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

Greetings from Juergen

Hey there,

I'm excited to bring you this edition of "The Intersect." This time, we delve into how artists are using emerging technologies to redefine the boundaries of art, explore the music industry's stance on AI, and even look at some fascinating AI tools for upscaling old photos.

There’s also a thought-provoking piece on why Hollywood shies away from biodiversity issues, and a quirky project on enriching cats' lives with robots. It's a diverse mix that I hope sparks your curiosity and inspires your own creative journey.

Data Driven Art

Digital Creativity from The Aesthetica Art Prize

Aesthetica Magazine provides a look into the Aesthetica Art Prize, highlighting five artists using emerging technologies to explore art and tech intersections. These artists use their work to challenge our relationship with the digital world through thought-provoking installations and interactive experiences.

These projects make us reflect on how data, robotics, and environmental issues integrate into art. For example, Manifest Data Lab’s "Carbon Chronicles" visualizes the historical buildup of CO2 emissions. Susan Eyre's "The Breath of Stars" reveals cosmic events through live digital interaction.

"Who owns the air?" asks the "Carbon Chronicles" by Manifest Data Lab, visualizing the atmospheric impact of fossil fuels from the industrial revolution to today.

What strikes me is how these artists leverage technology not just for aesthetic purposes but to provoke critical thinking about our world.

Technology in Music

Sony Music Demands Tech Giants Not Use Its Music To Develop AI

Sony Music has reached out to over 700 firms, including Google and OpenAI, to check if their songs have been used without permission to develop AI systems, according to Deadline.

This move highlights how music industry players are more aggressively organizing to safeguard their work against "unauthorized" AI use. But Copyright Law regarding the consumption of publicly available content by AI training bots has not yet been established. Currently, there is a trend of entities reaching agreements with the AI industry to license their content. For instance, Reddit recently engaged in such an arrangement. It is plausible that other entities, including those in the music industry, might follow suit.

"Licensing deals with AI companies may be the future, and the music industry is positioning itself well for that future… but what about the visual arts?"

As copyright law evolves, expect this issue to eventually reach the Supreme Court.

Photography

This Free AI Service Upscales Grainy Photos Into Digital Delights

Stickermule's Upscale, highlighted in a recent article, offers a free service to enhance and enlarge grainy photos. This tool promises to make old, low-resolution images clearer and more usable within just 10 seconds. The original article comes from The Intelligence’s Cool Tools newsletter.

My mom passed away a few years ago, and going through her belongings, we found a large library of black and white photos. I digitized these photos as best as I could. I've also tried upscaling some of the images and retouching and correcting them using AI tools.

"It's amazing how much time these tools can save in digitizing treasured family photos."

Upscale is a valuable tool to consider, especially for those looking to preserve family memories.

Film & Video

Why Doesn’t Hollywood Make More Mass Extinction Films?

An insightful article by Atmos Earth questions why Hollywood largely ignores the biodiversity crisis while producing numerous climate change films. It highlights how movies like Waterworld and Snowpiercer touch on environmental themes without delving into biodiversity loss.

"The politicization of everything, including climate change, has brought us to a point where popular media seldom addresses topics such as the decline of biodiversity."

This issue is a central, slow-moving storyline in our lives, yet very few movies depict it. Hollywood's hesitance to tackle this subject leaves a significant gap in our cultural narrative. Is it like this in the EU and other countries as well?

The lack of attention to biodiversity in film underscores the need for a broader, deeper conversation in our society.

AI in Visual Arts

100 Kaleidoscopic Portraits From Creative Coder Espen Kluge

Most artists scoff at the idea that artificial intelligence (AI) is creative—but it depends on your definition. Norwegian artist and designer Espen Kluge is careful to separate fact from science fiction when it comes to digital systems that “create” art.

“My vision for the project was [to] generate beautiful and interesting portraits that tell their own story,” says Kluge, who instinctively shies away from the blocky, pixelated aesthetic that defines contemporary synthetic art.

With intuition driving his process, Kluge created Alternatives, a kaleidoscopic collection of Javascript-generated portraits numbered at an even hundred.

What strikes me here is that these images are not AI-generated in the traditional sense that we're accustomed to seeing so much of, such as through platforms like Midjourney or DALL-E. I appreciate that these were generated through JavaScript codes interfacing with other tools, and therein lies the creativity. Using AI as a toolset rather than just as a means to generate images from text prompts.

