«Zwei» is a long-term media art project that explores the relationship between virtual beings and their environment with the help of machine learning algorithms. As part of the Mesh Festival, a mixed reality version will be presented as a prototype of «Zwei», in which viewers can physically interact with the virtual ‘bubbles’.
Two amorphous, virtual creatures, the ‘bubbles’, are at the centre of the project. These creatures develop through continuous collisions and interactions with each other. Their biological model is based on single-celled organisms, whose behaviour and adaptation strategies are based on stimulus-response behaviour. Their interactions, which take place in real time, are controlled by algorithms that allow the ‘bubbles’ to react to changes in their environment and mutual influences. Another aspect of the project is the contrast between big data and little data. While conventional AI systems rely on large data sets, the bubbles are based on a self-generated ‘data pie’ consisting exclusively of their own experiences. They act as a kind of ‘digital wolf cubs’ that learn without external guidance and develop individual characteristics over time.
The mixed reality variant presented at the Mesh Festival works purely algorithmically and does not yet have AI capabilities, but provides the necessary basis to be equipped with artificial intelligence in the future.
Beat Brogle in collaboration with iart.
«Zwei» is funded by the Fachausschuss «Film und Medienkunst» of Kanton Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft.»
More about «SPATIAL AFFAIRS. Extended Reality Experiences».
Biography
Beat Brogle is a Swiss artist who lives and works in Basel and Berlin. His artistic work includes drawings, room installations, interactive installations and web projects. Brogle is internationally recognised and has participated in numerous festivals and exhibitions. He has been a professor of moving image at the University of the Arts Bremen since 2015. In his art, Brogle explores morphological processes and perceptual associations. He has extensive experience in new
media art and has taught at institutions such as the Berlin University of the Arts and the Zurich University of the Arts.
iart, founded in 2001 as an engineering office for the planning, expertise and realisation of media projects, is characterised by an interdisciplinary approach and a strong culture of collaboration. With over 40 employees, iart realises innovative media installations and media architectures. A mixed reality programming framework developed by iart provides the basis for the realisation of «Zwei».