Anthony Lewis Brooks, Elif Ayiter, Onur Yazicigil (eds.), Arts and Technology, Springer, 2015.
In this paper, the phenomenon of virtual idol Hatsune Miku will be analyzed in the context of cri... more In this paper, the phenomenon of virtual idol Hatsune Miku will be analyzed in the context of critical theory, emerging technologies, and theory of digital art practices. The first part focuses on the phenomenon of the virtual celebrity seen as Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of ‘body without organs.’ The second part examines how the state-of-the-art technologies have enabled the existence of Hatsune Miku who is simultaneously a corporate software product, a pop icon, a performance artist, and a collaborative multimedia artwork. Based on the reading of Hatsune Miku as a hybrid product emerging from the fusion of arts and IT, the last part revolves around the concept of ‘aura’ (Benjamin) generated by virtual idol’s presence. Finally, the notion of hyperterminality is introduced not only to differentiate between entities/identities appearing on the surface of the screen and those virtual constructs co-existing with us in the spaces of physical reality, but also to explore how these newly emerging “phygital” entities transform the existing conceptions of body and identity.
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Papers by Jelena Guga
Кључне речи: физички и виртуелни простор, виртуелна реалност, проширенa реaлност, дигитaлни идентитети, телесност.
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Кључне речи: физички и виртуелни простор, виртуелна реалност, проширенa реaлност, дигитaлни идентитети, телесност.
Текст досупан на: http://www.socioloskipregled.org.rs/Tekstovi/2015/3_2015/1.pdf
However, we do not limit Neuroart to human-generated artworks only. Given that Neuroart applies to detection or inspection of neural electric signals, we claim that the electric nature of those signals also applies to processes inherent in machine processing or neural computing such as Google Deep Dream and other generic platforms that lay the foundations for computer and/or AI generated art forms including database art, software art, visualization art, sonification art as well as those artworks that result in material artifacts presented in traditional exhibition format.
We additionally claim that regardless whether the artworks of Neuroart are driven by a human or machine, they can have the same aesthetic discursive value, but within a context of a newly defined discipline of aesthetics that is Procedural Aesthetics. The Procedural Aesthetics (or the aesthetics of signal), can be understood as the discursiveness of the very process of signals (intensities) emission before they enter the sphere of conscious cognition. It is a pre-receptive and pre-semantics phenomenon. It deals with the processes otherwise not available to human perceptive apparatus, trying to reveal them, unmask them, by offering them to interpretation as cultural artifacts. And in order to do this, it relies heavily on technology and technical equipment allowing us the access to these ‘invisible’ processes through visualization, sonification, textualization, mapping and other forms of interpretable representations displayed as artworks.
Keywords: Neuroart, Procedural Aesthetics, brain-computer interface (BCI), neural computing, signal aesthetics.
Today, when every place on the planet, as well as social, political, and cultural activities, have their digital manifestations, can we still talk about virtual space as an isolated phenomenon? The ubiquitous use of new media technologies such as smartphones or wearables has profoundly transformed the experience of modern man. It is more and more determined by technologically mediated reality, i.e. augmented reality. In this regard, the key issues that will be addressed in this presentation are the ways technologically mediated spaces redefine not only social relationships, but also the notions of identity, embodiment, and the self.
Rasprostranjena upotreba digitalnih tehnologija i globalno umrežavanje postale su sastavni deo svih sfera svakodnevnog života. Komunikacija, pristup informacijama, kulturalna produkcija, obrazovanje, pa čak i sama definicija jastva, uspostavljaju se i rekonstituišu kroz tehnologiju i njene društvene, kulturalne, političke, etičke i estetske norme. Digitalne tehnologije se više ne mogu smatrati samo alatkama. One su postale konstituenti nas samih i sveta u kome živimo. Ovim obrtom ka sveopštoj digitalizaciji u protekle tri decenije, savremeni čovek je redefinisan upravo u odnosu na tehnološke inovacije. U ovom predavanju biće predstavljani odabrani primeri pionirskih i savremenih novomedijskih umetničkih dela koja brišu granice između umetnosti, nauke, tehnologije i svakodnevnog života, a fokus će biti na pitanjima politike identiteta i uloge telesnosti u digitalnim interakcijama od Web-a 1.0 do savremenih prirodnih interfejsa.
Уредница и водитељка емисије је Тамара Вученовић.
