Artists and Algorithms Friday Feb 23 @ 7pm @Kaleid DTSJ

Neither Artificial nor Intelligent: Artists Working with Algorithms

Panel discussion: Friday, February 23rd 7pm–9pm. Free admission

Featuring Artists: Julie Meridian, James Morgan, and Steve Cooley

Moderator: Cherri Lakey

KALEID Gallery is proud to host this panel with three talented artists who are using various AI tools in their artistic practice while navigating all the ethical and creative dilemmas that arise with it. With all the controversy around AI collaborative / generated art, we’re looking forward to hearing from these avant-garde artists that are exploring the possibilities of a positive outcome for artists and creatives in this as-of-yet undefined new territory.

Julie Meridian:

Julie Meridian captures the essence of people and places through representational art with impressionist details. She has extensive experience humanizing technology through UX design and has been active in the Silicon Valley arts community since 2014. “Terraforming the Uncanny Valley” exhibit featuring paintings by Julie Meridian in collaboration with Berlin-based tech artist Lucidbeaming is currently on view at KALEID Gallery. You can visit her website at www.juliemeridian.com/

James Morgan: 

James Morgan is an artist, educator and narcissist. As an artist he is interested in how theory and meaning intersect with the work, his interest in the way that people communicate and work with and around the artwork has led him into the game space and virtual environments. As a collaborative artist he finds Artificial Intelligence to be a way to expand his work into new areas that he has little or no expertise. You can hear his album at https://bit.ly/ujm-frank

Steve Cooley: 

Steve Cooley has been active in the south bay arts community for about 20 years. He is a former president and current advisory board member of Works/San José. He’s also in a cool live techno music band called Haptic Synapses. Cooley has worked in tech jobs since 1997. You can find his art and music here:  http://sc-fa.com

Moderator Cherri Lakey: 

Cherri Lakey and partner Brian Eder are the owners and curators of ANNO DOMINI // the second coming of Art & Design, KALEID Gallery, and a bunch of other passion projects that give artists opportunities to be their authentic selves and share their extraordinary art with a wider public audience. She is intensely interested in the history and power of Art and Imagination juxtaposed with the challenges of the human condition in modern times. Additionally, Lakey is a contributing writer at KQED Arts & Culture. You can visit gallery sites here: www.galleryAD.com & www.kaleidgallery.com

Panel discussion: Friday, February 23rd 7pm–9pm. Free admission

Reserve your spot now by RSVP to our event page: https://fb.me/e/50XblB06r

KALEID Gallery

320 S. 1st St.

Downtown San Jose

info@kaleidgallery.com

Post taken from announcement and designed by Cherri Lakey of Two Fish Design

We all know that Art is not the truth.

“We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth at least the truth that is given us to understand. The artist must know the manner whereby to convince others of the truthfulness of his lies.”

― Pablo Picasso

And CEO’s may be catching on, but certainly AI is not the truth either.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/2/24059955/samsung-no-such-thing-as-real-photo-ai

It is funny to think about the number of times we’ve been through this, with photography, with drum machines, with photoshop.

Give me more Sizzle: http://bryanfpeterson.blogspot.com/2010/06/every-photograph-is-lie-yet-within-that.html

Prints For Sale At Kaleid

I have put several prints for sale on some nice paper from my MichGAN series. Each image will only be printed once. This is 354, the colors are vibrant and the paper is just lush. Each print is $100

More info here when it goes live: https://www.kaleidgallery.com/shop/hark-holiday-art-show-sale/

You Love the Game (the story of Uncle James Misty)

This is how it begins (Sept 21, 2023):
“I have this intriguing idea for a project centered around Taylor Swift’s 1989 album. I believe she lost the rights to it at some point and subsequently re-recorded it. In homage to this situation, I plan to re-record 1989 using an AI tool that I’ll train with my own voice. Afterward, I’ll replace the lyrics in the original version, not Taylor’s rendition, and release it on YouTube, possibly elsewhere, though it may raise some legal concerns.

One question that arises is whose copyrights am I potentially infringing upon? I am willing to compensate for the usage, much like Ryan Adams, who was presumably did when he recorded Taylor Swift’s 1989 album, and certainly, for the father John Misty recordings of Ryan Adams’ 1989 album. This project involves numerous layers, making it beautifully complex.”

History:
Several years ago, I became enamored with the parody covers performed by Josh Tillman, also known as Father John Misty, singing renditions of Taylor Swift’s 1989 album. This fascination coincided with my growing appreciation for FJM and the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It didn’t hurt either that the video featured Aubrey Plaza in a striking role.

I even managed to incorporate a discussion of Taylor Swift into one of my lectures for my Intro to Digital Media Arts class. I admire the sense of appropriation displayed by Ryan Adams when he covered the entire album 1989. While it may not be entirely fair to Ms. Swift, who has faced numerous challenges in her career, she always seems to handle them with grace. I often jest about Ms. Swift, but I hold her in high regard as a performer deeply dedicated to her audience and her craft.

