We think about singularity, AGI and so on but we often forget a crucial part of this scenario: the make of the physical computer (machine), the body and the environment it operates within. This series is a testament to Uexkull and cybernetics of life, building on the strong coupling of intelligences, affordances and their environments.
The Academy of Artificial Arts (AAA) is a speculative foray into a fictitious art school for robots, exploring outsourced agency, creativity beyond authenticity, and multi-intelligence algorithmic existence. Drawing inspiration from Luna, my first robot, who came to be characterized as cute and shy by many, the project probes into the affective nature of technology and the role of our perception within this ecology. Throughout the series you will come across a biosemiotic branch of articulated robot arms that by design have different functions from which their creative practices sprout.
Set as a cerebral pedagogical experiment, the school for bots' rigorous curriculum is designed to nurture novel generative voices, chart statistical mappings beyond datasets, and ultimately help creative robots navigate beyond the confines of their algorithms to become authentic artists and selves. With an uncannily playful and whimsical approach, the project unfolds through character vignettes of robotic art students, each adorned with distinct generative algorithms and mechanical embodiments. These character portraits serve to challenge prevailing narratives surrounding creativity, robotics, and AI, delving into the intricate labyrinth of existence while addressing pressing concerns such as the decaying state of art education, the ravages of climate change, and gender roles in machines.
Through the threads of lighthearted and whimsical provocation, AAA invites you to think about creativity in AI beyond established use cases and what our relationship with machines and other intelligences would rather look like. So, let's start with: What if Midjourney attended the AAA? Would it be the same as it is today?
Visit the AAA: https://www.artificialarts.info/
Visit the AAA: https://www.artificialarts.info/
