ITP Thesis Archive 2024

Abstract

Stepping barefoot onto a bed of earth in a darkened room, the hushed hum of an ambient soundscape washes over you and a light in the center invites you. An open umbrella becomes a portal, its surface alive with ever-evolving, AI-generated visuals.

This art piece is part of a larger research into the intrinsec relations between magic, technology, humans and nature. Magic is a constant presence in our lives as humanity, helping us understand the world and connect with it. It’s meaning changed extensively over time and I now try to understand: What is magic? What defines a magic experience? Why do we talk about technology in terms of “magic”? What are the mechanisms of power incited by this vocabulary?

This multisensory immersive installation invites interactors to practice a state of presence, creativity and contemplation state of mind to reimagine our connections with nature, technologies, with our ways of engaging with the world around us and, ultimately, with this mysterious and broad concept of magic.

Visitors are invited to step in the middle of the face facing upwards into the umbrella washed by bright lights and raise their hands to control the movement of the visuals, evoking a sensation that it's almost like a ritual of co-creation between the person and the machine.

This piece aims to bridge Artificial intelligence, the lastest "magic"-evoking trend of technology, with the most primitive awe-inspiring "magic" of nature itself with its own technologies that inspired us as humanity.

Technical Details

In this installation, carefully engineered prompts are being fed into a custom trained model of generative AI, rendering 360 enviroments in real time in a rate of 20 frames per second. The prompts incorporate details of nature elements, such as red onion cells and mycroscopic view of insects, but seek to amplify the machine hallucinatios in order to creatively reimagine that nature, bringing to life visuals described by visitors as "trippy", "artistic abstract" and dreamy-like.
Those visuals are then send to TouchDesigner, where the interactivity is added and Madmapper, which allows it to be mapped to an white umbrella.
Hand movements from interactors are being constantly read by a Leap Motion and this data directly translates into an ability to navigate into this generated space that is constantly evolving.

Research/Context

Magic, once a way for early humans to grasp the unknown, morphed into a powerful practice. It fueled alchemists' dreams of transforming materials and garnered praise for magicians. However, the rise of religion demonized this "forbidden knowledge," particularly when wielded by women. Magic, once a source of hope, became synonymous with witchcraft.

This societal shift mirrors Bruno Latour's "Great Divide" – the separation of progress from nature. Ironically, our most advanced technologies, like artificial neural networks, are inspired by nature's own ingenious designs. Technology builds upon the foundation laid by natural processes. Even scientists like Isaac Newton embraced the mystical alongside the academic, recognizing the interconnectedness.

The language of magic has re-emerged with the rise of complex, awe-inspiring technologies. Just as magic was ostracized, then embraced by alchemists, so too are powerful computers seen as both fearsome and profitable. The ostracized knowledge of witches becomes the foundation for advancements. The installation aims to bridge this divide, using the magic of AI to celebrate the magic of nature. By reimagining the relationship between technology, nature and magic, we move beyond fear and towards a creative thinking that honors the knowledge inherent in all.

Further Reading

Erik Davis “TechGnosis"

William A. Stahl “Venerating the Black Box: Magic in Media Discourse on Technology”

Lynn Thorndike “A History of Magic and Experimental Science, Vol. 1”

Donna Haraway "A Cyborg Manifesto"