Commisshioned by Education Lab, Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University

Tabula Rasa explores experiences of consciousness based on interviews with neuroscientists at the Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University, and members of the local community. A set of questions was asked to both researchers and local participants about memory, consciousness, and artificial intelligence. The recorded, written, and drawn responses were then painted and animated on top of scenes depicting neural activity. Based on the premise that "the brain lives in solitary confinement... senses open the windows, letting the outside world stream in," the animation was developed inside a 4x4x4 ft box. A 360-degree camera was placed inside the box, capturing still frames of the progression. These still images were edited together, along with participants' interviews, sound effects, and an AI voiceover.