Panel Statement

At the ISEA95 there were two panels dealing with the “high end” of automation in Art – Artificial Life and Artificial Creativity (renamed to the Cosmic Art). Both panels opened discussion but many unanswered questions and unquestioned answers remain. Some discussion continued on Internet, especially concerning the paper of D. Hofstadter. In his paper, he mentioned a computer music program that the audience could not recognize (without an explicit knowledge) whether the music was created by computer or human composer. We can consider this argument as a parallel to the test proposed by Alan Turing and known in Artificial Intelligence (Al). As in AI, where the question of intelligent behavoir remains open, similarly in art, there still exist discussions about aesthetic criteria. One of the attempts of formalizing these criteria was stated by Max Bense. His pupil, professor Frieder Nake proposed to modify the original title of this panel. The progress in computer science and technology and knowledge in human sciences, physiology, psychology, and cognitive sciences, as well as in art theory prompt us to design more advanced models: not only in representation of the virtual world of artifacts, but also in simulating human learning processes, motivations, imagination, associations, emotions… The diversity and deep specialisation of these disciplines has increased borders between them. Maybe that term “Artificial Art” will motivate more integrated view of human creativity.

• Martin Sperka, Slovakia, Associate Professor, Slovak Technical University, Department of Information and Computer Technology, and Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Department of Visual Media Bratislava, Slovakia.

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