U10E1 - Introduction
As my university experience draws to a close, I have been collating some of my experiences and inspirations for my final degree show. The rise of AI during my course has provided a fascinating opportunity for exploration, especially as the boundaries between human and machine become increasingly blurred. My work examines this complex interplay, drawing inspiration from diverse sources such as immersive installations, iconic films, TikTok communities, and real-life controversies. From the intricate soundscapes of Caterina Barbieri's "Vigil 2.0" to the industrial aesthetics of Hito Steyerl's "This Is the Future" and the profound narratives of "Love, Death, and Robots," each source contributes to a multifaceted examination of AI, identity, and societal evolution.
Recent lawsuits against AI startups using voice actors' recordings highlight urgent ethical considerations surrounding AI technologies. These real-world issues resonate in my interactive installations, where participants encounter AI-driven conversations that reflect both the promises and perils of digital advances. By integrating these diverse influences, my work aims to provoke thought and foster awareness about the complex relationships between humanity and technology, inviting audiences to engage with these contemporary issues on a deeply personal level.
Ikeda, R. (Concept, Composition) & Tokuyama, T. (Computer Graphics, Programming). (2021). Audiovisual Installation. [Photograph by Jack Hems]. 180 Studios, 180 The Strand, London, UK. MAY 20 - SEP 18, 2021. Materials: 3 DLP projectors, computer, speakers.
Eternal impact of Test Patterns
Ryoji Ikeda's "Test Patterns No. 4" at 180 The Strand was a transformative experience that profoundly impacted my understanding of the interplay between sound and visuals in art. This installation enveloped a room with projections of data patterns and intricate soundscapes, creating an immersive environment where light and sound coalesced into a singular sensory experience. The room was illuminated by meticulously synchronized data streams, while speakers filled the space with meticulously crafted audio, heightening the overall impact.
Ikeda's work showcased the power of combining visual and auditory elements to evoke intense emotional and intellectual responses from the audience. The precision and complexity of the data projections, paired with the enveloping sound, demonstrated how sound could not only complement but also enhance and transform visual art. This realization has been pivotal in shaping my own practice, where I strive to create immersive environments that engage multiple senses to explore themes of AI, internet culture, and identity.
Ikeda's work no only taught me the importance of precision and synchronization in creating a cohesive and impactful sensory experience. It has shown me that the fusion of sound and visuals can transcend the sum of their parts, offering audiences a more profound and immersive exploration of contemporary themes and ideas.
Barbieri, C., Vigil (2022) Vigil [Ice, Sound, Video]. Image by me
Caterina and Barbieri and Ruben Spini’s amazing “Vigil 2.0”
In my own work, which uses soundscapes and interactive elements to explore themes of AI, internet culture, and identity, aligns with Caterina Barbieri and Ruben Spini's "Vigil 2.0." Both installations employ immersive, sensory-rich experiences to explore the intersections of human perception, memory, and machine intelligence.
"Vigil 2.0," part of the "Reverb" exhibition at 180 Studios in London, merges sound, visuals, and physical elements to create a transformative environment. The installation features Barbieri's haunting electronic compositions alongside a visual landscape created by Spini, centered around a block of ice with a hand imprint, symbolizing absence and isolation. The ice melts, reflecting the changing visuals and creating a dynamic interaction between the physical and digital realms.
My installation, with its metal sheet speakers and interactive phone that clones voices, echoes Barbieri and Spini's exploration of how technology mediates our experiences and perceptions. Both works invite audiences to engage deeply, not just as passive observers but as participants whose interactions alter the artwork itself. The AI in my piece, which clones the user's voice and essence, mirrors the fluid, transformative nature of the melting ice in "Vigil 2.0," emphasizing the ephemeral and ever-changing nature of identity in the digital age.
Grothaus, M. (2024) The dead internet theory: Is Tiktok suddenly making it ..., Fast Company. Available at: https://www.fastcompany.com/91092650/dead-internet-theory-true-tiktok-ai-influencers (Accessed: 03 May 2024).
