AI: More Than Human- Exhibition Review

The Barbican is currently running a centre wide exhibition looking at Artificial Intelligence (AI). The AI: More Than Human exhibition looks at the complex relationship between humans and machines, asking us what it really means to be human. To answer this question the exhibition brings together people from a variety of disciplines including scientists, artists, philosophers and researchers and offers an often interactive way to engage with this most heady of topics.

AI: More Than Human Exhibition @Barbican

As I was early, I explored the various interactive installations that were housed around the hall before entering the exhibition proper.
Along the long Silk Street corridor, there were two large screens with what looks like atoms connected. There was a spot on the floor with footprints and when you stood on it and moved your limbs the atomic structure changed. It reminded me of an Xbox Kinect experience, so not too flashy but there were several young children who were engaged and were fascinated that they were an active agent for what occurred on the screens. The vision of Barbican in 2065 through a three screened walking simulator was interesting, as it showed the brightly lit cityscape strewn with wind turbines, but I felt like it missed a trick by not using a VR headset. The sense of immersion would have been greater with this medium utilised.
Down in the Pit, was the highlight of the interactive exhibitions, teamLab’s ‘What a Loving and Beautiful World’. It contained projectors which interacted with people's shadows and movements to create an output, be it trees growing, pink cherry blossom drifting by slowly or birds flying. It was wonderful and quite meditative and an early highlight.

Thoroughly impressed, I then entered the ticketed part of exhibition and saw that it was split into 4 sections:
The dream of AI,
Mind machines,
Data worlds, and
Endless evolution.

In the first section, The Dream of AI, I was greeted with a provenance that stated that there were many tales of non-living things coming to life through magic, science, religion or Illusion.
Comic books, religious texts, alchemical paraphanalia, models and figures were displayed to show how, throughout history, this has been a large area of interest for humans, whether to understand what life is, play God or to extend life and cheat death.
A sepia toned video installation titled AE/MAETH by Hurlig and Weitz was a stunning look at how much AI, cyborgs, golems and the like have become a part of pop culture, transcending its Judaic origins from Rabbi Loew's 16th century golem story.
The Japanese belief of Shinto and animism is explored as inanimate objects are said to have kami, a life force, which means that Japanese culture is more accepting of the concept of AI, thus the prevalence of characters such as Astrobot and Doaromon in their pop culture.
This section had a few film clips from Frankstein, Blade Runner, Der Golem, Ex Machina and much more to show how the fear of AI has been a long running human preoccupation.

AI: More Than Human

The next section, Mind Machines explained how AI developed through history and had much on show, from Babbage's Analytic Engine, the first 'computer' which was powered by steam to Turing's The Bombe Enigma code breaking machine used in the film, 'The Imitation Game.' The video wall with a time line of breakthroughs and achievements was great to follow but with such a large crowd it was difficult to read everything and take it in.

In Data Worlds, the ability of AI to change society was examined. As I entered there was a racing video game and next to that a screen where your reactions were monitored and the emotion you were sensed to be feeling shown on screen. There were a variety of different neural networks on show, which you could interactive with. Issues such as racial bias and privacy were explored. The Future of Life letter, which argued against the use of AI controlled weapon systems was on show, undersigned by Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak amongst many others, highlighted the very real danger that AI could pose if not properly controlled.

The final part, Endless Evolution, looked at the future of the human race. It showcased a robot interacting with people as they passed a few video installations of where AI should be going and the future of artificial life.

As a whole, the exhibition is interesting and engaging but it is all a bit overwhelming. There is so much to see and hear that you need a good couple of hours to appreciated it fully. Some of the videos looked interesting but the ambient noise level made it difficult to hear anything clearly. So, is it worth the money? Well, I enjoyed it but did find it not as well organised or curated as the Robot Exhibition from a couple of years ago at the Science Museum. It's worth a look if this is a field of interest but for the casual onlooker I don't think it will appeal.

Into the Unknown Exhibition Shines Bright at the Barbican

Into the Unknown is a large exhibition set in the Barbican which explores the world of science fiction. The genre was initially niche but over the years has grown in popularity to frequently become pop culture touchstones. Novels, comics, cinema and music have touched upon the human desire to explore new worlds and this exhibition is a great one that looks at the evolution of the genre.