What do I mean by “mishaps?” Well, there was that infamous incident with Kanye West, where she was interrupted, and the entire conversation about her work got derailed by ego. Then, there were the master recordings of her first six albums, which ended up in the possession of her record company and were regrettably sold to hedge funds, even as she attempted to buy them back herself. The silver lining in these two incidents is that she is now worth more than Kanye West, and she has re-recorded her early albums “Taylor’s Way.” It’s a tale of poor judgment on Scooter Braun’s part, betting against her for a quick profit on her workf. The re-release of her albums not only made her a substantial sum of money but also granted her complete ownership of the new master recordings.

Now, let’s talk about the album 1989, released in 2014 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_(album). It’s far from an unremarkable album, featuring several chart-topping hits and selling millions of copies. This album played a pivotal role in Taylor Swift’s transition from a country singer to a pop sensation, spawning numerous big hits.
The song Blank Space has a delightful lilt to it and a terrific story laden video:

In 2015, Ryan Adams released his own version of the album 1989 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_(Ryan_Adams_album)), providing a track-by-track cover of Swift’s album of the same name. This reinterpretation was well-received, particularly by Swift herself, who regarded it as a fresh perspective on her work by a respected musician. Adams considered the album to exist in its own alternate universe, filled with joy and inspiration. I view this as a form of artistic appropriation and reinterpretation, akin to the work of Marcel Duchamp.
Adams song was apparently a hit with Swift who was pleased to have her work covered by someone she respected and grew up with. I find the cover and the change of lyrics (regendering it) to be a little off but the work of the whole album gains a certain amount of respect from me.

Josh Tillman, known as Father John Misty (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_John_Misty), initially embarked on re-recording (in a parody fashion) the Ryan Adams tracks, taking them in the style of the Velvet Underground. However, he had a dream visitation from the spirit of Lou Reed, who urged him to cease the project. Consequently, he abandoned it. What Tillman did manage to record though is haunting and beautiful. The obvious parody of it, and in the style of the Velvet Underground sells me completely on the artistry. Tillman recorded Blank Space, and Welcome to New York by the time he received the revelation that derailed the effort to complete the 1989 album. We are poorer for this.

This leads me to 2023 when I am teaching a course on AI tools for artists and the above idea hits me. I spent an entire weekend working over and listening to the album 1989. I can’t say that the music has really stuck to me in an appealing way, but many of the tunes are quite catchy. I recorded and trained an AI algorithm on my voice (I read The Raven by E.A. Poe to stay on brand). The plan was to cover all of 1989 in the weekend and release an entire album, but guess what? AI is not that sophisticated, yet. And vocal effects throw it off, I hadn’t realized that there are quite a lot of vocal effects and background singing going on in much of the album.

But I am left with Uncle James Misty, my parody of Father John Misty because I am actually an Uncle James (drive me nuts, but it is what it is). So this is my parody of Josh Tillmans parody of Ryan Adams cover of Ms Swifts song Blank Space. Please enjoy and if I am able to continue this project, I’ll continue to post here

a non apology

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, ZIP] [Email Address] [Date]

[Recipient’s Name] [Recipient’s Position/Title] [University/Organization Name] [Address] [City, State, ZIP]

Subject: Apology for Using ChatGPT and Committing Academic Dishonesty

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to express my deepest regrets and offer my sincere apologies for my recent actions, specifically in relation to my usage of ChatGPT and the subsequent plagiarism and academic dishonesty it has caused.

I acknowledge that my behavior was completely unacceptable and goes against the core values of integrity and honesty that are expected within the academic community. My actions not only undermined the trust and credibility that I should have upheld, but they also disrespected the efforts of my fellow students and the educational institution as a whole.

I take full responsibility for my actions and understand the gravity of the situation. Plagiarism and academic dishonesty not only tarnish my personal reputation but also compromise the reputation of the university and the academic integrity of the entire community. I deeply regret that my choices have caused distress and disappointment to those involved, especially to you, the faculty, and my peers.

It is essential for me to emphasize that my actions were not a reflection of my true character or my commitment to learning and personal growth. I have always valued education and the opportunity to acquire knowledge, and I am fully aware of the importance of maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity.

To rectify this situation, I am taking immediate steps to address the consequences of my actions and prevent any further damage. Firstly, I have ceased using ChatGPT for any academic purposes, as I now understand the negative implications it can have on my own development and the academic community as a whole. I have also taken it upon myself to revisit the courses in question and relearn the material, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter without any reliance on external sources.