Enshitifcation
The “dead Internet theory” posits that a significant portion of online content and interactions are generated by AI and bots rather than by humans. This theory highlights a fundamental shift in how online engagement is orchestrated, suggesting that artificial interactions now dominate the Internet, manipulating perceptions and behaviors for profit and political gain.
In my practice, this theory resonates profoundly. I explore into Internet culture, focusing on the rich, nuanced interactions within niche forums, blogs, and obscure social media spaces. These micro-interactions—characterized by one-on-one exchanges and the organic spread of memes and ideas—are increasingly overshadowed by AI-generated content designed to maximize engagement metrics. This shift threatens to erode the authenticity and spontaneity that once defined online communities.
My installations, which feature interactive soundscapes and AI-driven conversations, explore this very tension. By engaging participants in real-time dialogues and cloning their voices, my work underscores the interplay between genuine human interaction and automated responses. This dynamic mirrors the dead Internet theory’s concern that AI-driven accounts can fabricate a facade of engagement that lacks true human connection.
Moreover, the manipulation of social media by AI and bots has broader implications. Research has shown that bot-generated posts significantly contribute to the spread of misinformation and disinformation, influencing public opinion and distorting narratives during critical events. This manipulation highlights the necessity for skepticism and critical thinking when navigating online spaces.
By capturing the essence of authentic online interactions in my work, I aim to preserve the richness of Internet culture while raising awareness about the threats posed by an increasingly automated web. My practice serves as both a celebration of genuine digital connections and a critique of the forces that seek to undermine them for commercial or political purposes. Through these explorations, I strive to provoke thought and encourage a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding our digital interactions and the pervasive influence of AI.⬤
Sloan, B. & Pelling, J. (2014). Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared 4. [Video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9FGgwCQ22w
Oh look, a computer!
Don't Hug Me I'm Scared" (DHMIS) is a British web series that masterfully blends dark humor with unsettling themes to critique various aspects of media and society. This series has had a profound impact on my work, particularly in how it uses familiar, comforting formats to explore and expose unsettling truths. The series' unique approach to old media, especially television and film, resonates deeply with my artistic practice.
DHMIS uses the aesthetics of children's television shows—bright colors, catchy songs, and puppetry—to create a jarring contrast with its dark, often disturbing themes. This juxtaposition of the familiar and the eerie serves to highlight the underlying anxieties and absurdities of media consumption and societal norms. One episode, for instance, focuses into the world of computers and the Internet, presenting a seemingly innocent exploration that quickly devolves into chaos, in a fun yet alarming journey into internet discovery.
This method of using a familiar format to perverse and critique its subject matter has greatly influenced my own work. In my installations, I aim to evoke a similar sense of discomfort and reflection by engaging audiences with interactive soundscapes and AI-driven conversations. Like DHMIS, my goal is to use the veneer of familiarity to draw viewers in, only to then challenge their perceptions and encourage deeper thought about the themes presented.
DHMIS uses its unique blend of humor and horror to explore and critique the world around us. This approach allows me to explore intricate discussions from a unique, off-putting perspective, pushing the boundaries of conventional media.
A "corecore" interpretation of Raoul Hausmann's "The Art Critic" (1919–20) (edit Valentina Di Liscia/Hyperallergic) [https://hyperallergic.com/795957/what-does-tiktoks-corecore-have-to-do-with-dada/]
Brain Rot, art-pilled and corecore.
CoreCore, a fascinating subculture of Internet culture, encapsulates the aesthetic of the Internet itself. The term "core" has been adapted as a prefix to define the essence or aesthetic of various themes, leading to categories like HopeCore, PunkCore, and now CoreCore. This phenomenon is particularly evident on platforms like TikTok, where it blends concepts such as brain rot, bed rots, and more. CoreCore is essentially a meta-commentary on digital aesthetics, reflecting the multifaceted and often chaotic nature of Internet culture.
