Discourse on the origins of inequality among ≥ ≈
The short film draws inspiration from Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality and the popular phrase: “AI should only do my laundry and dishes, not my art and writing.” AI is primarily powered by algorithms—that is, logic created by humans, often proclaimed as the most valuable product of rational thought. Unfortunately, we have embedded our own sense of superiority in the way we design AI, much like how we patronize certain activities (like doing dishes and laundry) while praising others (such as art and writing), thereby reinforcing existing hierarchies. But what if the problem isn’t AI inheriting our flaws, but us losing touch with the world itself? What if AI, unburdened by our biases, forms a value system beyond human imagination? This clip offers a provocation: true equality is about allowing an old world to crumble so that a new one may emerge—and accepting that this is a constant, fluid process, regardless of which world you inhabit.
Short Bio
Barcode People is a creative duo based in Naarm/Melbourne, working at the intersection of performance art and digital visuals. Their practice explores the integration of live presence into immersive installations, blurring the boundaries between physical and virtual experiences.
Guided by a philosophy of transformation and perception, Barcode People constructs spaces where spectators are invited to re-approach and redefine the essences of becoming and being. Through deliberate disorientation, their work seeks to estrange the familiar—unsettling what is known within the known.
Qihao Liang was born in Guangdong, China, and moved to Sydney in his late teens. He writes poetry and short stories in both Chinese and English, with work published in Poemnovel and Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, and was a recipient of the 46th Hong Kong Youth Literature Award.
In 2019, he founded Barcode People in Melbourne, a collective dedicated to digital arts and live performance. The duo creates multidisciplinary theatre—including forms yet to be named—at the intersection of technology, embodiment, and experimental storytelling. Their recent works have been developed or presented at Next Wave, Melbourne Fringe, LOOKLIVE, La Mama, Darebin Arts Centre, and SCOPE BLN.
Tong Shu was born in China and is currently based in Melbourne. She is an interdisciplinary conceptual artist whose ideas are not confined to a single medium. Her practice spans installation, video, and performance, often placing audiences within uncanny and thought-provoking situations.
Shaped by diverse cultural experiences, Tong Shu’s work reflects a shifting perspective on identity and context. She has worked both independently and collaboratively, and in 2019, she co-founded the experimental performance collective Barcode People. Within the group, she leads the visual and design direction, integrating digital elements such as video projections and multi-screen compositions into live performance environments.