Artistic practice in the age of Deep Learning

Abstract:

Technology is the core element of my art practice: conceptually and also as a tool. My interest goes beyond checking out new cool technology, my aim is to reflect critically and conceptually where this technological development leads us. In my artistic practice, I ask the following question: how do our lives, perception, way of communication, being together, and environment around us change along with the development of technology? When it comes to artificial intelligence, it seems that AI is the ultimate solution and the most significant concern nowadays. Today, when it is spoken about the third wave of AI and quantum computing, the dream is very close to coming true - reaching the human-level of intelligence. However, what kind of consequences could bring these technological achievements? My research interest here is to provoke discussion and provide case studies for creative and meaningful AI technology use. The aim is to understand and relate artistically to the cultural phenomenon behind the vast amount of data that society with technological applications produce daily. Quoting Jean Baudrillard, “We live in a world where there is more and more information, endless and less meaning.” (Baudrillard 1981) Thus, it is vital to make meaning and contextualize all the data wilderness that surrounds us, also from the perspective of an artist. How is the cultural sector able to provoke discussion about AI and our dependencies on high-tech? How to relate to new photography, image, literature, and sound? All these new high-tech concepts and phenomena need to be engaged with, not only theoretically, but also through practice, which gives a much richer and profound understanding of the processes behind.

Speaker Bio:

Mar Canet Solà, born 1981 in Barcelona, is an artist and researcher. Trained as a designer, computer science and artist. He is PhD candidate in BFM at Tallinn University and a research fellow at Cudan Open Lab. He has taught and conducted research in several universities, like the ESDi School of Design, UOC (Open University of Catalonia), Estonian Academy of Arts, ITMO, University of Hertfordshire, Elisava Barcelona School of Design and Engineering, and more. In addition, Mar was invited Visiting researcher at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (GZ), XRL lab at Hong Kong City University, IAMAS (Ogaki, Japan), and was invited Guest Professor at Blekinge Institute of Technology (Karlshamn, Sweden).

As an artist, he works together with Varvara Guljajeva forming an artist duo Varvara & Mar. Often the duo's work is inspired by the information age. In their practice, they confront social changes and the impact of the technological era. The duo has been exhibiting in international shows since 2009. Their works were shown at MAD in New York, FACT in Liverpool, Santa Monica in Barcelona, Barbican in London, Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens, Ars Electronica museum in Linz, ZKM in Karlsruhe, Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris, and more.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://hkust.zoom.us/j/95998524909?pwd=SFl2OWtSYVR6S3hTMVcyd3VtUWtZdz09

Meeting ID: 959 9852 4909

Passcode: cma