Zen Machine: AI and the Flash Drive of the Spirit

Toryo Ito: Vice Abbot of the Ryosokuin, a sub-temple of the Rinzai Zen Kennin-ji school. After training in a specialized dojo of the Kennin-ji school, he has led Zazen (seated meditation) instruction for over 150,000 people. He continues to bridge the gap between the modern and the traditional, transcending boundaries with a focus on art. His international activities include conducting Zen seminars at Meta headquarters (formerly Facebook) in America, and he has actively taught Zen in various countries across Asia and Europe. In 2023, he was selected for Forbes Japan's "Next100" and Newsweek's "100 Most Respected Japanese People in the World." His recent publication is "Selfless Thinking: The Art of Asking Lifelong Questions" (Nikkei BP)

Dorka Keehn: award-winning artist and filmmaker, Dorka is the Principal of Keehn On Art, a firm positioned at the intersection of art and urban planning. She has been instrumental in the success of some of the most innovative and visible art projects in the Bay Area including The Bay Lights, the 25,000 LED light installation by Leo Villareal for the Bay Bridge and Seeing Spheres, the iconic artwork by Olafur Eliasson at Chase Center. A former San Francisco Arts Commissioner, she is currently on the boards of the Fine Arts Museums and SPUR. Additionally, Dorka has been a student of Dzogchen Buddhism for over two decades.

The concept for PLEASE FORGET (EVERYTHING) emerged in Kyoto during the early days of the great pandemic, when Charles posed the following to Toryo:: “can ai become sentient? if ai can become sentient, can it become conscious? if ai can become conscious, can it become enlightened?” This conversation will range from Toryo’s ideas about the future of Zen Buddhism to Charle’s artistic process and the very nature of consciousness.

When: Ocotber 22, 2024, 6 - 7:30 pm
Where: Heron Arts, 7 Heron St.
Refreshments: Cash bar + snax.
Q&A and mingling afterwards.

Host or Publisher Heron Arts