Introduction

Digital design has taken leaps and bounds in the last two decades, especially as a tool for representational design in both 2D and 3D works. From the early incarnations of generative algorithms that powered the VFX of Star Trek II ‘genesis playback’ and started Pixar ^[1] computers have hinted at something more. Now with the use of machine learning artists and programmers are looking to computers as the artists themselves. As a way to reshape the world around them, and express the unique way in which they see the world ^[2]. But can we go farther? Can computers become equal partners to create and express a humanistic condition?

Postmodernism and specifically Reconstructionism ^[3] sought to expose the uniqueness of the human condition in the mid 20th century. Today, will computers, generally used as production tools, instead become equal partners in conceptual art through the use of AI, algorithms, and the manipulation of how digital conveyance of ‘the image’ changes it into a unique digital artifact to express these ideas. That the digital conveyances in which we live actually form our own views on individuality, aesthetics, and our place within the universe. As Emmanuel Kant states, “But only he who, himself enlightened, is not afraid of shadows.” ^[4]

Statement

Looking to explore whether computers, generally used as production tools for both level design and app design, can instead become equal partners in conceptual art through the use of machine learning, algorithms and code, and the manipulation of how digital conveyance of ‘the image’ changes it into a unique digital artifact.

Process

Looking towards installation work and land art to study ‘digitization’ of found art influences their own sense of aesthetics by reflecting on space, time, and shared experiences within the boundaries of an installation; themes explored in more traditional land art and postmodernist installation art.

Finally, building conceptual artwork using a digital collage, generative art, and then crafting virtual installation by utilizing a traditional level/game design pipeline, with modular pieces, ^[5] using game design tools. But first, let’s explore further where we’ve come from to help us see where we are going.

I. History of Computer Graphics

The first computers were anything but ‘visual’ devices, instead their input wasn’t represented by a graphic interface but instead a punch card and later magnetic tape instruction ^[6]. But as the technology for displays became more common, quickly computers began to be inputted and readouts with non-destructive means of the screen. Even the earliest touch screens (1960s)^[7] and VR concepts appear as early as the mid-20th century. ^[8]

Early designers, programmers, and pioneers in computing saw the computer as a device that could display graphics, by randomized, and complex mathematical equations, computers began to trace these mathematics into ever more engaging and beautiful patterns ^[9]. This new generative art and autonomous in a way, where a human would set the parameters and then the computer would move through the functions until completion, recording this process on monochromatic screen, reams of dot-matrix paper at first ^[10]. These machine-generated abstractions fit nicely into the new forms of music (Jazz) and art (Modernism) that were the prevailing trends at the time, in a way they signified the technological and individualism advancement that seemed to be promoted by the government against communism. ^[11]

The ‘Modernist Laocoon’ was established by art critic and aesthetic authority Clement Greenberg’s in his paper titled, Toward a Newer Laocoon ^[12] where he describes the modernist aesthetic, the idea of space and authorship as core elements to modernism, as a way to understand man in his new modern surroundings where he constantly is in connection with machines. 

The generative work adhered in a strange way, whether knowingly or otherwise, to modernist ideas on art, design and even spatial-planning ^[13]. Because of their limitations in representing are actually allowed for a new direction in art, where binary, linear, and mathematical properties showed us the underlying framework of the vistas around us ^[14]. Computers were a way to compose and direct equations to justify several criteria presented by modernist arts and even postmodernists like Warhol and Lichtenstein, where duplication and mechanical processes played such an important role in their work ^[15]. But the aim of engineers was never to create in a wholly removed space, but like the early pioneers of the digital age, they sought instead on way to incorporate the computer into replicating our world ^[16], in representational art, where raw processing power would be harnessed to deliver us a truly indistinguishable virtual space, everyone’s own personal holodeck. So it’s fitting that it would start with Spielberg and Star Trek.

II. History of Computer Representational Design

As computers and computer software gained in complexity and power, their usage for representing reality began to take shape, in the mid-1980s VFX was slowly converted to digital with Disney’s blockbuster sci-fi film The Last Starfighter ^[17] to be the first to have all digital special effects. Dynamic camera usage and lightning helped, as well as the flexibility and cost of digital vs traditional. In the late 20th-century computer special effects went from having a very specific aesthetic to represent an “other space”, to be the de-facto way to do representation special effects or make from scratch. ^[18]

Another form of media was also maturing because of the new computer workstations, Companies like Silicone Graphics were using CGI to make ever more realistic videogames on a new generation of consoles, again the need to represent reality pushed video gaming into the 3rd dimension with today games utilizing advanced GPUs, ray-tracing, and billions of triangles to make games that are bordering on the photorealistic. But where does this lead us with regards to art? Early more generative and digital art has a specific aesthetic something that wasn’t as easily represented in the “real world”. It adhered more closely to Modernist ideas of space and time ^[19]. With representational work, computer-generated work will always be compared to the real thing, and will undoubtedly come up short, what is considered the “Uncanny Valley” effect ^[20]. In this way, it is not adhering to core tenants of art, but instead only exists as an example of Benjamin’s copy of a copy. ^[21]

As digital design becomes more dependent on realism and representation art, the pipeline grows and becomes more complex. The need for realistic surface textures, movement, segmentation, lighting, and effects places an increasing burden on specialization in the field and larger segmentation to the professionals working in this art. We can see this in VFX for films, where you might have a staff of thousands broken up into a dozen firms where compositors, textures, lighting, design, rigging, and so on is handled by a core group of specialists and their support staff. Again this is not conducive to art, where the core ideas and implementations are important over the “realism” of the subject. This is also mirrored in separate programs for each. ^[22]

This specialization of programs and manpower is also prevalent in the videogame industry, perhaps even more so. Each team using a specific program tree will build characters, model terrain, design level, texture, animate with separate programs and their own unique workflows. To help with the complexity of the game worlds where narratives are broken down into emergent systems ^[23] and open-world gaming is ever-growing, modular game design is taking hold. Where certain design parameters are set, and those can be quickly and easily tweaked through node-based blueprints, and also randomly generated by the game engine. This variance is something that I would like to explore in a conceptual art world. 

Ways in which to make changes to conceptual art with computers, I propose taking this modular design and implementing it with the more conceptual, and generative process that is so natural for computers. A melding of the two processes where the divert process of art that humans are so adept at. ^[24]