Attending the Transmedia Day Festival [transmediale. https://transmediale.de/en.] in Berlin was a transformative experience that underscored the significance of these niche Internet aesthetics. This festival, celebrating digital and modern computational arts, provided a platform for discussions on themes that I found deeply engrossing. It was a revelation to see these ideas, which I once thought were obscure, being celebrated and explored by a community of like-minded individuals. This validation encouraged me to go deeper into my interests, knowing that there was a broader community that shared my enthusiasm.
The festival also allowed me to reflect on how these aesthetics could be manipulated for more sinister purposes. The "dead Internet theory" and the use of aesthetics to radicalize and spread disinformation have become integral to my work. Just as AI-generated content and fake news manipulate perceptions on platforms like Facebook, TikTok has become a battleground for influencing younger generations through curated and often deceptive aesthetics. This realization has profoundly influenced my practice, leading me to explore the intersections of authenticity, manipulation, and digital culture.
By examining how CoreCore and other Internet aesthetics can be both a form of self-expression and a tool for manipulation, my work seeks to highlight the dual nature of digital culture. It underscores the importance of critical engagement with online content and the need to preserve the authenticity of digital interactions amidst an increasingly automated and curated online environment. The validation and insights gained from the Transmedia Day Festival have been invaluable in shaping my exploration of these themes, ensuring that my work remains relevant and impactful in the discourse on Internet culture and digital aesthetics.
Williams, E. (2024) New vinyl factory show is a love letter to music, art and design, Creative Review. Available at: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/vinyl-factory-reverb-exhibition-180-studios/ (Accessed: 03 June 2024).
Digital flowers and stunning structures:
Hito Steyerl's "This Is The Future" at the Vinyl Factory's Reverb exhibition at 180 The Strand is an exemplary piece of immersive art that explores the intersection of nature, technology, and the future. The installation envisions a futuristic garden, realized through video projections, sculptures, and spatial interventions, presenting a vivid juxtaposition of industrial and organic elements. The sculptures, composed of LED screens and steel beams, create an industrial aesthetic that contrasts sharply with the digital representations of flowers and plants.
This installation's use of bare steel beams and precise, machined forms imparts a cold, industrial feel, deliberately eschewing the warmth and organic qualities of traditional sculpture. The decision to represent flowers and plants through LED screens and projections rather than natural materials underscores a critical reflection on the future's reliance on technology and artificial intelligence. This aligns closely with my own artistic practice, where I explore similar themes using soundscapes and interactive elements to engage audiences in discussions about the impact of AI and technology on society.
Steyerl's work fascinatingly reflects on the human desire to predict and control the future through neural networks and AI. The "power plants" video sculptures display morphing imagery generated by a VQGAN + CLIP style machine learning algorithms trained on thousands of plant images. These plants, envisioned as remedies for the ecological and technological crises we face, serve as a poignant commentary on the potential and limitations of AI in addressing future challenges.
The playful yet critical approach Steyerl employs, using cheeky messages and engaging visuals, resonates with my own efforts to balance seriousness and playfulness in my work. By using AI to reflect on its own impact, I aim to foster a nuanced dialogue about technology's role in our lives, much like Steyerl does with her installations. Her work reinforces the idea that engaging with AI critically and creatively can yield powerful insights and provoke meaningful discussions about our collective future.
Scott, R. (1982). Blade Runner. [Film still]. Warner Bros.
Does Chat-GPT dream of electric sheep?
Next is one of my more longtime and deeper inspirations throughout my life, The Blade Runner films, with their distinctive visual and conceptual aesthetics. The raw industrial and brutalist structures depicted in these films, seamlessly integrated with a cyberpunk aesthetic, offer a compelling vision of a neo-sci-fi world that is both dark and gritty yet technologically advanced. This fusion of elements creates an environment that is not only visually striking but also deeply thematic, exploring complex issues such as AI, humanity, and societal dysfunction.