Fashion

“Sleeping Beauties” Creative Consultant Nick Knight on Using Science and Tech to Evolve How Fashion Is Showcased in Museums

Nick Knight’s insights in Vogue explore how science and technology breathe new life into fashion exhibitions. He emphasizes that fashion is not just a mirror of society but a projection of our aspirations, reshaping our understanding of historical garments.

I, for one, am all on board with the concept of designs leaving you excited for the future, but that does not have to be based on "futuristic" looks.

“I love exhibitions which leave you more excited for the future and not just wishing you’d been in the past,” Knight states.

My wife Robyn and I recently finished watching the fantastic series "The New Look". It chronicles the rise of post-WW2 fashion designer Christian Dior, and his innovative designs inspired hope for the future and helped return spirit and life to the post-war world.

Fashion’s future is brighter when it connects us with our aspirations.

Interactive Art

Cats and Robots: Science, Art, or Entertainment?

A project called Cat Royale, featured on Ars Technica, explores how a robot can enrich the lives of cats. The experiment, a collaboration between Blast Theory and the University of Nottingham, placed three cats in a "cat utopia" with food, toys, and a Kino Gen3 lite robot arm.

Our take on this project is that it highlights an interesting shift in our relationship with cats. Initially, we adopt pets hoping they’ll bring us comfort. Over time, we find ourselves creating elaborate environments to keep them happy and entertained, which in turn, makes us feel good.

"Our relationship with cats often morphs from a place of thinking that they will make us feel better, only to create environments that will make them feel good, or entertained. Which in turn makes us feel better."

Watch the experiment highlights on YouTube for a closer look at the playful interactions.

Sustainability in Art and Tech

Pul Pac Collaborates with Specialty Paper Company for Boosted Design and Functionality

PulPac is teaming up with Seaman Paper to create customizable Dry Molded Fiber packaging using colored and patterned barrier crepe paper, as reported by Natalie Schwertheim. This collaboration aims to provide sustainable packaging options that are both functional and visually appealing.

Here at Intersect, we're enthusiastic about the intersection of art and design. This story caught my attention because it tackles one of my biggest frustrations: the excessive use of plastic packaging. The exploration of paper-based techniques, reminiscent of origami, for packaging numerous products currently packed in single-use plastic containers is inspiring. These innovations not only make packaging easier to open but also help reduce landfill waste.

"I actively seek out and prefer products that are marketed and packed in an environmentally responsible manner."

This is a compelling step towards more responsible consumer goods packaging.

Digital Archiving and Art Preservation

13 Unique Museums Around the World

Snacks, spies, and felines, oh my! These unique museums worldwide offer a window into artistic worlds of all kinds. Exploring the unique intersection of art and technology is sometimes about something other than the latest gadgets or AI innovations. Sometimes, it's about how technology captures and preserves human emotions. The Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb does just that, offering a digital and physical space that resonates deeply with personal histories. It showcases objects from past relationships, each accompanied by a story.

"This love existed," states Olinka Vistica, highlighting the museum’s mission to acknowledge and preserve personal history artifacts using traditional and digital storytelling methods.

This somewhat "tongue-in-cheek" inclusion in our newsletter depends on a broader definition of technology — not just as a tool for efficiency or creativity but as a medium for emotional engagement and historical preservation. As highlighted by Marika Price Spitulski in her article for Nice News, this museum, and others like it, challenge us to see art as well as technology in new, more emotionally resonant ways.

Future Trends in Art and Tech

SUMA Presents Podcasting at MuseumNext

At the MuseumNext Digital Summit, the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) demonstrated the power of podcasting to enhance and democratize the museum experience. In a detailed article by Kol Gibson, we learn how SUMA’s podcast, "Observations and Conversations," not only deepens the narrative around visual arts but also opens up these stories to those who cannot physically visit the museum. The podcast features diverse voices from artists to curators and beyond, enriching the listener’s understanding and appreciation of the exhibitions.

"Podcasting as an audio medium supplements and creates accessibility for what is primarily a visual medium," reflects on the innovative approach to making art more accessible and contextual. This perspective is crucial as it highlights the importance of embracing new media to extend the reach of cultural institutions.

By integrating podcasting into their communication strategy, SUMA not only captivates those who are already engaged but also invites new audiences who seek deeper engagement with the arts. This method serves as a model for other institutions looking to broaden their impact and connect with the community more effectively.

The Last Word

Thanks for reading and being part of this community!

I so appreciate the few enthusiastic followers we have, and I'm looking for feedback, and endorsement if you like this.

So please let me know what you think, what we could do better, and share it with your artist or technology friends—that will let me know to keep going. Until next time, keep exploring the fascinating world where art and technology meet.