Cosmic Strays: from clay to byte
Original publication date: not confirmed in the archive.
Art project in development. Presentation updated on . The proposal previously presented at this address as DGU Brasil is now presented as Cosmic Strays. The original announcement and its date remain in the source archive.
What if our colonisation had begun among the stars? That question opens Cosmic Strays (original Portuguese title: Viralatas Cósmicos), an immersive installation in development in Ilha Comprida, on the coast of São Paulo. Sculpture, painting, augmented reality and an original soundtrack meet in a Brazilian fable about memory, territory and belonging, connected to the creative world of Die Gotica.
A fable that changes the point of view
In the story, visitors from Aldebaran arrive full of certainties and understand very little about the place they encounter. They are the clumsy colonisers. The knowledge that guides the narrative belongs to the peoples who were already here. The satire takes aim at the outsiders’ claim to superiority.
The title turns Brazil’s so-called mongrel complex into an affirmation of identity. Being a viralata, in this work, means recognising mixture as a strength. Science fiction does not claim to explain the real history of Indigenous peoples: it opens a space for imagination, humour and an encounter with the territory.
From clay to an awakening image
The proposed experience begins with sculptures and graphic patterns that seem to hold a secret life. Through a phone, visitors discover a layer of augmented reality: the material gains light, movement and another narrative dimension. The soundtrack accompanies the journey, connecting the physical object with the image emerging on screen.
A journey in three acts
A Falha na Matrix. The first encounter takes place between sound, sculpture and a phone. The patterns begin to reveal a presence that was not visible at first glance.
A Revelação de Aldebarã. The story expands into paintings and digital interventions, revealing the clumsy participation of visitors from another world.
Somos Todos Viralatas Cósmicos. The different forms meet in a celebration of cultural mixture and belonging. Visitors move through a fable that begins with physical material and expands through technology.
Artists, territory and shared creation
The project presentation traces its conception to a journey begun in 2022 and identifies its relationship with the Mbya Guarani community of Tekoa Takuari-Ty, in Cananéia. Community leader Abílio da Silva Martins contributes cultural consultancy, accompanying the representations and the narrative.
Sônia Batista Stern leads artistic direction and sculpture; Guinga.Space, artistic direction and augmented reality. Cristiano Stern is responsible for overall direction, curatorship, the soundtrack and sound design. Cris Santos contributes curatorship and cultural production. SBS Studios Ltda, based in Ilha Comprida, produces the project.
Other entrances into the same universe
The planned workshop Do Barro ao Byte: Criando Crônicas Fantásticas brings together modelling, visual storytelling and augmented reality for young people aged 11 to 18. The novel Viralatas Cósmicos: Os Verdadeiros Colonizadores do Brasil, in preparation, expands the characters and mythology through another medium. The book and installation were conceived to work independently.
Explore the installation, studies and full Cosmic Strays presentation.
Human Crafted · AI Assisted. The Cosmic Strays presentation film is available below. The concept images illustrate a work in development; they do not document an exhibition that has already taken place.