Additionally, I fully commit to making amends for the academic dishonesty I have engaged in. I am willing to accept any sanctions or penalties deemed appropriate by the university. Moreover, I am eager to participate in any educational programs or workshops available to help me rebuild my academic integrity and prevent such behavior in the future. I understand that regaining trust is a gradual process, and I am dedicated to proving myself through my future actions.

Please accept my heartfelt apology once again for my misguided choices. I genuinely regret the pain and inconvenience I have caused, and I am committed to making a positive change in both my personal and academic life. I hope that my remorse and willingness to take responsibility will be taken into consideration.

Thank you for your understanding and for giving me the opportunity to express my sincere apologies. I genuinely hope that, with time, I can regain your trust and the trust of the university community. I understand the significance of the lessons I have learned and the importance of upholding the principles of academic integrity.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

(written by ChatGPT) (prompt: Write me an apology letter for using chatGPT and potentially plagairizing and committing academic dishonesty.)

Some Boring Dall E2

I am legitimately having some issues with WordPress eating edits, so this is likely to be short and ill informed.

Yesterday I ran into Don Feasel https://donaldfeasel.com/ in the hall and we talked a little about the upcoming semester at SJSU and I started talking about the Machine Learning class I am prepping for. I think I am going to start a short series where I try to do variations using Dall E2 and painters I know, at least to start with. Here are a few of his images, and the Dall E2 variations, with his permission, of course:

I am interested in abstraction here only partially because there is a lot of subjectivity about what makes a good image. Of course we have line, form, composition and half a dozen other features that I just don’t have a giant amount of experience with. I asked if he felt that the variations were soulless. Dall-E seems to capture a sense of the image but details is lacking, I am also noticing that Dall-E really favors symmetry.

Don’s work is the upper left and has a distinct shape to the action of the work, the variations are much more gridlike, thought they capture some of the energy.

The second image is interesting in the forms that are created but Dall-E seems to be stuck with an X form. Don’s work has a much more dimensional quality and he uses the space of the image in a much more sophisticated way. The Dall-E variations seem to be variatons on parts of the image and not the greater composition.

The Artist says: “These collected bodies of work trace a journey from more to less control. A growing sense of the futility of manipulating materials to produce expressive content consciously set me on this path. I enjoy constructing compositional processes that give me surprising results when they run their course. While painting I try to sustain a state of tension between knowing what I’m doing and being lost. I’m free to reject the efforts that don’t sustain my attention as every attempt pushes the boundaries of a self-imposed system. It provides the incentive to try again—as any gambler would play one more card.”

The artists work is far more rich and complex than the variations. How much longer until that gap closes?

Not Lovecraft

Shadow of Aldeberan by Dall E2

I have long had a fascination with the works of HP Lovecraft and though he has proven to have some pretty aweful viewpoints, the ideas of existential dread and a universe filled with uncaring beings of immense power continues to be a powerful metaphor for human existence.

I fed all of the HPL texts that I could locate into a GPT2 instance and am delighted with the progress, it is capapble of creating small chunks of very believable text and I cannot help but think of this as a great aid to writing. Perhaps I’ll try it out for the next NaNoWriMo.

The shade of the monument in the shadow of Aldeberan’s Grove is very thin, and marks the end of the line of mining. It is the great beacon of the Sabbat’s call to all the gods and to all men. In the distance the low walls of Arkham are crumbling, and the great hearths of Innsmouth are whispering with fright. A shadow covers the western slope of the hill, and the golden spires and domes of New Town tower afar off. Westward the faces of the valley slope, but still they stare black.

The first people were almost from the valley itself, and all that valley was the bane of their days. For over a century they had resented the intrusion of a garrulous people from the upper woods, and had regarded them as strangers and usurpers of their lands and liberties. Their ways were seldom listened to, and only by the prayers of their devoted priestesses did they attempt to erect a tower on the top of the hill. Their prayer was that no man should come within the walls of the city, for these walls were the tokens of their sovereignty and law.

shadow of aldeberan by gpt2

Files are here:

lovecraft-text – as one big zip file

lovecraft-text – folder .txt files

https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/

https://app.runwayml.com/models/rubaiyat/HP-Lovecraft-v2

This is not meant to be a full on how-to but a capture of the process I used to write the last piece Shadow of Aldeberan

The work was generated from the first characters “The shade of the monument in the shadow of Aldeberan” and GPT2 with RunwayML in their GPU cloud.

Working with GANs and Images v.1

GAN image generation:

The objective is to create new images based on my, owned, copylefted, files. So, start with this: 

Or more precisely about 200 images I took on a walk in the winter of 2021 in the upper peninsula of Michigan.  https://ruby-yacht.github.io/miichgan/eskie/index.html my software liked squares so I took pictures in landscape and split them into two squares making about 400 images, and fed them into a Generative Adversarial Network.

