Artist Statement

Computationally-produced HD video with stereo audio (2013)

Computers Watching Movies shows what a computational system sees when it watches the same films that we do. Software written by the artist uses computer vision algorithms and artificial intelligence to allow the system to decide what to watch. Clips from six popular films are used in the work, enabling viewers to draw upon their own visual memory of familiar scenes. The work asks viewers to consider the implications of computer vision for contemporary culture.

• Benjamin Grosser focuses on the cultural, social, and political implications of software. Recent exhibitions include Eyebeam in New York, The White Building in London, and Museum Ludwig in Cologne. His works have been featured in Wired, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Corriere della Sera, El País, and Der Spiegel. The Chicago Tribune called him the “unrivaled king of ominous gibberish.” Slate referred to his work as “creative civil disobedience in the digital age.” Grosser’s recognitions include First Prize in VIDA 16, the Expanded Media Award for Network Culture from Stuttgarter Filmwinter, and a commission from Rhizome.

Text with images (PDF) p. 38-39