I started a conversation with ChatGPT about the principles of my research ‘Impulses’ because I am curious to what extent artificial intelligence will provide the same answers and draw the conclusions given my starting point. As input I used the introduction to my research ‘Impulses’. Below you will find the ‘conversation’.
I was fascinated to see ChatGPT suggest I use the Raspberri Pi and be able to work with sensors based on my first three sentences alone. Overall I enjoyed reading my own ideas in different words. And here and there I also found that ChatGPT actually added and gave me new leads and understanding of my own motivations. As I suppose a conversation with an outsider always does.
But sometimes we don’t understand each other. In my second input I tell ChatGPT about my experience with visitors. That they unintentionally destroy the work and that I have come to regard that as an inevitable aspect. ChatGPT puts the safety of the visitor first and especially advises me to keep that in mind. “You may want to consider placing barriers around the installation or adding warning signs to discourage visitors from touching it.” to “minimize the risk of damage while still allowing them to interact with your artwork in a meaningful way”.
INPUT Jeanine: In what ways can I cultivate the presence of the visitors. How can I use it as an input to the actions performed by the glass machine. What happens when the spectator becomes part and activator of the deconstructive machine performance.
Chat GPT response: There are several ways in which you can cultivate the presence of visitors and use it as input for the actions performed by the glass machine. One way is to use sensors that detect the movement of visitors or their proximity to the machine. This data can be processed using a Raspberry Pi or other programming tools to trigger specific actions by the machine.
For example, you could program the machine to respond to the number of visitors in the space. As more people enter the room, the machine could become more active or start to perform more intense deconstructive actions. Alternatively, you could program the machine to respond to the movements of visitors, so that it performs certain actions when a visitor approaches or touches it.
When the spectator becomes part and activator of the deconstructive machine performance, the experience becomes more interactive and engaging for both the artist and the visitor. By incorporating the presence of visitors into the performance, you can create a more dynamic and responsive experience that blurs the line between art and audience. Visitors become not just passive observers, but active participants who influence the behavior and actions of the machine.
Overall, by using sensors and programming tools, you can explore new ways to integrate the presence of visitors into your artwork and create a more immersive and interactive experience.
INPUT: Since 2018 I have shown my kinetic work a lot and at every exhibition visitors have tried to touch or turn on the machine. Often resulting in damage to the work. But for every visitor who touches it, there is also someone who tries to interrupt or prevent it. I’ve come to see this as an unavoidable aspect of my work.
Chat GPT response: It’s common for visitors to be curious and want to interact with kinetic installations, especially if they’re not used to seeing this type of artwork. However, it can be frustrating when visitors accidentally damage the work, even though it’s unintentional.
It’s important to consider ways to protect your artwork and minimize the risk of damage without discouraging visitors from interacting with it. You may want to consider placing barriers around the installation or adding warning signs to discourage visitors from touching it. Additionally, you may want to have attendants or volunteers stationed near the installation to help monitor and educate visitors on how to properly interact with the work.
It’s encouraging to hear that some visitors have tried to interrupt or prevent others from damaging the installation. This shows that there are people who appreciate and respect your work and want to help preserve it. You may want to consider acknowledging and encouraging this behavior by providing information or signage that educates visitors on how to properly interact with the work.
Overall, while it’s frustrating to see your work get damaged, it’s important to remember that this is a common issue for kinetic installations. By taking precautions and educating visitors, you can minimize the risk of damage while still allowing them to interact with your artwork in a meaningful way.
INPUT: In September 2022, at ARS Electronica, I saw how the public initially reacted hesitantly and reluctantly to the deconstruction of the glass machine. But eventually becomes eager to see the destruction unfold, and somewhat disappointed when it doesn’t happen in their presence. It makes me curious about what would happen if the public is left to their own devices without supervision. Would they try to completely destroy the machine?
