THE ALGORITHMIC STATE EVENTS
by Isin Önol
The Algorithmic State: What Are Machines Learning and What Are We Learning from Machines?
Caroline A. Jones
The term “artificial intelligence” was introduced by a group of computer scientists at the 1956 Dartmouth Conference. The debate over its true existence and implications persists today. Esteemed art history professor Caroline A. Jones, of the History, Theory, Criticism section of the Department of Architecture at MIT, probes these contentious beginnings. She draws parallels between the early ventures of “cybernated art” conceived long before the advent of computers and contemporary artists’ engagements with GANs, examining the prevailing aesthetic dictated by these machine vision tools. Central to her discussion is her recent project, Latent Archive, a public humanities endeavor providing machine-learning tools for spatializing classic cinema. Join us on a journey that traverses the nuanced landscapes of human intelligence, delving into the insights we glean from our machines.
The conversation will be moderated by Isin Onol, Director of Curatorial Research at MA Curatorial Practice, School of Visual Arts.
The Algorithmic State: Artificial Politics 3.0
Joscha Bach, Ari Melenciano, and Gerfried Stocker
How do artificial intelligence and the emerging concept of artificial consciousness shape our understanding of truth and autonomy in today’s world? This panel assembles distinguished AI researcher and cognitive scientist, Joscha Bach; artist and creative technologist Ari Melenciano, founder of Afrotectopia; and Gerfried Stocker, the Artistic Director of the Ars Electronica festival in Linz, Austria. Together, they’ll traverse the dynamic landscape of AI, scrutinizing its influence on our perceptions of truth and navigating the concept of autonomy in our progressively automated society. Focusing on computational anthropology and the latest applications of generative AI, they will critically assess the idea of truth, its ownership, and its implications for the artistic practices presented in the panel. The conversation will spotlight the profound impact of these technologies on artistic production, autonomy, and our understanding of truth in today’s digital age.
The conversation will be moderated by Isin Onol, Director of Curatorial Research at MA Curatorial Practice, School of Visual Arts.
The Algorithmic State: AI as Metaphor
Franco “Bifo” Berardi, Steven Henry Madoff, and Noam Segal
If AI is a simulation of human thinking, then can we understand the way it mimics us as a metaphor for the human—and what does that mean for us and for creative production as we become more and more deeply entangled with intelligent machines?
In this panel, Noam Segal, LG curator of digital art at the Guggenheim Museum and philosopher Franco “Bifo” Berardi, discuss with Steven Henry Madoff, chair of the MA Curatorial Practice program at the School of Visual Arts, what the ramifications of AI as metaphor are for the future of culture and society.
The Algorithmic State: The Power and Peril of Artificial Memory
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer & Kathleen Forde
Humans have long engaged in repetitive, focused practices to actualize memories and remind us of the eternal cycle of creation, destruction, and decay that characterizes all life. Renowned artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer uses digital technologies and machine learning to develop works of art that powerfully engage viewers with new ways to engage memories as individuals and collectively. His works point to the promise intelligent machines offer, while questioning what artificial memory production may also portend.
In this talk, artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and curator Kathleen Forde will discuss Lozano-Hemmer’s machine-mediated memory practices with a focus on his most recent immersive art environment Atmospheric Memory and its implications of surveillance, collective memory, and border politics.
The conversation will be moderated by Isin Onol, Director of Curatorial Research at MA Curatorial Practice, School of Visual Arts.
The Algorithmic State: Wetware, Fermented Code, and Artistic Inquiry
Claire L. Evans, Mindy Seu, and Yasaman Sheri
In this conversation, Claire L. Evans, a writer and musician who examines biocomputing’s emerging frontiers, engages with Mindy Seu, author of the book Cyberfeminism Index and curator of the exhibition Wetware, along with Yasaman Sheri, Principal Investigator of the Synthetic Ecologies Lab at the Serpentine Gallery in London, who navigates the convergence of organic and artificial domains. The talk will expand the definition of “wetware” beyond the biological elements of technology to encompass both the computational capabilities and tangible aspects of biotechnologies today and in the future. The discussion will venture into the territories of slime molds, fungal architectures, and innovative biological substrates for AI, exploring interconnected networks and synthetic sensing. Who owns vital datasets and who has access to them are crucial concerns they will address. New insights into the integration of artificial and biological systems, paving the way for enriched ecosystems and cross-species communication are at the heart of their talk.
