Transitory Encounter: an exploration into generative systems @ The Wrong Biennale 2019/2020

Multiple Personality

Taking as it's point of departure the phrase "as beautiful as the chance encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella on an operating table" (from Les Chants de Maldoror by the Comte de Lautréamont), Transitory Encounter explores various generative art processes to question 'what is reality and what is illusion'? Or, perhaps that should be 'what was reality'?

The process begins with selection of 'human' faces generated from the website This Person Does Not Exist. Built on a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) the site creates fully automated human image synthesis by endlessly generating images that look like facial portraits of human faces. My selection is largely influenced by colour preferences across the whole image.

The 'faces' are then subjected to random transformations using Decim8 (We destroy in order to create), a glitch app developed for both iOS and Android devices by Kris Collins. Different filters at different strengths are randomly generated before output. No two images are ever the same. Approximately 1 in 30 images might be saved for further use.

In a world where 'fake news', face recognition software, constant CCTV surveillance, augmented and virtual reality, deepfake deceptions, identity theft and image manipulation can blur our notion of what is ultimately 'real', net.art in the form of generative processing can also question the creative act. What ultimately matters is the end image. There is an obvious aesthetic judgement in what eventually gets exhibited, but what interests me is that the images differ from what I 'normally' would create by conscious construction. One's training in, and knowledge of the elements of design and principles of composition can at times constrict the creative process. New pathways to new territories evolve.

Information overload can blur the senses but at what point are humans still able to identify the image of a human face? How much 'decimation' has to occur before it becomes unrecognisable? Portraiture in art has always looked beyond simple identity. In conceptual art the idea of self is paramount (“I think, therefore I am (an artist)” to paraphrase Rene Descartes). In Transitory Encounters the notion of 'selfies' becomes 'otheries'. Chance encounters with generative systems leads to a new reality. The self no longer exists...

You can see the complete exhibition here...

The PopGen Project

The PopGen Project - Make the machine do the work!

PopGen is a term that refers to population-based recruitment of patients and controls for the analysis of complex genotype-phenotype relationships in the medical research field. This art project paraphrases the term into a populous aggregation of images relating to art and culture that examines how humans interpret complex visual information when juxtaposed with visual cliches relating to popular culture and technological change. It uses the juxtaposition of seemingly random or opposing imagery to create a new reality.

The base images are initially created with net.art generator (NAG), a computer program which collects and recombines images from the Internet to create a new image based on search terms. These are then assembled into metamontages in Photoshop. Clip art images with transparent backgrounds are sourced from Pngimg.com, a free Creative Commons library and then overlayed into the finished piece.









The PopGen Project was developed as part of my current investigations into generative systems and art. It is featured as my contribution to The Perfect Users 2019 Pavilion as part of The Wrong Biennale. I am honoured to be included among some of the best digital artists working today. The exhibition will also have a physical presence at the Anno Domini Gallery in San Jose, California next year from April 3 2020.

artSpam #2 and artSpam #3

To celebrate the beginning of The Wrong a free giveaway of fake art by celebrated international artist Tyler Burden. artSpam 2 and artSpam 3 are unsigned originals that you can download and distribute absolutely free! Impress your friends, annoy your enemies. Spread the word The Wrong is here! #thewrong #thewrongbiennale

artSpam #2

 artSpam #3

dadaland collective: @ The Wrong Biennale

International collective of digital artists comes to Bega as part of global art event

dadaland collective: an international group of digital artists coordinated by Bermagui artist Bob Georgeson are exhibiting their work in Bega during November and December. The collective came together in 2018 through Facebook groups to be part of The Wrong Biennale, a global event celebrating digital culture. The Wrong Biennale is the world's largest ever art event with nearly 2000 artists exhibiting online and at various locations around the globe.

The 18 artists from 7 countries work across a variety of mediums including video, sound, graphics and performance that not only explore how technology can be used to make art, but also how technology impacts on human interactions. Much of the work is influenced by, or references the Internet. Glitch, generative art, computer graphics, smartphone creations and environments created from information all are featured.

The collective is Tim Tsang (USA), The Implicit Order (USA), Elle Thorkveld (USA), Milica Raicevic (Serbia), Darko Vukic (Serbia), Gabriela Green Olea (Australia), Jose Ramon Alcala (Spain), Kerry Baldry (UK), Parch Es (Mexico), Stefan Ljumov (Serbia), Yvana Samandova (France), Michael Szpakowski (UK), Borjan Zarevski (France), Miloš Bojović (Serbia), Yartn Saloan (Mexico), Systaime (France), Andrew Stys (UK), and Bob Georgeson (Australia).

The exhibition opens at midday on Friday November 1st at Sugar Sounds in Bega with a live performance by local duo The Sugarants. It is the first of a planned series of art events at Sugar Sounds as an adjunct to their music business.

The exhibition links through to The Wrong Biennale Epicentre in Valencia in Spain. It is an exciting opportunity to see some of the world's leading digital arts practitioners in an intimate setting.

The exhibition runs until Saturday 14th December. Check Sugar Sounds Facebook page for opening hours. Sugar Sounds, 203A (upstairs) Carp St, Bega.


Still from Estate by French artist Yvana Samandova

The Sugarants

https://thewrong.org/

The Last Broadcast


This film was specifically designed to be viewed on a mobile phone. Originally developed for the offline WiFi router project as part of The Wrong Biennale 2019-2020. Feel free to download to your device.

Selected for /’f̈́u:bar/ Glitch͜ A᷈rt Festival 2019.

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/’fu:bar/ Glitch A̲rt᷉ Festival 2019



I am very pleased to have been selected for the 5th edition of /’fu:bar/ Glitch A̲rt᷉ Festival 2019. It runs from 5th – 11th Oct 2019 at AKC Attack / Pierottijeva 11 / Zagreb / Croatia. Below is a promo/doco video about the event...

five wells (well, well, well, well, well)


for Tim Tsang and Parch Es et al...

Gondwana before the split...


Please download, add avatar to mark your location to form world map and repost with tags...

Night Watch



A collaboration with Anthony Washburn aka The Implicit Order...