Abstract
Keywords:
Practice-based Research, Urban Media Art, Artificial Intelligence, Cultural Memory, Everywhen Urban Experience
The concept of “Everywhen” invites us to traverse the boundaries of time, seamlessly uniting the past with the present and future. At the forefront of this exploration are artists using AIpowered tools to reshape our perception of urban landscapes. This paper examines the conceptualization and technical execution of three artist-led urban media art projects in Singapore: the projection mapping of “(RE)ROOTING in Progress” at the 2021 Light to Night Festival, “Classic of Mountains and Seas”, and “AI Meets Wu Guanzhong” displayed on the urban screen at Nanyang Technological University in 2022. Focusing on the roles of artists and AI in the creative process, the study reveals that urban settings not only infuse AI with meanings but serve as rich sources of datasets. Artists use AI as a tool while retaining control over the final output. While AI-enhanced installations possess the capacity to weave the fabric of time and space into artistic expressions, they also present challenges related to data concerns. In this melding of art, technology, and urban spaces, it is the artists who are pivotal in guiding AI to establish a temporal cultural thread, reshaping our connection to history, and curating an “Everywhen” ambiance within the city.
- Shujiao Xie is a doctoral candidate at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design, and Media in Singapore, specializing in urban media art. Her research intersects urban surface mapping and media façades, with a critical focus on the social and cultural narratives of urban media art in mainland China.
- Ina Conradi Chavez is an acclaimed new media artist and Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design, and Media. Her research bridges disciplines within visual arts, focusing on emotive and abstract image creation across various media.
- Mark Chavez (Giant Monster Pte Ltd, Tongji University, Singapore) is an avant-garde researcher at the intersection of art, science, and animation, employing intuitive cultural models to interpret existence. He creates animated shorts and dynamic interactive art for public installations.