no. 03

SERIAL EXPERIMENT
Categories
reflection Unit 4

Reflections | 6th October

Originally written on 06th Oct. 2024

This week has been rather hectic for me. I am learning a lot about how to have patience and prioritise my personal well being. Following disagreements with a fellow student, I have decided to concentrate on my project. With two months left in this course, I believe that petty quarrels are not worth pursuing, rather the most I can take away from this experience is what will be important in the end. As I look back at my time here, there is much I have achieved and a few pursuits that fell into the background. As I move forward I would like to use this month of October to revive some of these side project for myself (in addition to my main project).

My research on generative AI as a tool for artists is also bearing fruit and has taken on two distinct sides. On one side, I am looking at the past – Utilising generative AI to resurrect memories that make us who we are. On the other hand, is the utilisation of AI for artist development. What I need to do, I believe is to choose a direction to move forward in for the next two months. To achieve this, I will look back at my journey over the last year and try to decipher the natural direction the research is moving in. Similar to my project hypothesis, it can be hard to see where you are going unless you look back at where you have come from. Often new discoveries can lead to unexpected avenues. While this might be helpful to grow in the long run, I would like to first consider the short time period ahead of me. Beyond December, there is always the potential to follow other new and exciting directions.

Categories
Intervention Unit 4

Iterating the Intervention

Originally written on 20th Sep. 2024

Following feedback from my previous intervention, I feel the need to create a more effective path. Reflecting on some of the success and shortcomings of the wall of memories, I have decided that the next iteration should be more process based. A static intervention has been useful, but to truly study my topic, I need a longer process with personal involvement from artists. Instead of working with a wall, I want to work with a less tangible learning experience. This should allow for a more in depth look at some of the possibilities of using generative AI. The voice of artists is the development of this technology is still limited, perhaps this process could help explore some aspects of how this technology can be appropriated by them for their creative practice.

In order to execute this, my plan is as follows:

  • Induction – Hold a roundtable with participants and discuss their views on the topic. Engaged conversation on how to feel and what they want to explore as part of this process.
  • Introduction – Provide participants with tools and guidelines on how to use generative AI. And Introduction to the terms associated and link to a free website.
  • Exploration – Allow a fixed schedule to play with the tools provided. This will allow them to familiarise themselves with the tools and develop a unique language of their own prior to external prompts.
  • Initial Feedback – A second round of discussions around the learning during the exploration phase. This would also allow me to tailor prompts to the individual participants.
  • Guided Discovery – Based on the feedback gathered, I will provide a set of prompts of discovery that the artists will work on using generative AI. The hope is that the iterative nature of AI will allow them to go beyond the prompts provided.
  • Showcase – A display of the work by the individual artists. This would provide an “outcome” to centre the intervention. It would also help serve as a community sharing and building exercise.
  • Final Feedback – A final roundtable to conclude the process. Share stories of our journey and give feedback on the overall intervention.

Ethical considerations:

  • I will need to ensure that the wellbeing of the participants is kept at the forefront at all times, this includes but may not be limited to ensuring that traumatic or triggering topics are avoided.
  • I will need to ensure that the extent of the project is clear and inclusive from the start so that the participants have a clear understanding of what to expect.
  • I also need to ensure that the participants are willing and available, without feeling any pressure to participate. Participation in the intervention should not put stress on their everyday life.
  • Finally, I need to ensure that certain sensitivity guidelines are provided to ensure that hate speech and offensive content is not present in the outcome of the intervention.
Categories
reflection Unit 4

Unit 4 | Update

Originally written on 14th September 2024

Unit 4 started one day before my 32nd birthday. I am looking forward to the in campus tutorials up ahead. Currently my research has looked into the past and how it influences us. If generative AI can be used to revive and refresh the memories buried in the minds of artists that influence them. My collaboration is currently on hold, so I am taking this time to look into some reading on the subject and familiarising myself with the work of artists who are using AI as a medium. I will be posting more on those subject in the future and I have had time to absorb, reflect and interpret the research. Next week, I will be looking to iterate my intervention and see how I can make it more impactful for my stakeholders.

