but represents an authentic artistic event to which we invite participation. Moreover, the proposed event serves as an example of how it is possible to unite art and scientific dissemination simultaneously. In fact, among the objectives of our participation in the conference, we intend to seek new scientific collaborations, dissemination opportunities, and the possibility of developing new projects within the realm of this artistic-scientific form, regardless of the theme.