The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art - The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art

Greetings from Juergen

In this edition of "The Intersect," we explore how the merging of art and technology continues to redefine creative expression. I love the connection between science and art, showing how artists use data and digital tools to expand the scope of creativity. I also curated articles that look at the intersection of visual and auditory experiences, offering new ways to understand and appreciate art. Finally, we discuss the importance of managing digital art and music metadata to protect artists' rights in the digital age.

These themes highlight the ongoing evolution and enrichment of both art and technology. I hope you find these insights as thought-provoking as I do.

Data Driven Art

The Musical Science of Melvin Way’s Enigmatic Art

Melvin Way's art, recently exhibited at Andrew Edlin Gallery, blends science and art in a unique way. His drawings, detailed in a Hyperallergic article, feature mathematical and scientific notations that defy conventional interpretation. Way's work, though created decades ago, offers a fascinating look into data-driven art from a pre-digital age.

Our take on Way's work highlights its relevance even today. His pieces act as a precursor to the AI-infused "big data" art that is popular now. These drawings, created with simple ballpoint pens, resonate with a similar complexity and depth found in modern digital art.

"These drawings are not messages to be decoded but instead are renderings of our yearning to comprehend."

Melvin Way's art shows that the fusion of science and art isn't new, but his approach remains timeless and thought-provoking.

Art and Tech [Exhibition] - via our "Not Real Art" Website

In a recent Not Real Art exhibition curated by Kirsten Bengtson-Lykoudis, the interplay between art and technology is highlighted to celebrate artists like Alice Yuan Zhang, Ani Liu, and Michael Menchaca, who are at the forefront of integrating technology into their art.

Now, given how frequently artificial intelligence has appeared in the news, I'm sure we're all experiencing a bit of AI fatigue. However, it's fun to recognize that technology and art have been convergent for decades.

Some of you may not be aware that I work as a digital strategist for an art website called "Not Real Art." My role involves designing their website and infrastructure. One of the exciting initiatives we undertake there is the "First Fridays" exhibition series, which showcases various artists from our extensive database. I highly recommend checking out Not Real Art; they offer a grant program, host numerous podcasts, and have constructed a genuinely avant-garde, meticulously curated, well-edited website. This accomplishment is largely thanks to the efforts of the editor-in-chief, Morgan Laurens, and the co-curator responsible for the exhibition program and artist database, my friend Kirsten Bengtson.

"Many artists have skillfully blended technology with their craft to varying degrees."

Kirsten, some time ago, curated an "Art and Tech" exhibition. I encourage everyone to explore this particular showcase to discover some truly innovative examples of how different technologies can intersect with art.

Technology in Music

Shane Guffogg’s Synesthesia Transforms Paintings Into Music at Venice Exhibition

Shane Guffogg’s recent exhibition in Venice, covered by DesignBoom, explores the intersection of visual art and music through synesthesia. The 21 large-scale paintings are part of a fascinating collaboration transforming colors into musical compositions.

Now here is an interesting collaboration between an artist, musician, and a programmer to emulate what it is like to have “Synesthesia,” which is a fancy name for when you experience one of your senses through another. For example, you might hear the name "Alex" and see green. In this case, Shane Guffogg “hears” colors.

"A visual symphony stemming from the collaboration between Guffogg, pianist Anthony Cardella, and AI software programmer Jonah Lynch."

The result? Musical compositions were essentially composed by Guffogg’s paintings.

Needed: A Revolution In Music Metadata

Since the era of Napster, digital music has been plagued by inadequate metadata frameworks, as highlighted in a recent op/ed by Daouda Leonard on Music Business Worldwide. Leonard, who manages Grimes and founded CreateSafe, calls for comprehensive databases to protect artists' rights and ensure ethical AI use in the music industry.

Our stance aligns with Leonard’s. Musicians and visual artists face similar challenges, especially with the market being flooded with an influx of AI-generated content. The need for collaboration between artists, rights holders, and AI companies is crucial to maintaining artistic integrity.

"The danger lies in music and artworks being flooded by AI, making it difficult in many cases to distinguish between human-made and machine-made creations."

Ultimately, the narrative of cooperation is vital for a future where technology and art thrive together.

Photography

Behind the Curtain of the Global Arms Trade

Photographer Nikita Teryoshin's new book, "Nothing Personal: The Back Office of War," offers a rare inside look at the global arms trade, capturing defense exhibitions worldwide. His work, highlighted in a recent Business Insider article, portrays the stark reality of war as a lucrative business.

The juxtaposition in his photos feels incredibly subversive. Teryoshin’s skillful coverage of defense industry events reminds me of beauty pageants or county fairs, highlighting the bizarre normalcy with which these destructive weapons are showcased.

