Week 3: Robotics + Art


Robotics, computing, and artificial intelligence have played a large role in the modernization of art and have generated arguments around what really constitutes art and creativity. In Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Production”, he argues that the reproduction of art through mechanical means (such as photography and film) fundamentally alters the true uniqueness, meaning, and authenticity of the original work of art, especially by allowing it to be mass-produced or easily accessible as a result of industrialization.

               
                Benjamin’s essay, having been published in 1936, conveys an argument that has proven to stay relevant especially in today’s age of rapid technological advancement. Today we can see many Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs appearing, already being used to generate art, music, and other creative outputs similar and often indistinguishable from those created by humans. For example, the widespread availability of ChatGPT has made it easier for people to shut off their brains for a bit and have it write out essays, prompts, and even poetry, among other pieces, for them. This can pose issues for originality and creativity, removing the human touch from such works (Addlestone), an overarching theme in Benjamin’s essay.


The very notion of creativity in art has also been challenged by advancements in robotics and AI technology. The use of robots and AI in art creation raises questions about what it means to be creative and whether machines can truly replicate the human creative process. While robots are able to produce impressive art, the emotional and contextual elements that make human art meaningful may always remain beyond their reach (Gayford). A prime example of this is a robot named “Frida” developed by Carnegie Mellon University, which analyzes artists’ brushstrokes and then creates its own unique artwork (Aupperlee).


In his writing "The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction", Douglas Davis acknowledges the challenges technology poses in for authenticity, originality, and ownership in art but goes on to argue that digital reproduction and the Internet have opened up new possibilities for creativity and experimentation in art and media — based on collaboration, participation, and interactivity, rather than passive consumption (Davis).



 Works Cited

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. 1936.

Addlestone, James. “Chatgpt: The End of Authenticity, or a New Dawn for Creativity?” The Drum, The Drum, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2023/01/10/chatgpt-the-end-authenticity-or-new-dawn-creativity. 

Gayford, Martin. “Robot Art Raises Questions about Human Creativity.” MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 2 Apr. 2020, https://www.technologyreview.com/2016/02/15/162067/robot-art-raises-questions-about-human-creativity/. 

Aupperlee, Aaron. “Carnegie Mellon's AI-Powered Frida Robot Collaborates with Humans to Create Art.” Carnegie Mellon University - News, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2023/february/carnegie-mellons-ai-powered-frida-robot-collaborates-with-humans-to-create-art. 

Davis, Douglas. The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction. 1991-1995.


Images Cited

“Mass Production Cartoons and Comics.” CartoonStock, https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/m/mass_production.asp.
Devan, Jana. “What Is Chat GPT, and How Does It Work? Here's What It Has to Say.” Zettist, 9 Jan. 2023, https://www.zettist.com/blog/what-is-chat-gpt-and-how-does-it-work-heres-what-chat-gpt-has-to-say/.
Rharbaoui, Younès. “The Future Da Vinci Is a Robot: AI and Artistic Creation.” Medium, Welcome to The Family, 22 Nov. 2016, https://salon.thefamily.co/the-future-da-vinci-is-a-robot-ai-and-artistic-creation-51001f12149d.

Comments

  1. susana esqueda | desma 9April 23, 2023 at 4:33 PM

    Hi Diya! Thank you for taking the time to write this blog. The concept of ChatGPT is so interesting to me, because a couple of years ago I never would have imagined that there could be technology that can literally do anything. It is really cool to see the evolution of technology and how quickly it has developed. Even watching films from the early 90's and 2000's, it becomes really evident how fast we have created more advanced technology. Thanks again for your post, it was really enriching to read!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. shellyalonsoDESMA9April 23, 2023 at 11:33 PM

    Hey Diya! I really enjoyed the way you were able to connect current technology such as artificial intelligence to Benjamin Walter's worry of art losing its authenticity. I do also agree that creativity is being challenged by artificial intelligence. I have read that current digital creators feel threatened by AI because of its ability to create digital art for people. Those people can sell digital art made by AI which put the jobs of many artists at risk.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 9: Space + Art

Image
Although outer space and art are widely different aspects of the human experience, they both have the same goal – to better understand the human experience. Artists challenge the boundaries of what is possible, especially through works and pieces of science fiction. Artists "…have continued to be instrumental catalysts in our quest to conquer the unknown, because they imagine the future before it happens – as the saying goes, life imitates art," (Maldonado).  Space art by Charles Bittinger shows the solar system as imagined in 1939 Ideas such as a "space elevator", a structure made of carbon nanotubes that stretch from earth to space as introduced in the 1976 science fiction novel The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke, envision concepts that have yet to be imagined or implemented (Vesna). An even earlier such example appears in the 1865 science fiction novel From Earth to the Moon , which proposes a projectile launch to the moon using a giant cannon, explor...
Read more

Week 1: Two Cultures

Image
  The idea of “Two Cultures” has been instilled in me – perhaps somewhat subconsciously – from a young age, and has perpetuated even to my college years at UCLA. Fitting into the categories of a “STEM major” (whose classes are usually confined to South Campus) or “humanities major” (whose classes are typically in North Campus) is how most students make snap judgments about others upon first meeting them. To students, there appears to be quite a divide – “majors like economics and psychology, straddling the line between STEM and humanities, have found themselves in the midst of a cross-campus crossfire,” (Jung). In C.P. Snow’s 1959 Rede Lecture, “Two Cultures and The Scientific Revolution”, he reinforces this idea that there is a fruitless rivalry between ‘physical scientists’ and ‘literary intellectuals’ at the heart of the separation of the Two Cultures. However, he also adds that educational institutions themselves, and not simply the judgements of others, are fueling this divide...
Read more

Event 3: Color Light Motion with Marisa Caichiolo

Image
 On May 12th, I attended the Color, Light, and Motion online event with speaker Marisa Caichiolo. Prior to attending this event, I had no knowledge of the fact that kinetic art was even its own subcategory of art, let alone exactly what it was or its implications for the art and science communities. I was able to gain a lot more insight into this art and its effects by viewing and hearing about works by artists such as Marisa Caichiolo herself, Julio LeParte, and Martha Boto.  Kinetic art incorporates motion into its design and composition -- artists use mechanical elements, as well as natural forces, to create movement. The movement can be subtle or energetic, and it adds a dynamic and ever-changing dimension to the artworks (“Kinetic Art Movement Overview”).  The example I found most intriguing from this event was a piece by Marisa Caichiolo titled "How Else Can I Serve You?" This piece discusses gender inequality through performance art; the artist "unfolds a...
Read more