​MOCA London is presenting the new work “Machines do not think” by Laurie Innes for SLAM last Friday event of September 2012.

Laurie Innes makes live shadow puppetry exploring the world and work of Alan Turing. Through shadows and spoken/sung voices he creates an extended narrative in the ides of the “Thinking Machines”.

Turing questioned the possibility of building ‘machines that can think’. By doing this he encouraged us to look with fresh eyes at ourselves as physical objects in the universe. The idea of the “thinking machine” makes us reevaluate the meaning behind the words “thinking” and ”machine” and our own existence between the mind and body. In “Machines do not think” Innes creates a visual world of dreams of a dead man. Using a large number of performers to create shadows of bodies, the brain  and morphed imagery we are taken on a journey blurring the line between realities and dreams and of the visionary mind of Turing.

Laurie Innes uses voice in his performances as an important bridge between the existence of humans and the machine. He thinks them up in his head and lets them fall out his mouth at the appropriate moment. Partly set and partly improvised the voice creates a dream like state of Turing and his vision to make a thinking machine respond to the simplistic nature of human society; conversations, distraction and lust.
The terror and delights of ‘thinking machines’ is the force that drives Laurie to think about Alan and his own existence.

After the sun sets on the evening of September 28th, the windows of MOCA London will glow with the visions of Alan Turing. 

Machines do not think Directed by Laurie Innes Live shadow Puppetry show between 7 - 8pm Friday 28th September 2012
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Between 7 and 8pm a continuous cycle of a live shadow puppetry, song and words will be seen from the outside of MOCA London’s windows.