"Dead bodies here are mannequins or pixels on screens of a huge number of simulators," Teryoshin wrote in his book. "Bazookas and machine guns are plugged into flatscreens and war action is staged in an artificial environment..."

As humanity heads towards more affordable and soon-to-be AI-powered weaponry, these images underscore a troubling trend: the "democratization" of access to increasingly destructive arms.

AI in Visual Arts

AI “art” and Uncanniness — a Meaning that Does Not Stem from Organizing Intention

Cory Doctorow coined the term "Enshittification". Enshittification is the pattern of intentionally decreasing quality observed in online services and products such as Amazon, Facebook, Google Search, Twitter, Bandcamp, Reddit, Uber, and Unity. The American Dialect Society selected it as its 2023 Word of the Year.

Here, Cory, who is also an artist, offers a nuanced perspective on AI art and copyright. His recent article gets into why AI art feels uncanny and how it differs from human-created art.

Our take? Doctorow's balanced view on the copyright debate stands out. He draws parallels to the music industry's normalization of sampling, suggesting that copyright battles may not resolve the core issues faced by creative workers.

"If we decide to make a new copyright law, we’ll need to be very sure that we don’t accidentally crush these beneficial activities that don’t undermine artistic labor markets."

Doctorow's insights remind us that while AI can mimic creativity, it lacks the depth of human intention. It's a long read, but Doctorow's thoughtful analysis makes it worth the time.

Art and Spatial Computing

Cannes Film Festival Fully Embraces XR

The Cannes Film Festival has introduced an Immersive Competition category, embracing XR (VR, AR, and other variations of spatial computing). This new category and award highlight the festival's commitment to evolving storytelling mediums. The original article by Getty Images provides a comprehensive overview of this significant development in the film industry.

Well, I learn something every day: I did not know about the term "XR." Apparently, it stands for spatial computing as a spectrum and includes VR, AR, and other variations. The fact that there's a dedicated category for this at Cannes is interesting.

"Illustrating these experiences at an awards ceremony would be quite challenging, somewhat akin to the marketing challenge Apple faced in depicting the experience created by their recently introduced goggles."

This move by Cannes signifies a shift in how we perceive and celebrate storytelling, opening doors for new, immersive narratives.

Societal Impact of Art and Tech

When Has Opening a Portal Ever Gone Well?

The New York–Dublin livestream portal, part of Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys's initiative, was recently shut down due to inappropriate behavior (source: New York Magazine). This follows our earlier coverage of the Portals Initiative in issue two.

The concept and its potential truly inspired me, yet I was utterly unprepared for the abuse that, in retrospect, seems obvious. The commentary referencing sci-fi movies, where opening a portal is never a good thing, made me laugh out loud. The saying "life imitates art" holds here.

"The artist intended for it to help 'bring the world closer together.'"

It prompts me to wonder what lessons we might learn from this imagined future experience. This last week has not been a good one for the "tech" side of the intersection between art and tech. There seems to be a significant negative shift happening: Consider the Scarlett Johansson debacle involving OpenAI, an organization that had generally enjoyed a positive public perception. This incident has turned into a PR disaster, pitting the company against the "creator" class. It serves as yet another stark example of how things can go awry when technology and art intersect.

Digital Archiving and Art Preservation

Early Color Photography, and the Man Who Revives It

Stuart Humphryes has been reviving early color photographs, known as autochromes, which date back to the early 20th century. As reported by Vice, Humphryes' work has gained significant attention, leading to the release of his book, The Colors of Life. His enhancements bring new life to these historical images, making them accessible to modern audiences.

It's pretty amazing that people took color photographs as far back as 1861, and mostly we don't realize this because all this work has faded. The fact that potato starch was used as an emulsion in this early photography is fascinating. The contrast between this early technology and the computer algorithms Humphryes uses today shows how far we've come, yet how connected we remain to those early experiments.

"It's interesting to consider that potato starch was used as an emulsion in this early photography."

Humphryes' efforts remind us of the enduring power of historical images. It's pretty amazing that people took color photographs as far back as 1861, and mostly we don't realize this because all this work has faded. The fact that potato starch was used as an emulsion in this early photography is fascinating. The contrast between this early technology and the computer algorithms Humphryes uses today shows how far we've come, yet how connected we remain to those early experiments.

"It's interesting to consider that potato starch was used as an emulsion in this early photography."

Humphryes' efforts remind us of the enduring power of historical images.

The Last Word

Thanks for joining me on this exploration of art and technology. Your curiosity and engagement help drive these conversations forward. Until next time, keep pushing the boundaries and exploring new creative horizons.

PS, if you like this newsletter, please help me by sharing it!

Stay curious and keep creating!