Categories
reflection unit 3

A workshop in London

9th September 2024

Traditional Indigo tie-n-dye workshop practiced by the Bai minority of china.

Workshop at Yi Craft, London with Yiran, for Chengyi Lin.

I was invited to participate in an interactive workshop by Lin on the 9th of September. The workshop was organised by Yiran of YiCraft in NW London and consisted of a brief history of the traditional indigo tie-dye craft of the Bai minority followed by a practical demonstration. Yiran explained that she was a part of this ethnic minority in China. The workshop was set in her beautiful studio, adorned with many examples of Chinese ethnic crafts and prominently featured indigo dyed textiles using multiple traditional techniques including batik and screen print. Large panels of indigo dyed textile floated above our heads and draped the walls. Traditional costumes of the Bai tribe decorated the mannequins scattered around the periphery of the room and soft Tibetan chant music played at an ambient volume. We sipped some freshly brewed tea as Yiran told us the history and relevance of the Bai tribe traditions and how it was related to other textile traditions ranging from Japan, South-east and South Asia and into parts of Africa. These regions shared some practices but had their own history and traditions when it came to colour and design. It was a fascinating peek into an ancient tradition that we were today going to participate in. The history and story telling was a large part of appreciating the workshop. As we sipped our tea, it was evident that this was not going to be a simple tie-dye workshop, but one where we intimately connected with Yiran’s culture. It was clear that she had a deep connection and love for where she came from. Her understanding of the history made us look at the humble blue dye with fresh eyes. She had succeeded in not just sharing her heritage with us, but inviting us into the region of China that the Bai tribe inhabited. To me, I felt a profound connection with the people who lived across the border of my country of India. We had been divided politically for over 70 years, by the borders of the modern nation states of India and China, but we shared a unique link for thousands of years before that. A link that was as ancient as human trade in textile knowledge and as deep blue as the stains of indigo that we were about to oppress on our pieces of cloth.

As we sat and meticulously put needle to thread, to squeeze, scrunch and tie our plain white pieces of fabric together into distorted yet promising forms, the Tibetan chants played in the background. The Tibetan plateau lay to her west, and to my north. A sense of meditative calm had overcome us all. With this practice of sharing of tradition, I felt a bond that on a casual day would have gone completely unseen. Here, ten thousand miles away from our home countries, on a small island off the coast of a different continent, neighbours found themselves. I felt a deep appreciation for the preservation work Yiran is doing here in London. The stories of a people, the land they come from and the beauty that inspires them, their hopes and dreams from centuries ago, preserved and shared so graciously with me. As we sat there, Yiran shared pictures of the mountains in her village, the water that reflected the gentle blue sky in the early morning, a picture that almost seemed dyed by indigo itself. To say this experience was anything less than spiritual, would be an understatement. 

Categories
Expert reflection Secondary Research unit 3

Further correspondence | Experts

As I share my intervention outcomes, my collaboration with Marta Abba saw an introduction from Italian AI artist Francesco D’Isa. His work explores AI data, errors and kitsch. Following is an except from my response to his email on the nature of misinformations and it’s association with vested interest and power:

As I discuss some of my findings on past images and AI, I’d like to put forward some examples I found on this subject, so as to build on the discussion-

Radio: 

The infamous 1938 incident of a halloween special on the book ‘War of the worlds’ preformed by Orson Welles created a mass panic in America. This was a radio show and the public had taken the portrayal of the fictional radio show to be an actual news broadcast. The public had not expected the radio, the main source of information at the time to be broadcasting a fictional show. Today, it is unlikely anyone would it so seriously. Despite many such shows being produced and broadcast, eg. Dragons : Fantasy made real (2004) on the Discovery channel and Doomsday 2012 (2007) on the History channel, it has not cause a similar reaction or panic.