This sculpture at the Barbican reminds me of the monolith that features on the cover of video game No Man's Sky.

The 18th and 19th centuries saw mankind exploring new lands and making exciting new discoveries, this opened up a literal whole new world of imagination. The late 19th and 20th centuries saw mankind make giant strides in science and technology, which led people to look to the stars and desire to explore the planets and dark void of space in the hope of finding new worlds and peoples. This exhibition looks at all of that and is very generously organised with over 800 exhibits on show. The show is broken into a few distinct parts; Extraordinary Voyages, Space Odysseys, Brave New Worlds and Final Frontiers.

 

Extraordinary Voyages

The 18th and 19th century saw a boom in science and the age of enlightenment took over from the centuries of superstition and witchcraft. At the forefront of this was the literary giant Jules Verne and his work is well represented here. There is a page from a manuscript on show and many models of his illustrations. The designs are beautiful and intricate and practical as Verne worked with esteemed scientists of the time to create plausible machines. Vernians are well catered for here. Another personal favourite of mine, model maker Ray Harryhausen, has a large presence. In creating believable lifelike models of fantastical creatures and dinosaurs (at least at the time they were created) Harryhausen inspired generations of directors, special effect creators and youngsters, including me. A lot of his models are on show and considering some are over 60 years old, are in remarkably good condition. The maquettes of some of these legendary creature designs are on show and ask the visitor to recall the films they once starred in. The original sketches and story boards of classics such as The Lost World, The Valley of Gwanji and the original Mighty Joe Young show the artistry of such luminaries as Harryhausen and his mentor Willis O'Brien. 

These Ray Harryhausen models were amazingly detailed up close.

Space Odysseys

The space race of the 1950s and 60s was more than just a triumph of engineering, it was a time of great optimism about humanity and its future after the devastating Second World War had shaken the whole of the planet to its core. Visual artists and authors, often collaborating with scientists and engineers, were able to stir up public fervour in depicting a plausible vision of humanity amongst the stars. The next section of the exhibition has stunning original Russian art on show and the thing that stands out is the sheer hope. Images show the realised dream of humanity reaching the stars and living on other worlds. Another real highlight here for the film aficionado is the script, as written by Arthur C. Clarke, of Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey.  The exhibition then shows the way science fiction has inspired TV shows and cinemas. There was lots on show but Darth Vader's helmet and John Hurt's suit from Alien are early boons. As a fan of H.R. Giger the Alien head design as well as his Jadorowski's Dune inspired chair were both excellent, the bio-mechanical horror that Giger created are wonderful to see up close. As a huge fan of Irwin Allen's work (it used to show on Channel 4 on Sunday afternoons in the 80s) seeing the Spindrift spaceship from Land of the Giants brought back waves of nostalgia.  

Brave New Worlds

The last section of this part of the exhibition was looking at the world of sci-fi in the modern age. It featured models of original classic robots such as Robbie from Forbidden Planet and Twinkl from Buck Rogers but also a more modern exhibit in Ex Machina.  There were video montages of classic sci-fi scenes including one of my personal favourites, the opening of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Stunning images of utopian and dystopian worlds painted on canvas and printed from computer software were on show too and presented plausible imagery of what the future may hold for us.

As a whole the first section of Into the Unknown was an impressive your through the birth and evolution of sci-fi.

The next part of the exhibition was the film In The Future They Ate From The Finest Porcelain by Larissa Sansour. I didn't watch the film as I didn't have the time due to prior commitments so I can't comment but I hear from others that it was well worth the 29 minute run-time. 

The final part of the exhibition was an art installation down in the basement space, it is called In The Light Of the Machine by Conrad Shawcross. You enter a dark space and once your eyes adjust you make out large panels of metal with holes in, all placed in concentric circles, almost like a neolithic stone circles similar to stonehenge. In the middle is a light and this enters the holes and projects onto the black walls, giving off an eerie light. You can hear a machine working away at its centre and through the holes of the machine and the gaps between the large metal plates you can see a seeming sentient machine holding out a light at the end of a rod. The effect is oddly unsettling yet calming, the rhythmic thrum of the machine soothes yet unnerves as the light rays dance on the walls. The whole piece is well worth a visit and stays with you long after.

