Synthetic Translations
The challenge of understanding how the human mind navigates and interprets an ambiguous object sparked a curiosity that eventually led me to the realm of artificial intelligence. This performance lecture will unravel the threads connecting my fascination with ambiguous forms, and a rising interest in language models and their unpredictable depictions of objects. Looking at an ambiguous object instantly sparks a chain of associations — the brain tries to make sense of what the eye encounters by evoking an emotion or memory, transforming it within a second into a possible artifact, an idea, or a story. Prior knowledge and expectations influence our perception of what we see and how we perceive the world, a complex operation that is difficult to replicate in a computer program. “Synthetic Translations” explores the degree to which AI-based software can describe an ambiguous form and “associate freely” as a human being. How can an interaction between body-situated practice as adornment and algorithmic interpretation be articulated and understood? How does it shape the perception of materiality? These questions were explored through a methodology focused on direct interaction with audiences. Through a series of exhibitions and performances, I invited participants to comment on my work in different ways — sometimes in a semi-private meeting, where I inhabited the role of my alter ego Dr. Knap, and other times in an open installation that invited spontaneous participation. Dr. Knap’s encounters with the audience served as the foundation for a comparative analysis between human and algorithmic interpretation. Placing an ambiguous decorative form on the body sets in motion our notions of each other, creates stories about who we are or want to become. A series of brooches, together with the alter ego Dr. Knap, serves as a guide — pointing toward the intersection where craftsmanship and AI hold the potential for profound exploration. The relationship between computational language and craft practice is under-explored in the field of artistic research, and this is something I am hoping to address. We experience the world with the whole body, not only by rational thinking. Here I see the potential for craft and this technology to connect in mutually beneficial ways.