FUSION V2: Calligram of Contrasts | Fusion: Landscape and Beyond series

Summary:

FUSION V2: Calligram of Contrasts (2023), also known as Fusion: Landscape and Beyond 2.0, is an interactive installation that dynamically blends urban cityscapes with traditional Chinese landscapes, influenced by AI's evolving understanding of our world. As viewers traverse the exhibit, their movements trigger real-time changes in the digital landscape, stimulating discussions about human, AI, and our shared ecological balance.

Video:

Description:

FUSION V2: Calligram of Contrasts (2023), also known as Fusion: Landscape and Beyond 2.0, is an interactive art installation harnessing the potential of AI to redefine our relationship with urban and natural landscapes. Central to the concept of the installation is the synthetic memory, which dynamically adapts and responds to myriads of instructions, and in turn, influences our understanding of the environment.

The installation offers an immersive experience where viewers play an active role. As participants traverse the exhibit, their movements act as triggers, instigating a real-time transformation of the AI-generated landscape. This interactivity reveals layers of cityscapes and landscapes, serving as a visualization of AI's evolving memory and its interpretation of our environment.

The aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape painting are deliberately incorporated to reinforce our discourse on ecological balance. The Chinese philosophies of nature entice us to embrace a worldview that deeply values the harmonious coexistence of humanity and the natural world. The relationship being sought is one characterized by compatibility, participation, and interconnectedness.

Using the traditional Chinese brushwork technique, Cun, we have devised a model that fuses AI's textual interpretation of city aesthetics with traditional brushstrokes. This integration results in a unique visual calligram that blurs the boundaries between physical and digital experiences.

The workflow of this project involves the use of a self-fine-tuned Stable Diffusion model and real-time visualization system. The system continuously synthesizes Chinese city images that echo our real-world urban experiences. These city images then metamorphose into an artificial nature imbued with the aesthetics of Chinese landscape painting, creating a visual poem or calligram.

In the end, the installation not only blurs the lines between AI and human cognition but also emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between humans, AI, and the world we inhabit. This project harnesses AI to echo our collective consciousness, weaving a narrative of co-existence within our shared world.

Documentation Images:

Exhibition and Presentation:

Exhibited at:

SIGGRAPH Asia Art Gallery with an artist talk, Sydney, Australia, 2023;

South by Bay Area, Shenzhen, China. 2023.

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*As part of the Fusion series, collectively presented at:

ISEA (International Symposium on Electronic Art) Everywhen, CreativeOnline Artwork Track with an Artist Talk;

CICA (CzongInstitute for Contemporary Art) New Media Art Conference, South Korea, 2024;

Distrito 350, Calle General San Martín 350, Col Americana, Guadalajara, Jalisco.