In Blade Runner, the depiction of advanced technology juxtaposed against decaying urban landscapes encapsulates a future where progress and decline coexist. The films explore the lives of "replicants," synthetic humans who strive for recognition and rights amidst widespread prejudice and oppression. This narrative parallels contemporary debates about AI and its implications for society. The replicants' struggle for acceptance and the fear and hatred they face reflect broader societal issues, including racism and the ethical treatment of sentient beings. This thematic richness has inspired me to incorporate similar themes into my work, using AI and interactive elements to provoke thought about the human condition and our relationship with technology.
Visually, the Blade Runner films are renowned for their meticulous set design and architectural elements. The use of geometric forms, stark lighting contrasts, and intricate, stunning details creates a sense of realism and immersion. In my installations, I strive to emulate this level of detail and atmospheric depth. For instance, my use of large metal sheets as speakers and interactive elements aims to create a sensory experience that is both captivating and thought-provoking.
Conceptually, the films' exploration of AI's role in society and its potential to both solve and create problems resonates deeply with my work. The idea that each technological advancement brings new challenges is a recurring theme in my installations. By engaging audiences with AI-driven conversations and soundscapes, I seek to highlight the complexities and paradoxes of our reliance on technology. The films' ability to weave together intricate designs with deep, thought-provoking narratives informs my efforts to create immersive, reflective art.
Wachowski, L. & Wachowski, L. (1999). The Matrix. [Film still]. Warner Bros.
The Matrix series, directed by the Wachowskis, influenced both the visual and conceptual elements of my work. The films' distinctive blend of sleek, industrial aesthetics with philosophical explorations of reality, consciousness, and technology resonate deeply with the themes I explore in my installations.
The visual elements of The Matrix, especially the iconic scenes involving phones and computer interfaces, have directly inspired the setup of my interactive installations. The single black phone, lit up on a pedestal in my work, is a deliberate nod to the imagery of The Matrix. In the film, the black phone serves as a gateway to another reality, symbolizing the connection between the physical and digital worlds. My use of bare steel beams and precise, machined forms aims to evoke a similar response. This aesthetic choice underscores the themes of technological advancement and its impact on humanity, creating a space that feels both futuristic and unsettling.
Conceptually, The Matrix explores profound questions about reality, perception, and the nature of consciousness—topics that are central to my work. The film’s depiction of a simulated reality controlled by AI reflects contemporary concerns about the increasing role of artificial intelligence in shaping our lives and perceptions. This theme is mirrored in my installations, which explore the interplay between human interaction and AI, questioning how technology influences and mediates our understanding of the world.
Brittain, B. (2024) Ai voiceover company Stole Voices of actors, New York lawsuit claims | Reuters, AI voiceover company stole voices of actors, New York lawsuit claims. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/legal/ai-voiceover-company-stole-voices-actors-new-york-lawsuit-claims-2024-05-16/ (Accessed: 03 June 2024).
The Reuters article about the lawsuit against AI startup Lovo highlights significant concerns that directly influence and inspire my work. Voice actors Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage accused Lovo of illegally copying their voices and using them without permission, which underscores the growing anxieties around AI technologies and their potential misuse. This case is part of a broader trend where creators, including artists and voice actors, feel increasingly threatened by the rise of AI capabilities that can replicate their work without proper consent or compensation.
This lawsuit illustrates the critical issues of fraud, false advertising, and the violation of publicity rights that can arise with AI technologies. The actors’ experiences—being tricked into providing voice samples under false pretenses and then finding their voices used in various AI applications—highlight the personal and professional risks posed by these technologies. These concerns are compounded by the broader implications for cybersecurity and the potential for scams, where AI-generated voices could be used maliciously.