I left the exhibition and reflected on what I had seen and experienced. As a whole i believe that the exhibition was well curated and thoroughly engaging. The whole of the Barbican has been utilised for this exhibition, with experimental videos, computer games and sculpture littering the building. Anyone with a spare couple of hours should see this as it is a well curated experience.

To Infinity And Beyond with the Into the Unknown Exhibition at the Barbican

This summer the Barbican is hosting a centre-wide festival-style exhibition exploring the works of various creators in the world of science fiction. The exhibition shares over 800 pieces from a wide variety of backgrounds including Jules Verne, Ray Harryhausen, H.R. Giger and Soviet posters from the space race era. There are suits and items from films such as Star Wars, Interstellar and Star Trek on show. 

I have booked tickets and will be going this Sunday and will feedback here my thoughts on the exhibition but needless to say that I am very excited!

Dear Esther Concert Was Emotional

Dear Esther is the game that helped to create a sub-genre in video games upon its full arrival in 2012; the walking simulator. As I've mentioned before the genre divides opinion amongst gamers but for me it doesn't matter. As soon as Dear Esther started and I was confronted with the sound of crashing waves, views of an old abandoned building and a melancholic voiceover I was invested.
But even more than the game it is the music that has remained with me. Even after all these years I can still remember the sound of the delicate piano theme.
I am a big fan ofthe composer and game co-creator, Jessica Curry and it was through this game that I discovered her. So a chance to see the score performed live with a playthrough of the game with Dan Pinchbeck, the other co-creator of The Chinese Room and Curry's husband , was unmissable for me and I can honestly say that I wasn't disappointed. The venue, the Milton Hall at the Barbican, was a sellout and there was a diverse range of audience members. On a huge projected screen the game was set up ready to be played, the opening scene left for all to admire as the auditorium filled up.

I wasin the front row and so had an amazingly close view of the concert.

Upon starting the game Pinchbeck made his way through the game, stopping at opportune moments to show the beauty of the game, and the live narrator read excerpts from the games script, which sent warm waves of nostalgia through me. The orchestra played the entire soundtrack andalongside the perfectly frames shots, it shows that Dear Esther is still a handsome game.
The concert lasted 1 1/2 hours and was a wonderful experience, reducing the elderly lady sat next to me in the front row to tears. At the end of the concert Curry came on stage to receive a bow and thank the orchestra and her husband. After the concert I headed down to collect my bag from the cloakroom and overheard many people sharing their opinions about the game and reminiscing about the game, it was great being amongst my nerdy peers and the environment being inclusive and non-toxic.
I hope this concert starts a trend for other game studios to perform their soundtracks live with a playthrough of their games as I do feel that there is definitely an audience for it.

Dear Esther Concert

Dear Esther is a walking simulator following the story of a shipwrecked castaway on a remote Hebridean island. The game was created in 2012 by the Chinese Room and impressive graphics and dialogue wowed many, including me at the time, however the soundtrack has really stood the test of time. Composer Jessica Curry, who would later create Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, created a marvelous score which is haunting and stays with you long after the game is finished.

There are many video game soundtracks I've enjoyed over the years, but my enjoyment of them has been influenced often by my playing of the game, and even though I loved this game the music stands apart and is exceptional; it stands alone as a piece of work. So when I heard that the Barbican was hosting a live concert of the music on Friday 14th October 2016 I was ecstatic and purchased a ticket straightaway.

The description of the concert is below and I have included a link to purchase tickets if you are interested:

A deserted landscape, memories of a fatal crash, a book written by a dying explorer – explore an island shrouded in mystery in this live performance of The Chinese Room’s immersive videogame Dear Esther.

Starting on a small beach, with only a brooding cliffs and a small lighthouse in view, BAFTA-nominated narrator Nigel Carrington takes you through the game, journeying from the desolate Hebridean island to a car crash on the M5, a crisis of faith of a guilty heart, the lost shores of a dreamed shoreline and a final ascent through the waters of madness to the release of flight. With the playthrough of the game on-screen accompanied by live narration and a live performance of BAFTA-winning composer Jessica Curry’s powerful score, the story is even more brought to life here.