Article documenting the 1938 incident:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/infamous-war-worlds-radio-broadcast-was-magnificent-fluke-180955180/

VFX and CGI:

Visual effects in films have seen a steady increase in usage and technical expertise, but so has the discernment of the audience. Visual effects considered exceptional a few years ago, now are seen as cringe or clearly unbelievable. The exposure and increase of VFX usage has led to a more discerning audience that now distinguishes between good and bad visual effects.

On the flip side, we have CGI, or computer generated graphics. At one point, CGI struggled to fully generate believable worlds. There was a term that was described this challenge for a long time- the uncanny valley. As recently as 2019, we had debated on the subject with the lion king remake garnering much criticism for its depiction of photorealistic animals juxtaposed with human speech and mouth movement. But there have been examples of pushing past this with movies such as Alita: Battle Angel’s protagonist and Gollum from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the rings being complete CGI characters created through motion capture to great acclaim.

Photoshop:

I found many articles and disclaimers dated back to 2011 with a very similar tone (as being used for AI images today) towards photoshopped images. Allow me to attach two such below- one from the guardian on their policy and the second, a student project (by Stephanie Coffaney) at the California Polytechnic state University. This can be taken as evidence that this was a relevant and serious discussion around the late 2000’s and early 2010’s.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/04/picture-manipulation-news-imagery-photoshop

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/19153916.pdf

Specificity and Historical images:

Currently, AI struggles to generate believable outputs for individual people. My work on recreating past memories of artists (as a form of curating Identity) points to this shortcoming. Outside of famous celebrities and world leaders, it is very hard for AI to easily produce a specific person. The training data is also very limited for spaces and concepts that may be nuanced or regional to the individual. What is easy to produce for AI, are images of generic with well documented concepts. The details are what it really struggles with. Despite this, generative AI is producing photorealistic images of the past, and this is made easier due to the nature of old photographs. The images being in black and white, blurred in areas and having damage accumulated over time can make it incredibly difficult for a common person to distinguish them. Here, the nature of what is expected is being used in the favour of AI’s limitations. It would be a lot harder for AI to generate a believable image in colour with realistic detail from today’s era. But if asked to generate a picture in an old and damaged style of a past time, it plays to the strength of AI’s randomisation.

The problem with historical images is that they can also be difficult to fact check. Many stories and their related images are lost to time, or buried so deep in the archives that it would be a difficult and time consuming task to resurrect it. Many images have never been published and put away in boxes and corners, yet to discovered. Authenticating such images would be hard if only a digital copy is available. This make the possibility of historical images’ authentication lie in a grey area. Some AI generated images may be falsely flagged as real due to close similarities with other archived images, while some genuine images may be flagged as fake if there is no other evidence to corroborate its authenticity.

Refelctions of digital colourist, Marina Amaral on AI images:

https://marinaamaral.substack.com/p/ai-is-creating-fake-historical-photos#:~:text=And%20trust%20me%2C%20these%20generated,indistinguishable%20from%20the%20real%20ones.

Categories
Intervention reflection unit 3

Wall of Memories | Reflections

How was the experience for participants remembering a fond memory?

All the participants of my intervention respond with a sense of nostalgia. The process of remembering a “fond” memory seemed challenging for them. The responses show that it was a challenging task that took time for them to complete. This shows that perhaps the real challenge for visual artists curating their personal identities is digging deep and finding pivotal points that shaped their lives and practice. This is a new aspect I had not considered completely. I hope to find a way to prompt a better way of finding what defines each individual and if there can be a process that can help better develop this “recall”.

How did participants feel seeing their individual memories as images?

The participants seemed divided on the enhancing effects I had expected this process to have. Which each of them rightly pointed out that the image was not a perfect replica of their memories, there was some understanding that when working with generative AI, it is more about providing physical descriptions rather than the mood a memory may evoke. While this was something I had explained to the participants, it is a learning that emotions cannot be infused in an AI image.

The image wall had me using LoRas that matched the participants as I tried to enhance their original memories as prompts. The wall included two images – an initial image and a final image. While two participant responses show their disappointment with the final images, i.e. not close enough or below expectations, there were others that stated that aspects of their memories became more vivid in their mind as they saw the generated image. There is evidence from these interactions that some people can build up an old memory using iterated images over time. In some sense, this also lets me think that there may be a possibility to bring forth the past and look at it again.

