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Eating Robots: And Other Stories (Nudge the Future)

I have always been fascinated by SCI-FI subjects like AI – Artificial Intelligence.

AI is real and it’s slowly creeping into our lives, so I should probably not assimilate it to SCI-FI. 

But I ask myself – how far will AI go in controlling our lives?  Will it enhance them? Does AI mean the demise of the Human race – this is SCI-FI to me right now.

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If you feel the same way, Stephen Oram’s ‘Eating Robots: And Other Stories (Nudge the Future)‘ collection of short stories may bring you answers, or clues, as to what AI might look like in 100 years (or less, or more – I do not know).

Robots are AI
Robots are AI

The author’s imagination about the topic is vast and will definitely make you think more about what AI will actually mean to us as humans.

From the ability to share memories with someone you love, to reseting us every 1000 years, and even the ability to choose which celebrity hologram will drive your driverless car today.

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Stephen Oram goes from the very funny (which sometimes turns too silly for my taste), to the depressing and scary when it comes to AI, but why should it be one or the other.

Immerse yourself in these short stories and make up your own mind.

PS: Injecting some good old human anxiety into AI systems may be the answer for the fears we have. Described as the ‘anxiety loop’ by Oram, this sounds like a plan.

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PREVIEW

Transcend, a show by Tom French at Lawrence Alkin gallery

TRANSCEND by Tom French | Art-Pie
Click to enlarge

Following his 2014 sell out show, Tom French returns to Lawrence Alkin Gallery with his latest body of work, Transcend. Evolving from French’s Duality series, the exhibition continues to incorporate figurative elements and the artists’ signature use of illusion, while embracing abstraction more than previous works.

About the artist and this show

In the slant towards abstraction, French allows for his work to be interpreted on multiple levels. He commented: “Abstraction is less obvious, so the images are open to a wider range of meanings and interpretations. It’s intended to offer the viewer a more personal experience – different people will see different things and read the images in their own ways.”

French is fascinated with exploring the relationship between the conscious and subconscious and this is communicated through his paintings. The figurative elements of his work represent the conscious, with characters absorbed in their own actions. The abstracted portraits in which they sit representing the subconscious, the instinctual yet hidden human drives that shape and determine the blissfully unaware subjects and make up the bigger picture.

TRANSCEND by Tom French | Art-Pie

“These latest paintings are formed through a more abstract, improvised and free flowing approach. For this series I worked straight onto canvas with only a very loose idea of the outcome. This allowed the images to naturally evolve, while I intuitively worked out placement and composition as they progressed.”– Tom French 2016

CONTEMPORARY ART

When do you take warning from your habits?

Parc_del_Laberint_d’Horta_-_Hermit’s_cabin_-_The_monkI’m a terrible creature of habit. I like my routines because they free up brain space for more important stuff – the stuff where I can be really creative and unpredictable. Mostly, I live in harmony with my habits, enjoying their usefulness and the comfort they bring, but there have been times when my habits have given me cause for alarm.

This is the topic of the latest RECURSIVE post: Where does it turn?

Discussion topic 3: WHEN DO YOU TAKE WARNING FROM A HABIT?

Pop over to RECURSIVE to find out about a fascinating study from MIT which finds that habits are formed in the prefrontal cortex of the brain and not in the subconscious. Then join in the discussion by leaving a comment.

CONTEMPORARY ART, PREVIEW, REVIEWS

Ye Hongxing "The Modern Utopia" at Scream

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Ye Hongxing | Art-PieBeijing based artist Ye Hongxing is having her the first UK exhibition at Scream on Eastcastle street, London and the interest seems to be great and not only for this artist but for the entire Chinese contemporary art since the country has turned to capitalism.

Hongxing new works will be an answer to this profound social system change that has gone with that change. What jumps straight at you you when looking at her works is the explosion of colours and the somewhat chaos of the composition. One will see in this body of works a mirror of what China’s expansion has been – fast paced, anarchic and incoherent. The artist looks at questioning what it has cost China and its people and put forward the utopian vision that governing people may sometimes have.

On a more pratical aspect, the artist’s technique is remarkable and definitely creative. Hongxing woud use canvases and elaborate complex collages made of stickers and what we could called popular imagery collected for different medias since she was a kid. This clever assemblage often results to an eruption of colours and intricated compositions.

For those interested to know where the title of the exhibiiton comes from, it actually references the 1905 novel ‘A Modern Utopia’ by H.G Wells and is suggestive of the artist’s investigation into society and modern life.

Ye Hongxing | Art-Pie

Ye Hongxing | Art-Pie

Read more about Ye Hongxing on the Scream gallery website

What – “Modern Utopia” by Ye Hongxing
Where – Scream | 27-28 Eastcastle street, London W1W 8DH
When – opens to the public on the 13th September 2012

CONTEMPORARY ART

Splatter series from Hua Tunan

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Chinese Art has been pushing its way through Europe and America lately and many movements and talents are starting to emerge from it. One of this very skilled and inspiring artists is Chen Yingjie (aka: Hua Tunan) who lives in the coastal city of Foshan, China.

With a background of classical Chinese painting and illustration, Hua Tunan has diverged into a remarkable and unique street art style. His art is a perfect example where two radically different styles – Classic Chinese painting v. Western Graffiti are married to give eye watering results. Hua Tunan would use ink painting, drum rhythms and a variety of cultural symbols.

Pictures of the ‘splatter’ portraits series are shown below. Look closer and what might appear as a splash to you actually reveal a face or shapes. The color palette is another remarkable thing in Hua Tunan art. Thumbs up all round.

Hua Tunan's Splatter series

Hua Tunan's Splatter seriesHua Tunan's Splatter series

Hua Tunan's Splatter seriesHua Tunan's Splatter series

STREET ART

Look Damien Hirst, I bet you have not done that

Damien Hirst must be used to getting all sort of good and bad criticism by now and although he has got simultaneous show all over the world right now and therefore is regarded as a major player in modern art, I can’t help to think that his latest spots series does not deserve all the fuss currently going about it.

What best to describe how I feel that this street art piece “lazy”. No need to say more.

Photo by Laurence Billiet
Seen on Vandalog

LAZY

STREET ART

Herakut in Russia

Herakut has been busy recently and produced a very expressive piece on the walls of children’s home № 32 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Not only the work is remarkable, they also put together a very well shot and edited video to support “the struggle with the monster of irresponsibility”, name of this another awesome association between these two artists.

If you have not got Herarkut book, get it from Amazon now. It is full of wonders.

HERAKUT – the perfect merge
flexcover. 21×26 cm. 200 pages

STREET ART ENCOUNTERS