- My Audience, My Computer: Scientists fed images of all of Rembrandt’s paintings into a database then had the computer create a “next” Rembrandt based on the artist’s style. You can think of this as a story about the rapidly growing ability of artificial intelligence to function at a complex level. Or, like Peter Schjeldahl, you can see it as the visual equivalent of fan fiction, “working backward from that point, it passes the creator’s intention.” In this case, computer as ingesting creative audience that transforms what it “sees”. as our machines become more powerful and able to react intelligently, to what degree do we start to see them as “audience”?
- Increasingly the arts are finding success by offering unique experiences. Taking a concert outside the concert hall changes the ways you experience it. Transforming a building visually makes you think about your surroundings differently. The city of Rotterdam, increasingly becoming a place of architectural adventure, decided to give people a different way of looking at the city. So they’re erecting a giant staircase to the roof of an iconic building overlooking the train station. The best view of the city is from the roof, and the staircase will let visitors see their city from a unique perspective.
- We don’t go anywhere without our smartphones these days (and yet…). And some think they ought to be able to use them wherever they happen to be. This week, one movie theatre chain suggested it might soon start letting people text during movies. The backlash was immediate, and a day later the chain was already backing down from the plan. Evidently, some audiences still believe there are places where our attention should be undivided. Except at home, of course. Shawn Parker (of Napster fame) unveiled a plan to offer first-run movies for rent (for $50!) in your home. Movie theatres, worried about their business, let up a howl.
- If we know more about what we’re seeing will we look more? One company is betting on it. A new app for your phone allows a use to aim it at a work of art and the app will tell you all about it – history, artist, gallery, price, etc. One nagging thought: there is evidence that heavy use of GPS dulls our sense of direction. Will “augmented reality” devices dull our ability to observe and see detail?
- What happens when you’re into something and none of your friends are? This essay by a young person who’s in to classical music even though none of his friends are, raises all sorts of familiar questions about art and community.
[…] This Week in Audience (04.17.16) My Audience, My Computer: Scientists fed images of all of Rembrandt’s paintings into a database then had the computer create a “next” Rembrandt based on the artist’s style. You can think… … read more AJBlog: AJ Arts Audience Published 2016-04-21 Today in Museum Accounting: Financial Windfall at MoMA, Shortfall at the Met The contrast in the financial news emanating today from New York’s two premier art museums could not have been more dramatic. The Museum of Modern Art issued an exultant press release celebrating David Geffen‘s $100-million … read more AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2016-04-21 Stan Levey And “Bebop” Several readers who responded to Monday’s Stan Levey book recommendation singled out his work on “Bebop” as one of the greatest modern jazz drum performances. They will get no argument here. Samples: I’m thrilled every … read more AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2016-04-21 Replay: Vladimir Nabokov on the covers of Lolita Vladimir Nabokov talks about the covers of different editions of Lolita on USA: The Novel. This episode was originally telecast on WNET on February 3, 1965. … read more AJBlog: About Last Night Published 2016-04-21 [ssba_hide] […]