How did participants feel about their memories being one amongst many?

From the feedback, it appears that seeing other people’s memories along side their own, the participants were drawn into a community mindset. One participant attests to going back and reading other people’s notes. Despite a variety of emotions reported- overwhelming, joy, nostalgia, connection, surprise, etc. the common theme is can gather is that doing such an exercise with more people has a positive impact on the participants. This may be because they are on in the centre of the stage, but sharing it with others. Connection between all these different age groups and media users is also an unexpected outcome. Participants aged 39 and 24 feeling connected over a wall of AI generated images is a unique outcome and demonstrates a unique ability of this technology to bring together different generations.

Did AI images change the way any of the participants remembered their life?

All participants reported no change in the way they remembered their individual memories. These are clearly important parts of their lives and so are remembered strongly. I would like to be able to do justice and help a few of the participants develop more on the possibility of truly bringing the image closer to what is being seen in the eye of their minds.

Did any participants change the way they view AI application?

Participants did not find the outcome convincing enough to instigate a change in their already held views on generative AI. This is due to many factors, some of which include the participants already being supportive of generative AI technology, and other participants viewing it as a tool. For those who had negative associations of generative AI, the outcome may have reinforced their views.

Reflections from participants and possible changes moving forward.

The feedback strongly indicates that the participants were engaged with the idea of generative AI recreating memory. The feedback evidenced there to exist genuine curiosity and thinking on the part of different participants on the defining of themselves and the future role of this technology. I was certain that this would be far from a perfect intervention when working with such a difficult topic. I was however, hoping to gauge the interest and curiosity artists would feel when interacting with my intervention. In this case, while much was lacking in terms of presenting the “perfect” replica of the participant’s memories or identity, there was success in garnering genuine curiosity and expectation from a technology that until a few months ago, I thought was the enemy of visual artists.

Moving forward, I would like to expand this into a process rather than a simple installation. The back and forth on feedback and recollection, I find, is an important part of curating one’s personal identity. The task is not as simple as putting in text prompts into a magic machine, but is learning how to utilise a new tool for reflecting the personal. Understanding, what is the personal and how memories, artefacts and other aspects play into shaping it. Through the last few months, I have unlearnt many biases, uncovered many questions and reflected on many possibilities for my project. I feel the answers lie beyond the horizon, and may never be truly absolute, but a framework is beginning to appear close.

Categories
Intervention unit 3

Wall of Memories | Feedback

The Wall of Memories intervention saw its conclusion in early September. Following is the intervention feedback gathered as well as the project interactions at a glance.

Categories
Intervention unit 3

Wall of Memories | Interactions

Out of the 9 participants, 7 responded by posting a cherished memory of theirs. Below are the memories shared.

Below is the wall, before and after the generation of images to depict these memories.

Following this process, I have sent out a questionnaire (feedback form) to the participants. The participants will be sent the before and after and have to answer a few questions on the process. The questions I have posed are:

1. How did you feel having to share an old cherished memory?

2. Does seeing the generated images, alter or affect how you remember the event?

3. How does it feel to see your image amongst many who have shared fond memories?

4. Do you feel any difference when seeing the before and after of the wall?

5. Do the images make you curious to read other people’s shared memories?

6. How do you feel about AI being used as a tool to create moments from your past?

7. Is your opinion on generative AI changed in anyway through this process?

8. Any other feedback?

Categories
Secondary Research unit 3

Analysis | No One is ready for this

Original Article (accessed 26th August 2024)

No One is ready for this

By Sarah Jeong

For The Verge

https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/22/24225972/ai-photo-era-what-is-reality-google-pixel-9

I came across this article through Marta. I felt the need to analyse this article because of it’s proximity to my European press prize submission. The author discusses the new google pixel 9 and it’s AI enabled editing features. The article also touches on the larger cultural context of photography and the cultural impact of AI technologies being integrated into it. While the article is a good example of some the concerns we may have around the emergence of generative AI, it makes some bold assumptions. I’d like to discuss some of the merits and concerns I have with this.