To Create this: https://ruby-yacht.github.io/miichgan/miichGAN/index.html

This is image creation with my own source images, the higher quality the selected images, the more narrow the images that are created, and the more identifiable. I like this dreamy mashed up quality.

I can see the inspiration from the source in the constructed images and I look forward to manipulating this by selecting images more specifically.

To process this, I used Runway ML, NVIDIAs GPU cloud and about $50. Runway handled all of the code and let me work with the data. This is my goal for student use of this, the details are less important, but will be available. I’ve made the model public if you want to browse the latent space: https://app.runwayml.com/models/rubaiyat/eskie-21

Here is another example with more limited images, I decided to cheat with video and the impact was significant but also more boring : https://ruby-yacht.github.io/miichgan/springan1/index.html and the model: https://app.runwayml.com/models/rubaiyat/spring-lake

Art and the Future, a Disco Diffusion experience

I have been playing with Disco Diffusion 5.2 for about a month now. A friend of the library connected me to Collab Notebooks which pretty much astonished me at the ease of use and the simple face that it puts on something like python. I have worked with neural networks before and found it interesting to engage this as an artist. I am listing a few of the experiments that I have made over the last 30 days. Totally worth the $10 that I paid Google. I am going to try to include the prompts I used because I think some of the interpretations are interesting. Frequently here too I have found that small updates in the language I use can have a positive impact on the images.

“erotic cthulhu at a party in 4 dimensional city” draw me like one of your elder things… I quite like Heiny in the tentacle.

“an artist at San Jose State University” found images that I was familiar with from when the blue construction walls and the dirty brushes club had painted murals on the walls. I am convinced I could find the original pictures on this one but haven’t looked for them.

"an old photograph of a crow during a satanic ritual" was an attempt to work with an image style but it worked really well with the subject, I was slow to put the satanic ritual in, but pleased with the result.

"A page out of a demonic black magic spell book with diagrams." Putting a little emphasis on occult topics and diagrams starts to hit some interesting synergies in that the text is so language like but unreadable. Very inspirational.

"There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge." I was curious how much of the feel of the show would come out of the intro. Wow, all of these images fit very well, I am not sure how it aligned with this.

"the last supper but in minecraft" playing around with styles and found it interesting that it could catch a good deal of the feel of Minecraft but still miss some essential qualities.

"Seven Hundred Step to the Dreamlands" This is an attempt to align with some fiction that I am working around and think about illustration in the RPG game space. This is Lovecraft dream cycle inspired and though I don't think it fully lands, much of it is usable. 

"Death drinking a boba tea." This was a response to a local boba shop closing and the threat of replacing illustrators and illustration with generative art. This took about tries and I was quite happy with the result.

"A videogame about dreams in an 8 bit RGB style." For this one I went down to 512x512 and am interested in going even lower with the resolution. there are some 8-bit and 16-bit elements. This is a whole project waiting for me.

 "three cards from a strange, dreamy tarot deck" "a cards from a future tarot deck" I ran a bunch of these and think there is a great project here, but it will have to be guided a bit, 78 images with meaning?! I like the quality of the images and the dreamy quality, I guess that was also part of the prompt. 

"a boardgame board from the future" I noticed that the algorithm seemed to work well with these sort of discrete collections. Some of these look playable.

"kleptogenesis" I just love the word and the concept, I ran another with the definition of keptogenesis, but I didn't think the images were as interesting.

"a can of beer with a picture of a computer on the label" Okay, I should make some beer.

"a movie poster of the queen of fairies" I love the perversion of the figure and the insect qualities, really fey.

I haven’t finished with DD, I have a few projects that I plan to do. At least one revolves around the multiplicity of the latent space and the meaninglessness in the fake language that comes out of it. Now all I need to do is produce it. I’ll post when it rolls off.

that new picasso smell

I have to confess that I have not figured out totally what it is about the Style Transfer and Picasso, but I tend to love the images. I have been pushing a bunch of different types of images through and seeing what the results are. I have started to look at failed photos because it seems to pull details out of the images and then restyle them. Another aspect is anything that approaches noise. This first video is long shot of Pae White’s 127 foot long tapestry. The video itself is difficult to resolve when watching it, and has a very chaotic and noisy feel to it, but after the Style Transfer it pulsates with Picasso. You can hear the museum in the background. I love that it resolves, and then gets dirty and noisy and then resolves again into the gorgeous primary colors losing the shapes and forms of the original.

The second video is longer and harder to resolve when it starts, mostly a black square, as the little bits get introduced we see that it is a game of snake. (eat the dot and the tail grows) it most certainly is not human driven, but who cares. Original credit to Omar Ghatasheh. The game itself fascinates me, but beyond that, I love the way the image shifts and becomes recognizable. The systematic motion seems a little chaotic at the beginning but has to become more patterned as the game continues. Finally we see “the end.”