У наставку емисије Дигиталне иконе Радио Београда 2 у уторак 06.09.2011. године, наше гошће су докторка Иванa Успенски и докторант Јелена Гуга, које су свој научноистраживачи рад посветиле културалним праксама у новомедијском окружењу и тим поводoм недавно одржале предавање у галерији "Озон".
Уредница и водитељка емисије је Тамара Вученовић.
Mass networking has enabled us to overcome spatial and temporal boundaries when connecting to each other and that has considerably accelerated the processes of information sharing and knowledge accumulation. Moreover, a new phenomenon of collective intelligence has emerged in such an environment. This actually means that collective activities via the Internet result in an extremely rapid increase in the capacity of knowledge, much larger than the individual man or a machine can ever achieve. This phenomenon will be further described through selected examples of both art and other social practices.
An example of the abovementioned is the social software Facebook which enables various methods of online communication and construction of specific online identities. Several basic models of textual interactions on Facebook will be discussed including wall posts, photo comments and posts comments. The systems of forming personal presentation will also be considered through binding the data obtained by the user with the interventions made by others in the process of creating hybrid narratives.
Construction of identity and identification processes online can be traced through two different, but intertwined stages of the evolution of the Internet, that is, through Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 platforms. While interactions on Web 1.0 platforms were based on textual representation and identity play in the sense that through trying out different identities we can be everything we are not in physical reality, Web 2.0 platform based social networks have introduced our real identities in the virtual domain. However, the real identities we present in the virtual environment are still constructs, since they are based on a selective representation of an idealized Self. Through feedback loop, online identity is reflected back on physical reality. This process raises the question of establishing not only the quality of relationships and communication, but also the ways in which we experience and define ourselves in the physical environment.
Masovno umrežavanje omogućilo je prevazilaženje prostornih i vremenskih granica, odnosno kontakt svakog sa svakim, sto je znatno ubrzalo procese razmene informacija i akumulacije znanja. U takvom okruženju prepoznaje se novi fenomen kolektivne inteligencije. To zapravo znači da kolektivno delovanje putem Interneta rezultira izuzetno brzim povećanjem kapaciteta znanja, znatno većim nego sto bi čovek ili mašina pojedinačno to ikad uspeli da postignu. Ovaj fenomen biće bliže opisan kroz odabrane primere kako umetničkih tako i drugih društvenih praksi.
Primer navedenog je socijalni softver Facebook, koji nudi različite metode online komunikacije, u cilju građenja specifičnih online identiteta. Biće obrađeno nekoliko osnovnih modela tekstualne razmene karakterističnih za Facebook (poruke na zidu, komentari uz fotografije, komentari uz postove). Takođe, biće razmotreni sistemi formiranja lične prezentacije, kroz uvezivanje podataka pribavljenih od strane samog korisnika sa intervencijama drugih, u procesu kreiranja hibridnih narativa.
Konstruisanje identiteta i procesi identifikacije mogu se pratiti kroz dve različite, ali međusobno povezane faze evolucije Interneta, a to su Web 1.0 i Web 2.0 platforme. Dok su Web 1.0 platforme bile zasnovane na tekstualnoj reprezentaciji i igri identitetima u smislu da možemo biti sve ono sto nismo u fizickoj realnosti, Web 2.0 platforme, odnosno društvene mreže uvode naše realne identitete u domen virtuelnog. Ipak i ti realni identiteti u virtuelnom okruženju jesu konstrukti, s obzirom da su zasnovani na selektivnoj reprezentaciji idealizovanog jastva. Povratnom spregom, to dalje pokreće pitanje ne samo kvaliteta uspostavljanja međuljudskih veza i komunikacije, već i nacina na koje dozivljavamo i definisemo sebe u fizickom okruzenju.
S obzirom da kiborg izmiče jednostranoj definiciji, ovo predavanje će kroz prikaz različitih vrsta kiborga u fikciji, teoriji i praksi ponuditi moguće odgovore na pitanja pozicioniranja čoveka u savremenom kiborgizovanom društvu.