Photographs, like text and ideas are and have always been subjective accounts produced by humans. Photography, since it’s invention has indeed been heralded as an account of “the truth”, however as I discussed in my EPP presentation, it has always been subject to context and framing. What a photograph, even from the early 20th century depicts, can be subject to propagandist intentions. The way it is framed, what is included and what is left out and the social context in which it is published, all affect the reception and interpretation of the image. The use of photography as a propaganda tool to promote colonialism and racism within the home countries has ample evidence. In their article, “Photography as a Tool of Power and Subjugation: How the Camera was Used to Justify Black Racial Inferiority”, Zaha Chouddhary explores the many facets of the early use of photography for generating and reinforcing racial superiority by European powers. 

The biases in early photography aren’t simply due to the user, in fact the very technology behind the camera film can be seen to have racial bias. It wasn’t till the 1990’s that the film technology was corrected to more accurately capture skin tones other than white. An in-depth exploration of this is done in the article “Color film was built for white people. Here’s what it did to dark skin.” By Estelle Caswell for Vox. In some sense, the assumption that, for any moment in history photography had been a standard for objective truth, is wrong. Such notions largely depend on who is being asked the question. A good example of this subjectivity lies in the topic of police brutality in the US, used in the original Verge article to demonstrate the use of film and photography to challenge the official/dominant view of the state. But this too, is entirely subjective. For most privileged communities in America, the idea that personal recordings disprove what the police are saying is understandable. However, given the long history of racial tension and police brutality in the US, most working class and coloured individual would navigate the world in a less naive way. Photos are not required to prove that the police are lying. As individuals in society, we navigate the world in a complex and multi faceted way, photo evidence being only one part of it. Social expectations, urban legends, neighbours, word of mouth and community history all play a part in how we see reality.

In the coming age, photography and videography may be seen with greater suspicion, however we have been on this journey for some time now. Before we had “fake images” we have had “fake news articles”. In fact, this idea of fake information may go as far back as we can information itself. We are lucky that we are more aware now than ever before, about not directly trusting what we see online. If our growing concern around manipulated images and videos is founded on being able to distinguish them, it would be more productive to educate the public on how to verify images based on metadata. Even so, the legitimacy of any media can and has never been a 100% reliable.

Photography as a Tool of Power and Subjugation: How the Camera was Used to Justify Black Racial Inferiority, by Zara Choudhary:

https://sacredfootsteps.com/2020/06/08/photography-as-a-tool-of-power-and-subjugation-how-the-camera-was-used-to-justify-black-racial-inferiority/

Color film was built for white people. Here’s what it did to dark skin, by Estelle Caswell for Vox:

Categories
Expert unit 3

Engaging with Expert | Marta Abbà

Originally written on 18th August 2024.

On August 6th, I was introduced to Marta Abba, an Italian researcher and journalist. She is an environmental physicist investigating how scientific research, technologies and human decisions impact biodiversity and human rights. She has written articles for publications such as Wired Italia, Soiel International and Seed science amongst many more.

This meeting came about through my project on “The future of Memory” proposal for the European Press Prize. Following a week long correspondence, we decided to have a video meeting on the 16th of august and I was offered an opportunity to incorporate my research into AI as a tool for visual artists, used to curate their personal identity and recreate images from their past and future into a larger project; AI photos and people: past and future. We have begun to share noted and ideas on the subject. I shared my blog and my approach towards the subject through action research. Moving forward, we will be setting up a system to collaborate overseas and incorporate other experts and creatives working on the subject. This includes AI photographers who are looking at the future of image, new art styles developed through the use of machine learning technologies and those who are participating in my intervention. Our hope is that this research culminates in some form of publishing to add new knowledge to the world of creativity, human experience and technology.

Linked In of Marta:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-abbà-99b7a918/?locale=it_IT

European Press Prize proposal:

European Press Prize.