Us and Them

Us and Them

Us and Them

The piece examines our new world which we created, a world that is connected to an unprecedented extent, while also being a world of increased isolation and mistrust. We inhabit a digital attention economy, in which we're constantly distracted, digitally connected and yet yearning for human connection. A fertile ground for political manipulation, propaganda is now fully automated and targeted, using machine learning to analyse its targets while pretending to be human. Synthetic media, also thorough modern computer vision technology and neural networks, blurs the boundary between what is a real and what is not. Doublespeak, such as the term "fake news" is further used to undermine what we know is real while pushing intentionally misleading information on an unprecedented scale. "Us and Them" invites the viewer to reexamine their relationship with the machine we live inside and to seek true connection with one another.

The 20 thermal receipt printers are live and continuously printing AI generated tweets at a slow but steady pace, letting this sculpture evolve and change every day. Ultimately the paper torrent overwhelms and buries the central space and chairs, unless we keep clearing the space.

The piece examines our new world which we created, a world that is connected to an unprecedented extent, while also being a world of increased isolation and mistrust. We inhabit a digital attention economy, in which we're constantly distracted, digitally connected and yet yearning for human connection. A fertile ground for political manipulation, propaganda is now fully automated and targeted, using machine learning to analyse its targets while pretending to be human. Synthetic media, also thorough modern computer vision technology and neural networks, blurs the boundary between what is a real and what is not. Doublespeak, such as the term "fake news" is further used to undermine what we know is real while pushing intentionally misleading information on an unprecedented scale. "Us and Them" invites the viewer to reexamine their relationship with the machine we live inside and to seek true connection with one another.

The 20 thermal receipt printers are live and continuously printing AI generated tweets at a slow but steady pace, letting this sculpture evolve and change every day. Ultimately the paper torrent overwhelms and buries the central space and chairs, unless we keep clearing the space.

Materials: 20 Receipt Printers and paper rolls, AI Language Model, AI Image Generator, Chairs
Size: height,width,depth: 10m x 3m x 3m

Materials: 20 Receipt Printers and paper rolls, AI Language Model, AI Image Generator, Chairs
Size: height,width,depth: 10m x 3m x 3m

http://www.miketyka.com/?p=usandthem

http://www.miketyka.com/?p=usandthem

Mike Tyka studied Biochemistry and Biotechnology at the University of Bristol. He obtained his PhD in Biophysics in 2007 and went on to work as a research fellow at the University of Washington to study the structure and dynamics of protein molecules. In particular, he has been interested in protein folding and has been writing computer simulation software to better understand this fascinating process. Mike joined Google in 2012 and worked on creating a neuron-level map of fly and mouse brain tissue using computer vision and machine learning.

Mike became involved in creating sculpture and art in 2009 when he helped design and construct Groovik's Cube, a 35ft tall, functional, multi-player Rubik's cube installed in Reno, Seattle and New York. Since then his artistic work has focused both on traditional sculpture and modern technology, such as 3D printing and artificial neural networks. His sculptures of protein molecules use cast glass and bronze and are based on the exact molecular coordinates of each respective biomolecule. They explore the hidden beauty of these amazing nanomachines, and have been shown around the world from Seattle to Japan.

Mike also works with artificial neural networks as an artistic medium and tool. In 2015 created some of the first large-scale artworks using Iterative DeepDream and co-founded the Artists and Machine Intelligence program at Google. In 2017 he collaborated with Refik Anadol to create a pioneering immersive projection installation using Generative Adversarial Networks called "Archive Dreaming". His latest generative series "Portraits of Imaginary People" has been shown at ARS Electronica in Linz, Christie's in New York and at the New Museum in Karuizawa (Japan). His kinetic, AI-driven sculpture "Us and Them" was featured at the 2018 Mediacity Biennale at the Seoul Museum of Art and in 2019 at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.

Michael Tyka: Artist, Engineer and Programmer of the work.

United States