Chat GPT response: As an AI language model, I cannot predict human behavior with certainty, but I can provide some insight based on human psychology and previous studies.
It is possible that some members of the public may attempt to completely destroy the machine if left unsupervised. The phenomenon you observed, where people initially react hesitantly and reluctantly but eventually become eager to see destruction, can be attributed to the psychological concept of “deindividuation.” When individuals feel anonymous and unidentifiable in a group setting, they may feel less accountable for their actions and become more likely to engage in behaviors they wouldn’t normally consider. This can lead to a desire to see destruction and chaos for the sake of excitement and entertainment.
However, it’s important to note that not everyone in the public would behave this way. There will be individuals who would feel a sense of responsibility and respect towards the glass machine and would not want to see it destroyed. Additionally, many people may be hesitant to engage in destructive behavior due to the fear of getting caught or facing consequences.
In conclusion, while it’s possible that some members of the public may attempt to destroy the glass machine if left unsupervised, it’s also likely that others would not engage in such behavior. It’s essential to provide clear guidelines and boundaries to ensure the safety of the public and the preservation of the machine.
INPUT: I would like to further investigate the exchange between the visitor and my work by integrating sensors in my kinetic installations. By using the Raspberry Pi I can write programs that process, store and convert the data from the sensor into action in various ways. I want to conclude my research period with a presentation in which I involve the public even more intensively in my installations by collecting data with sensors, in order to use the presence of the visitors as input for the machine. How do people react when they notice that they are the input that causes the destruction. It can also be the other way around, their presence can also stop a deconstruction. With this I want to transform the audience from spectator to participant and activator of the performance.
Chat GPT response: Integrating sensors into your kinetic installations and using the data collected as input for the machine is an exciting and innovative approach to engaging the public in your work. This approach has the potential to transform the audience from passive spectators to active participants, making the experience much more immersive and interactive.
The use of Raspberry Pi and other technology will allow you to collect, process, and convert data from sensors into action in various ways. This will enable the visitors to have a more significant impact on the performance of the machine, and they will become more aware of their role in the installation.
By giving the visitors a sense of agency and control over the machine’s behavior, they will likely feel more connected to the installation and invested in its outcome. This connection may increase their engagement with the installation and create a more memorable experience for them.
As for how people will react when they notice that they are the input that causes the destruction or can stop a deconstruction, it is difficult to predict. However, this approach is likely to generate strong emotional responses from the visitors, as they will have a sense of responsibility for the outcome of the performance.
Overall, your approach to integrating sensors into your kinetic installations has the potential to transform the way the public interacts with your work. It will allow for a more immersive and engaging experience, making the visitors active participants rather than passive observers.
INPUT: By delving into sensors and programming with the Raspberry Pi, I want to explore the possibility of making my sculptures react to their environment. With my new step, the machine continues to evolve as a performer and the spectator transforms into a participant. What happens when the spectator becomes part and activator of the deconstructive machine performance.
Chat GPT response: Integrating sensors and programming with the Raspberry Pi can give your sculptures the ability to react to their environment, allowing them to become more interactive and dynamic performers. This new step will give the machine a greater sense of agency, making it more autonomous in its movements and behavior.
When the spectator becomes an activator of the deconstructive machine performance, they are given a sense of agency over the installation’s outcome, and their role is elevated from passive observer to active participant. This can lead to a heightened emotional response from the spectator, as they become invested in the outcome of the performance.
As the sculptures react to their environment, they become more unpredictable, creating a sense of excitement and anticipation for the spectator. The unpredictability of the machine’s behavior can create a more dynamic and engaging experience for the spectator, as they never know exactly what will happen next.
Overall, by exploring the possibility of making your sculptures react to their environment, you are taking your installation to the next level, making it more interactive, dynamic, and engaging. This transformation of the spectator into a participant and activator of the deconstructive machine performance is likely to generate strong emotional responses from the audience, leading to a more memorable and impactful experience.