LINK- Dear Esther Concert Tickets at the Barbican

Digital Revolution Exhibition at the Barbican

We are living in a digital age where artists, designers, film-makers, musicians and game developers are pushing the boundaries of their fields of technology. But technology is no longer the preserve of the elite, instead the democratisation of technology has played a major facilitating role in allowing equality across professional fields.

The Barbicans 'Digital Revolution' exhibition is the most comprehensive presentation of digital creativity ever to be staged in the UK. This immersive and interactive exhibition brings together, for the first time, a range of disciplines and shows how they are pushing the boundaries of their fields using digital media. It also looks at vintage computer games and music hardware, visual effects in films, art made with code, artificial intelligence, wearable technology and 3D printing.

I was very excited about the exhibition as I am very interested in the evolution of technology and digital media. I have a vast retro game and media collection and so this appealed to me on all levels and I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed!

The exhibition was sprawling over many sections. The first space, 'Digital Archeology', looked into digital cultures past, from rare games and vintage music hardware to classic systems such as Game as Watch, ZX Spectrum and the Magnavox Odyssey. The biggest attraction for me was playing classic arcade game machines like Pong and Pac-Man. I was happy to see parents and children alike engaging with the different games, the waves of nostalgia for me were great but for the parents and their children to play together on systems they used to play in their youth must have been wonderful.

Check out this original arcade machine for Pac Man.

Gunpei Yokoi's Game and Watch.

The exhibition then went onto 'We Create,'  a space dedicated to user-created content and interactive web art. This contained the mighty Minecraft as well as a web-based Johnny Cash Project, where users submitted a single art frame which would form a section of a Johnny Cash music video which would constantly evolve.

Minecraft is a phenomenon!

Broken Age brought Kickstarter to the masses.

'Creative Spaces' looked at the special effects of blockbuster films such as Jurassic Park, Inception and Gravity. The interactive walkthroughs of Gravity and Inception were fascinating, providing lots of insight and in the case of Inception motion control to see how the effects were created step by step.

Gravity explained.

'Sound and Vision' showed the ways that technology was used to create interesting videos and music, it featured artists such as Bjork, Radiohead and Brian Eno. However my highlight was the artwork by will.i.am, of Black Eyed Peas fame, his work features an Egyptian style polygonal head and 3 musical pyramids which were mechanical and played music in real time to the singing. It had to be experienced to be believed!

will.i.am as a Phaoroah.

My standout for the entire exhibition was Chris Milk's piece The Treasury Of The Sanctuary. The piece is an interactive triptych that allows participants to be broken up into birds, then to being consumed by birds and finally embodying the bird in the final frame. It was the most uplifting and exhilarating experience I had in the exhibition, it was great seeing people waving the arms and legs like loons in such an austere place... great art should do that, take you out of yourself.

Chris Milk's The Treasury of the Sanctuary.

The 'DevArt' place was next and to be honest this part left me cold. It looked at how interactive artists used code as their canvas. Apart from the wonderful butterfly Wishing Wall nothing really engaged me. This piece had you whispering a wish into a trumpet and seeing your wish slowly glow into a line and turn into a butterfly, before flying away to join the other butterflies on the wall. a simple idea beautifully executed I thought.

Wishing Wall.

'Indie Games Space' has lots of games from the independent computer games scene, featuring games such as Nidhogg, The Unfinished Swan, Antichamber, Proteus, Journey, Thomas Was Alone and Papers, Please. I had played all the games before so didn't spend much time here but this area was packed with children and adults.

Finally I went to the Umbrellium Assemblance, this was an atmospheric and unique three-dimensional light field which you could manipulate through touch. I enjoyed this room a lot as there were lots of people here moving in strange ways to manipulate the light. It felt peaceful, calm and in this fast paced always connected world it felt... cathartic. To be away from all the noise and distractions. Manipulating and controlling the light took some skill and concentration.

Digital Revolution is an excellent exhibition, it has something for everyone and in breadth and scope it is a remarkable achievement. There are only 3 weeks left until the exhibition ends and I would highly recommend this to everyone- go see it and experience it for yourself.