Pythia Embodied wearable, picture by Alemseged Bishu

How can rituals rooted in bodily practice shape new forms of technological interaction? 

October 29 - December 11, 2026

Opening: Thursday, October 29

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 5, 6:00 – 8:00pm (November Pioneer Square Art Walk)
Second Reception: Thursday, December 3, 6:00 – 8:00pm (December Pioneer Square Art Walk)

Pythia Embodied is inspired by the story of the Oracle of Delphi in Greece, one of history’s most powerful divinatory figures, which was said to predict the future through an induced trance-like state. In the exhibition, Pythia—the Delphic High Priestess—is reinterpreted through a wearable “artificial” entity, which operates {hyper}locally, on-the-cloth, off-the-cloud, and is fine-tuned on texts about magic, rituals, secret ceremonies, and ancient mythologies. Their divinations resonate through circuits and bone, channeling the collective voice of all the women who served as Pythias throughout history: echoing chthonic rites, the visceral hums of the earth, and calling for self-introspection from the visitors who are invited to speak to the Oracle and hear their prophecies. Around Pythia, voices of acolytes, artifacts, and offerings reflect a ritualistic space for contemplation, questioning of identity, agency, and the association of prophecy with power.

Afroditi Psarra aims to explore the possibilities that arise by embedding an AI model in a wearable computer and interacting with it tangibly. The exhibition speculates on technology’s role in exerting control over the female and feminized body, and it interrogates how the use of AI is seen by many as “magic” and as a solutionist fix for all societal issues. The use of this technology is not neutral or passive. As Psarra explains, “Working off-the-cloud with a highly fine-tuned model, I hope to create technologies that are personalized, desirable, and embodied, and allow us to imagine alternative presents and futures.”

This exhibition was supported by DXARTS – University of Washington and Polygreen Culture & Art Initiative (PCAI).

Lecture performance at 7:00 pm during First Thursday receptions 

Artist Talk: Friday, November 13, 6:00 – 7:00pm 
Join Psarra for a walkthrough of her exhibition and learn more about Pythia Embodied.