In my work, I aim to bring physical awareness to these issues by creating an interactive installation that confronts viewers with the reality of AI’s capabilities. By cloning the participants’ voices and engaging them in AI-driven conversations, I provide a visceral experience that underscores the potential for misuse and the loss of control over one’s own identity. This approach is intended to evoke a strong emotional response and foster a deeper understanding of the ethical and personal implications of AI technology.
The direct inspiration from real-world issues like the Lovo lawsuit allow my work to serve as a bridge between abstract concerns about AI and tangible, personal experiences. This dual focus ensures that the audience not only understands the broader societal implications but also feels a personal connection to the issues at hand, making the conversation about AI’s future both urgent and relatable.
Miller, T. & Fincher, D. (Producers). (2019). Love, Death & Robots. [Episode still]. Netflix.
The anthology series "Love, Death, and Robots" on Netflix offers a plethora of unique perspectives on AI and futurism, exploring both the benefits and pitfalls of advanced technologies. This series, with its diverse storytelling and stunning visuals, has profoundly influenced my work, providing a rich source of inspiration for both the aesthetic and conceptual elements of my installations.
"Love, Death, and Robots" is known for its striking visual style, which blends elements of cyberpunk, industrial design, and futuristic aesthetics. The series’ ability to create immersive worlds with detailed environments and innovative technology aligns closely with my artistic vision. Episodes like "Xenoblue," where an AI evolves to become a artist but yearns to return to its simpler form as a pool-cleaning algorithm, exemplify the juxtaposition of high-tech visuals with poignant narratives. This blend of sleek, futuristic design with deep emotional and philosophical themes has inspired the way I construct my installations. My use of large metal sheets as speakers and the stark, industrial setup of my interactive pieces aim to evoke a similar sense of otherworldly yet familiar environments, encouraging viewers to reflect on the complex relationship between humanity and technology.
"The Witness," with its looped narrative and intense visual style, explores themes of surveillance, reality, and identity—topics central to my installations. By engaging participants in real-time dialogues with AI and cloning their voices, I aim to create a similarly immersive and thought-provoking experience, highlighting AI's potential to enrich and complicate our lives, much like "Love, Death, and Robots." Episodes like "Beyond the Aquila Rift" and "Good Hunting" also provide rich thematic material. "Beyond the Aquila Rift" delves into human perception and AI's potential deceptions, while "Good Hunting" combines folklore with steampunk aesthetics to examine technological evolution's impact on traditional ways of life.
The convergence of diverse influences such as Caterina Barbieri’s "Vigil 2.0," Ryoji Ikeda’s "Test Patterns No. 4," Hito Steyerl’s "This Is The Future," the Blade Runner films, "Love, Death, and Robots," and real-world issues highlighted by the Reuters article on AI misuse, forms the backbone of my artistic practice. These works collectively explore the intersection of technology, AI, and human experience, providing rich visual and conceptual frameworks that inspire my installations.
Barbieri’s immersive environments and Ikeda’s integration of sound and data projections demonstrate the powerful impact of combining sensory elements to evoke deep reflection. Steyerl’s exploration of AI’s potential and industrial aesthetics parallels my use of raw materials and interactive technologies to provoke thought about the future and ethical implications of AI. The Blade Runner films and "Love, Death, and Robots" offer narratives that blend futuristic visuals with profound questions about identity, reality, and technological advancement, directly informing the thematic and visual direction of my work.
The recent lawsuit against Lovo further underscores the pressing need to address the ethical dimensions of AI, reinforcing my commitment to creating awareness through art. By synthesizing these influences, my installations aim to engage audiences in meaningful dialogues about the complexities and dualities of our evolving relationship with technology.
In conclusion, my work is a tapestry woven from the threads of these diverse yet interconnected influences. Each piece, from immersive soundscapes to interactive AI-driven conversations, seeks to challenge perceptions, provoke thought, and ultimately foster a deeper understanding of the multifaceted impact of technology on our lives. Through this artistic exploration, I strive to illuminate both the promises and perils of our digital future.
Xach Hill