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Upotreba digitalnih tehnologija u svim aspektima svakodnevnog života otvorila je do sada nezamislive mogućnosti kao što su trenutni pristup informacijama, prisutnost na bilo kojoj tački planete, multipliciranje i menjanje identiteta, ali i reartikulacija i rekonstrukcija telesnosti. U cyberpunk književnosti, novomedijskim umetničkim praksama, sajber teorijama, SF filmovima i stripovima kao i naučnim istraživanjima, na različite načine prisutna je težnja ka napuštanju smrtnog fizičkog tela i pohranjivanju besmrtnog uma u digitalne baze podataka gde možemo biti štagod i kogod poželimo. U odnosu na savremene tehnologije, biološko telo je često smatrano sekundarnim, zastarelim i kao takvo nije bilo „osposobljeno“ da se nosi sa eksponencijalnom brzinom tehnološkog razvoja. Otud ne čudi što mnoga istraživanja, bilo stručna ili popularna, ostavljaju problem telesnosti po strani, fokusirajući se više na pitanja identiteta, svesti i obestelovljenja u digitalnim svetovima. Stoga ću u ovoj knjizi pokušati da predstavim i ukažem na one teorije koje su fokusirane na pitanja telesnosti, te ću kroz njih u diskusiju o novomedijskim fenomenima i njihovom uticaju na društvenu realnost uvesti i fizičko telo. Polazna tvrdnja ove diskusije jeste da bez fizičkog tela ne postoji ni virtuelno ni realno, a cilj mi je da upravo ukažem na značaj fizičkog tela u biološko-tehnološkim interfejsima, odnosno na načine na koje se menja uloga tela i telesnosti u okruženju opšte virtuelizacije, i samim tim, na načine na koje te promene funkcije tela utiču na ontološki opstanak čoveka kao biološke jedinke.
Problem konstruisanja identiteta i procesa identifikacije će kroz antiesencijalistički teorijski okvir biti praćene kroz dve različite, ali međusobno povezane faze evolucije globalnog umrežavanja, a to su Web 1.0 i Web 2.0 platforme. Dok su Web 1.0 platforme bile zasnovane na tekstualnoj reprezentaciji i igri identitetima, u smislu da možemo biti sve ono što nismo u fizičkoj realnosti, Web 2.0 platforme putem društvenih mreža transponuju identitete iz fizičke realnosti u domen virtuelnog. Ipak i ti realni identiteti u virtuelnom okruženju pokazuju se kao konstrukti, s obzirom da su zasnovani na selektivnoj reprezentaciji idealizovanog jastva. Povratnom spregom, to dalje pokreće pitanje ne samo kvaliteta uspostavljanja međuljudskih odnosa i komunikacije, već i načina na koje doživljavamo i definišemo sebe u fizičkom okruženju.
Brisanje granice između realnog i virtuelnog, privatnog i javnog, povlači mnoga pitanja, a samo neka od njih su: šta znači biti čovek u današnjem svetu opšte ekranizacije i digitalizacije kada je prelivanje digitalnih interakcija u fizičko okruženje, koje se ogleda u društvenim, kulturalnim i političkim aktivnostima, intervencijama i subverzijama, dovelo do razdvajanja „realnog“ i „virtuelnog“; da li je u sajber svetu išta više virtuelno i da li sajber svet uopšte postoji ako se zbog „virtuelne“ aktivnosti kao što je, na primer, post na društvenoj mreži Fejsbuk, može izgubiti posao ili je korporacija ta koja individuama diktira i definiše dozvoljenu manifestaciju digitalno konstruisanog identiteta.
Ono što nam još uvek ipak pruža privid sigurnosti i diferencijacije realnog i virtuelnog jeste površina ekrana kao interfejs, odnosno granica gde prestaje realno, a počinje virtuelno. Sve što je sa druge strane ekrana, poput iskrivljenog ogledala, dopušta nam da racionalizujemo i simplifikujemo granicu između onoga što nas definiše u fizičkoj realnosti i onoga kako sebe konstruišemo u onlajn interakcijama. Ali, šta kada se ekran, to crno ogledalo razbije i kada naše telo kao interfejs postane odgovorno za to drugo Ja, odnosno naš digitalni alter ego? S tim u vezi, posebna pažnja biće posvećena konceptu napuštanja ekrana i novim vrstama interfejsa koji reartikulišu odnose korporealnosti i virtuelnosti.
