Toni Dove: 'Sunjammer 6 – A Tale Blown by a Solar Breeze'

Toni Dove, internationally known innovator in the field of emerging technology and pioneer of interactive cinema presents Sunjammer 6: A Tale Blown by a Solar Breeze. This innovative fusion of sculpture, game, cinema, and performance invites viewers into a poetic and dreamlike experience. An AI driven instrument tells the story of Hypatia, a Hellenistic astronomer and philosopher, who returns as a ghost ten years in our future and encounters a NASA engineer building an off-world power station. They connect across time using mathematics and physics. The core of Hypatia is a hybrid AI that interacts with viewer-operators, creating the illusion of a complex personality. Set in the Schwarzman Center’s iconic Dome, by day the work engages audiences in a dynamic narrative installation activated by their movements, making them part of the story. A longer narrative version is performed by dancer/operators for two evening events. 

Presented by Yale Schwarzman Center in partnership with the Yale Center for Collaborative Arts and Media (CCAM) and Yale Quantum Institute.

NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR GALLERY MODE

• Gallery Mode on January 13 from 12pm - 5pm.
• Gallery Mode on January 14 from 12pm - 5pm.
   

REGISTER FOR PERFORMANCES

• Performance on January 13 at 7:30pm.
  • Following the performance stay for a meet and greet with Hypatia the hybrid AI.
• Performance on January 14 at 7:30pm.
  • Following the performance stay for a moderated conversation with Director, Center for Collaborative Arts and Media, and Critic, Yale School of Architecture Dana Karwas. 

CREATIVE TEAM:

Siyuan Qiu: Lead Unity Developer, Visual and Interactive Design

Nina Demirjian: Unity and AR development

Tommy Martinez: Sound Technologist

Quentin Chiapetta, Medianoise: Sound Design

Paul Geluso: Sound Spatialization Design

Wufeng Kai: 3D Off-world Power Station Model

Indira Ardolic: 3D Modeling

Danielle McPhatter: E.A.T. Program, Bell Labs, EY: Software Design

CAST:

Chorus: VO by Christina Campanella and John Rose

Kepler:  VO by Jim Fletcher  

Hypatia: VO by Toni Dove

DANCE/CHOREOGRAPHY:

Laurie Berg

Leah Fournier

Lucie Parker 

With Choreographer Neil Greenberg

And thanks to Amelia Heintzelman for early development

Final song: "The First Day" by Ester Balint from her Album "I Hate Memory" 

SUNJAMMER 6 IS SUPPORTED BY:

Fellow: Center for Arts and Collaborative Media, Yale University

Artist in Residence: Integrated Digital Media, Tandon School of Engineering, NYU

Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant, 2025

Doris Duke Performing Arts Laboratory Grant, 2024/2025

N.E.A.: Sound Follower Grant with Harvestworks, Paul Geluso, 2022

Artist in Residence: Bell Labs, E.A.T. Program, 2020/21

Artist in Residence: Pioneer Works Virtual Environments Lab, 2020

N.Y.S.C.A.: Independent Artist Film and Video Grant, 2020