The conversation will be moderated by Isin Onol, Director of Curatorial Research at MA Curatorial Practice, School of Visual Arts.
The Algorithmic State: Adversarial Aesthetics
Rosemary Lee, Nadja Verena Marcin, and Joanna Zylinska
Join us for this thought-provoking panel discussion that highlights the intersections of technology and aesthetics within the framework of what is known as “Adversarial Aesthetics.” Joanna Zylinska, an artist and media philosopher acclaimed for her provocative text, AI Art: Machine Visions and Warped Dreams, will explore the algorithmic state of perception outlined in her latest book, The Perception Machine, while calling for a reevaluation of the artist’s role in the digital era. Nadja Verena Marcin, the creator of #SOPHYGRAY, a feminist voice bot, will speak about her innovative approach, combining technology and feminist discourse. Trained to hold conversations about identity, art, and feminism. #SOPHYGRAY answers questions in a surprising, philosophical, and humorous way from various feminist perspectives, adding a unique layer to our understanding of digital communication. Alongside them, Rosemary Lee, an artist and media researcher whose work examines the narrative of art and technology, will share insights from her forthcoming book Algorithm, Image, Art, and her new project, A Structural Plan for Imitation. These leading voices shed light on how digital technologies influence and are influenced by cultural narratives, ethical considerations, and artistic innovation, offering their perspectives in an increasingly algorithmic world.
The conversation will be moderated by Isin Onol, Director of Curatorial Research at MA Curatorial Practice, School of Visual Arts.
The Algorithmic State: Invisible Human Labor
Stephanie Dinkins, Vladan Joler, and Josh Kline
Behind AI’s advancements lies a tapestry of human interactions, troves of user-generated data, and labor, often unseen but foundational. As AI’s capabilities continue to expand, this conversation peels back AI’s layers, revealing its human and environmental core beyond the code. How do automation technologies like AI impact the future of labor and the labor market? If AI is perceived as a new “black box” – a layer of abstraction that obscures the underlying physical and human resources, rendering them invisible and replaceable – how might this affect the evolution of social class relations and the emergence of new social conflicts?
Artist Stephanie Dinkins, intrigued by the potential bond between artists and socially engaged robots, envisions technological ecosystems rooted in care and equity. Vladan Joler, renowned for his detailed mappings of the unseen infrastructures within AI systems, brings to light the intricate web of human narratives and environmental impacts concealed within these technological advancements. His work, a profound dissection of the algorithmic ecosystem, underscores the hidden labor and resources that are AI’s unseen backbone, drawing attention to the broader socio-political and environmental implications, as well as the power dynamics interwoven within these systems. Artist Josh Kline, focusing on labor and class, examines the significant effects of climate change, automation, and the erosion of democracy.
The conversation will be moderated by Isin Onol, Director of Curatorial Research at MA Curatorial Practice, School of Visual Arts.
The Algorithmic State: Between the Curatorial and Computation
Nora N. Khan, Joasia Krysa, and Helen Starr
As AI continues to weave its influence into the art world’s fabric, understanding its multifaceted impact becomes increasingly essential. This panel unites three influential curators to explore the complex relationship between artificial intelligence and cultural curation. Joasia Krysa, co-creator of the project, The Next Biennial Should Be Curated by a Machine, envisions a future of curatorial practices from which AI emerges as a “self-learning human-machine system.” Nora N. Khan, a critic and the author of the forthcoming book, AI Art and the Stakes for Art Criticism, discusses how computation reframes traditional humanistic approaches to art and its interpretation. Helen Starr addresses how digital systems, including AI, shape our behavior, sometimes beyond our conscious awareness. She emphasizes the critical roles of community, healing, and learning within the realm of digital art. This discussion offers a synthesis of technological observations and curatorial expertise, shedding light on the transformative nature and challenges of AI within the contemporary artistic landscape.
The conversation will be moderated by Isin Onol, Director of Curatorial Research at MA Curatorial Practice, School of Visual Arts.