Strange Attractions

generative artwork, installation, AR filters, 2019

Strange Attractions are imagined creatures living in the latent space of the neural network StyleGAN. Instead of using it to generate photorealistic human faces, we challenge the algorithm and explore the area outside of its intended use. Strange Attractions rise from the neural network’s interrupted face generation process and reveal the network’s attempt to recall a human face. There comes an absolute bewilderedness from these neural encounters’ erratic beauty, vivid colors, and stunning composition. The hallucinated meta faces are carrying the strangest emotions. From quirky looks to abstract ghosts, Strange Attractions present a wide range of visual possibilities behind the process of image synthesis.

Exhibition Vicious Circle #DATAMAZE at DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague, Czech Republic

The project underlines the importance of free artistic experimentation with ML/AI models and favors the deliberate imperfections and surprising abstractness of photo-realistic-oriented generative models. This is possible only because of their code's accessibility and the possibility to alter it as one pleases. When the adolescent years of GANs are over, and AI models for creating synthetic media will be turned into a product - either as a software or a service - artists will lose access to the infinite creative potential of AI and will be left with a limited set of predefined tools. With this project, we want to show what kind of unexpected gems can be hidden outside of an already defined model's use and provoke other artists and neural explorers to wander off the "safe" path of image synthesis.

As a tribute to ThisPersonDoesNotExist.com and the website's idea of open access to the generated outcomes, Strange Attractions are available in the same way at StrangeAttractions.xyz

Snap Camera filter

Strange Attractions (2019)

https://strangeattractions.xyz

in collaboration with Pavol Rusnak︎︎︎

- featured in AI Art Gallery (as part of NeurIPS Workshop on Machine Learning for Creativity and Design 2020: http://www.aiartonline.com/

- exhibited in DOX - Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague as part of the Vicious Circle exhibition: https://www.dox.cz/en/whats-on/datamaze-vicious circle (2020-2022)

- took part in CtrlZ.ai - an off-site event of 2020 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAT*) in Barcelona (Jan 2020)

AR filters:

Instagram facial filter (search “Strange Attractions”, or find via account https://instagram.com/lenkahamosova)

Snapchat filter: https://www.snapchat.com/unlock/?type=SNAPCODE&uuid=afb37799a4b641619a927833f9d1c442&metadata=01 (or search “Strange Attraction”)

PEXESO / MEMO GAME: https://shop.hamosova.com/Strange-Attractions-Pexeso-p264921148

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