Country: Singapore
Media: Interatctive Installation, Generative AI, VR
Year: 2022
Exhibited at: Je Ne Sais Quoi
Speical Thanks to: Yeo Ker Siang and classnates
This exhibition deployed generative art making in all assets production. Generative art refers to art that in whole or in part has been created with the use of an autonomous system. It is a representation of the philosophical idea of “rhizome” where knowledge is like a nonlinear network that “connects any point to any other point”. It is like the process of collecting evidence, clues are intertwined to help us puzzle out the past.
Virtual Reality (VR) is used to create a stimulating environment where things are hyper-realistic. A simulating environment of the tropical landscape of Bras Basah Bugis terrain is covered with plants. It is a simulation of the environment before the arrival of civilisation in Singapore.
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The Story of History: (Re)Imagine Bras Basah Bugis in Time presents The Story of History: Imagine Bras Basah Bugis in Time, a curated exhibition to show A.I. generated or megascan objects that are reproduced by Zhang Ziyi. The artwork labels in the exhibitions are designed as part of the artwork which aims to make the audience believe in the authenticity of the artwork. The following are “artworks” exhibited:
Into the Paleozoic Era of Singapore Bras Basah Bugis District, 2022
It is an immersive Virtual Reality made by Zhang Ziyi in Unreal Engine 4 and Oculus. Using Megascan assets of tropical natural objects, this VR experience allows the audience to get into the forest of the Paleozoic Era of Bras Basah Bugis District Singapore. This Unreal Engine rendering is developed based on satellite map data of Brash Basah and Bugis, as well as historical and geographical research of natural environments. The is a fireplace in the middle simulating the start of early human civilization.
Fossil & Stone collections: Paleozoic Era Stone, Whale Fossil
These are two images generated by DALL·E 2 – OpenAI. They look like real photos of fossils. The prompt I used is “Fossil & Stone collections: Paleozoic Era Stone, Whale Fossil”. On the artwork label, I put “Photography of historical objects at National Museum Singapore” to make the audience believe that it is true. The actual historical objects are collected at National Museum Singapore.
George D. Coleman (1798 - 1844): Map of the Town and Environs of Singapore from an Actual Survey, 1836
This is a map image generated by DALL·E 2 – OpenAI, and the title is prompt. In the artwork tag, it says that it is a print of a digital image resource from the Singapore National Archive. This is the first map where Bras Basah Bugis get recorded.” to make the audience believe that it is true. It is the map which Bras Basah Bugis district first recorded.
Plants from William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings, 2022
It is a Projection of DALL·E 2 – OpenAI generated images, the title is prompt. The actual copies are collected at National Museum Singapore. A.I. mimic the style of the images of the actual William’s collection.
Bras Basah Street 1830s, c.1835
This is an engraving work generated by DALL·E 2 – OpenAI, and the title is prompt. The artwork label says Belongs to Singaporean Collectors Lee Kong Yaw and Chan Yu Ling” which are two virtual people who do not exist. The artwork is well-framed and looks like it is an actual collection.
Bugis District in 1950s, 1953-54
This is a series of four black and white photographs generated by DALL·E 2 – OpenAI, and the title is prompt.
Percussion of Past and Now, 2022
It is a percussion music piece generated by A.I. which is played in the background of the exhibition. The art label says that “Adrian Cheong (b. 1993) is famous for merging Southeast Asian folk music into a modern composition. His works are played at museums and theatre performances.”
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Credit for Educational Use:
https://unsplash.com/photos/round-black-clock-on-linen-vGF1d7MU9MM