Gestualni interfejsi kao novi miš, novi klik, ili novi dodir ekrana bez ekrana, kao i hologramske projekcije koji ulaze u svakodnevnu praksu, otvoriće mnogo dalekosežnija pitanja psihosomatske prirode: ako na primer, jedni drugima budemo prisutni, odnosno teleprisutni pomoću holograma koje pak pokrećemo telesnom gestikulacijom, da li će to značiti diferencijaciju stepena telesnosti u smislu valorizacije i hijerarhije telesnosti, i kako ćemo biti u stanju da odredimo šta je vrednije, prisutnije i stvarnije, projekcija ili realno telo. Konačno, da li će u budućnosti uopšte biti razlike između telesno manipulisane projekcije i samog tela koje već prolazi kroz procese kiborgizacije? Rečima Vilijema Gibsona, budućnost je već ovde, samo nije ravnomerno raspoređena.
The ubiquitous use of digital technology in all aspects of daily life has opened up unprecedented possibilities such as immediate access to information, (tele)presence at any place on the planet, multiplication and modification of identity, as well as rearticulation and reconstruction of embodiment. In cyberpunk literature, new media art practices, cyber theories, SF films and comic books, and scientific research, there is often a tendency to leave the mortal physical body, behind in order to upload the immortal mind into the vast realm of the digital where one can be whatever or whomever s/he wants. In relation to modern technology,
the biological body is often regarded as obsolete for not being “equipped” to cope with the exponential speed of technological development. Hence, it is not surprising that many studies ignore the problem of embodiment by focusing more on the issues of identity, consciousness and disembodiment in digital worlds. Therefore, this book will attempt to highlight those theories that focus on embodiment in technologically mediated environments, thus reintegrating the physical body into discussions of new media phenomena and the ways they affect social reality today. In this book I will start from the hypothesis that without the physical body there is no virtual or real. The aim is to underline the significance of physical body in biotechnological interfaces, and to discuss and analyze the
ways in which the role of body and embodiment changes in ubiquitous virtual environments, as well as to map the ways in which technology alters bodily functions thus affecting ontological survival of humans as biological species.
The issues of constructing identities and identification processes will be observed through an anti-essentialist theoretical framework and mapped through two different but mutually intertwined phases in the evolution of global networks – Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 platforms. While Web 1.0 platforms were based on textual representations and identity play allowing us to become everything we are not
and can never be in the physical reality, Web 2.0 platforms that are specific to social networking delegate identities of physical reality in the virtual domain. However, presumed “real” identities manifest themselves as constructs in a virtual environment since they are based on a selective representation of an idealized self. Through feedback loops, this phenomenon further highlights the question of not only the quality of interpersonal relationships and communication, but also the way that we perceive and define ourselves in the physical environment. Dispersion
of boundaries between real and virtual, private and public, entails a fundamental question that this book will attempt to answer: What does it mean to be human in today’s world of digitalization when the explosion of digital imagery and interactions into the physical environment has so profoundly affected social, cultural and political activities, interventions and subversions, turning both the distinction between “real” and “virtual” spaces and dualistic ways of defining the self into rather obsolete concepts. Is anything at all “virtual” in cyberspace, i.e. can cyberspace be defined as virtual at all when, for example, because of an activity such as posting on Facebook, one can lose a job or has to let corporations dictate and define what is and what is not appropriate in the one’s digitally constructed identity? Nevertheless, we are still comforted by the illusion that our screen as an interface separates the real and the virtual, functioning as the boundary or line marking the end of real and the beginning of virtual. Everything situated on the other side of the screen, like a distorted mirror, allows us to rationalize and simplify the existence of the boundary between what defines us in physical reality and what we are as constructs in online interactions. However, what happens when the screen, that black mirror, breaks into pieces, thus enabling the body as interface to become responsible for the other Self or the digital alter ego? In this regard, special attention will be given to the concept of abandoning the screen and turning to the emerging new interfaces that rearticulate the relation between corporeality and virtuality. Gestural interfaces as a new “mouse” or a new touch screen without a screen will, coupled up with holographic projections that have already found their way into the physical public spaces, open up a multitude of far-reaching questions of psychosomatic nature: If, for example, we are present/telepresent to one another via holograms animated via corporeal gestures, would it mean the differentiation of degree of corporeality in terms of valuation and hierarchy of embodiment? How will we be able to determine what is more valuable, more present and real – projection or materiality of the body? And finally, will there be any difference at all between gesturally manipulated projection and the real body that is already deeply caught in the process of cyborgization? In William Gibson’s words, the future is already here - it is just not very evenly distributed.