She/Body/Null

She/Body/Null, by Emi Kusano, explores the relationship between AI and human identity. Set within a dystopian world under a glowing red moon, Kusano portrays a cyborg-like figure–a hybrid morphing fluidly between human and machine. Through her presence in this world, Kusano contemplates how technology-driven transformations of identity and body might reform each individual. The work captures a series of AI-generated transformations in which Kusano's form constantly evolves—her body twists and distorts, intertwining with mechanical cable, dissolving into digital patterns, and re-emerging from data aggregates. Each iteration is a one-of-a-kind appearance, reconstructing different “Emi Kusano” at a time. Kusano leverages AI’s characteristics to reflect cultural biases, deliberately embodying the recurring sci-fi trope of the “exotic, mysterious Asian woman” to critique and confront such media-driven archetypes. The work shows two possible futures: a world where technology enables totalitarian societal control, and an emancipated vision of humanity embracing expanded physical and intellectual boundaries. Kusano’s work offers a reflection on these possibilities, urging viewers to consider the profound impact of AI on the human experience and the future of society.