HUGO KNOX [CURATOR]

The source of the show begins with Knox’s Oil painting named “Camberwell 2030”. 

The painting portrays a dynamic landscape of Camberwell Green, a public square in the near future, post AI; making subtle references to our current timeframe at the same time envisioning futuristic moments from the developments of AI. Highlighting familiar materials and objects to blur the lines between the present and future. Camberwell Green, is a landmark close to where Knox was raised in South London. A space, full of life and energy. A diverse social melting point bringing varying cultures and communities together. The painting features encounters, engaging in social and political themes throughout such as mass surveillance, misinformation, technological advancements and human connection. The subjects within the painting represent real people from Camberwell that either work or live within the local community. After carrying out interviews, an understanding of their fears and hopes on AI at a community level, a real picture was painted on the perspectives of Camberwell Green. 

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EMMA NAYLOR 

Using a 2D plan to then create in 3D, Emma Naylor designed and built a topographical model of Camberwell Green. It contains and showcases the residents of Camberwell, who occupy and interact with this space daily. The scale of the site has been manipulated and simplified so that the landscape and building height respond to the scale of the characters - turning it, in some way, into a caricature itself. This intentional distortion makes one question what is real and what is not, and impresses upon one the importance of perception as a guiding force. 

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JULES BLECKMAN

Jules specialises in crafting almost-lifelike sculptures of everyday individuals. For this latest exhibition, he has chosen to depict a particular resident of Camberwell, Roy. Roy has been the subject of an interview exploring his views on artificial intelligence. Jules chose Roy as he is interested in the opinions of the older generations in an ever-changing, sometimes incomprehensible world. 

Jules’ artistic creations playfully explore the concept of creating art for the sheer act of creation itself. He delves into the notion that sculpting, as an art form, possesses an essence that cannot be duplicated by artificial intelligence or 3D modelling because it fails to capture what lies beyond replication – imperfection. It is this imperfection that infuses a sense of caricature into his figures and breathes life and personality into his work.

In a world where A.I. and 3D modelling can precisely replicate virtually anything, questions arise surrounding the purpose and usefulness of fashioning lifelike figures, like creating a sculpture from a photograph of a man who exists in real life. Through the choice to sculpt such a thing, Jules’ practice boldly emphasises the irreplaceable value of the human touch and its role in the conception of art. 

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DAVE JEDEIKIN

When last did you catch yourself lost

In the moment of play? When did you stop playing? Why do we all stop playing? Why does society reserve play for the young? Play keeps us young while life grows us old. Go play. 

While fundamentally uncomfortable, this robo-sculpture is intended to invoke a sensation of play. Hugo Knox’s artistry coupled with the robotic motion edges this piece towards the uncanny valley - while play keeps it a safe distance away. Today, together, we are playing with robots. Tomorrow, might we be playing alongside them?

Material and component list

Structure:

3D printed PLA 

Mild steel 

Aluminium 6063 

Compute and sensors: 

Adafruit nrf52 microprocessor 

Adafruit 16 channel servo driver 

2x HCSR04 Sonar Sensors 

tracker

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Compute and sensors: 

Adafruit nrf52 microprocessor 

Adafruit 16 channel servo driver 

2x HCSR04 Sonar Sensors 

Software:

Written in C++ 

Control: 

PID based differential distance object tracker

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EZEKIEL

As the presentation develops from image, to painting, to sculpture to robotic sculpture, a digital space materialises. Ezekiel’s body of work comprises a series of 12 portrait photographs of key figures in the camberwell green ‘scene’ depicted in the exhibition.

With each portrait taken, Ezekiel highlights the importance in capturing a subject’s true essence - nothing more and nothing less. Despite the potential discomfort being in front of a lens may cause, the photographer manages to ensure the subjects remain unapologetically themselves, capturing a snippet moment that shows both their core essence, and something of their unique perspective on the subject at hand. 

This snapshot serves as physical evidence on perspectives on AI both from a local context and within this specific moment in our lived history, at a point where the distinction between real and AI generated images is becoming increasingly less defined.

These photographs then formed the basis of the audio-visual piece made by Eziekel and Knox, a compilation that intentionally walks the tightrope of clarity and confusion.

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ELFED SAMUEL

‘A Walk In The Park’ by Elfed Samuel is the result of a two month dialogue between Samuel and a group of AI models. The piece offers a lucid exploration of life on Camberwell Green through the medium of AI generated video art. 

Trained on a body of images taken on site, as well as others taken from open source databases, the work explores moments of everyday life in the park; a joyous kick-about, a chance encounter with a squirrel, the blooming of wildflowers in spring. 

Though these scenes seem somewhat familiar, they are not quite as we remember them to be. Is this our perspective or the perspective of AI? Ultimately, we do not see as AI sees. Can we?

By exposing one of the many divergent ways that non-biological intelligences view the world, the piece engages a type of perception that relies on mixing and melting many fragments of reality - a different type of perception to the clearer, specific way in which a human views the world. 

The work does not seek to paraphrase the style of another nor capture a specific sense of reality ‘as found’; it offers a diffused depiction of place, bound not by any single point of view or moment in time.

We are at the beginning of a new age of perception and collaboration, one wrought out of a yearning to understand and explore the world beyond what our senses, and indeed what our imagination, may offer. 

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Sey G

Sey G, produced the Audio via logic a music production software for both the slideshow and animation. 

Having taken influence from Knox’s Camberwell Green painting, Sey G used a number of references to create ambient sounds for Samuel’s animation video. These sounds then develop into a composition which is accompanied by Hugo Knox on the saxophone.

In addition, the soulful, energetic nature of Camberwell Green was considered by both Sey G and Knox when devising their recording. This resulted in forming a 

jazz-infused, low-fi sound, supporting Samuels mind bending visual imagery helping create a hypnotic, entrancing experience.

Sam Mills, also known as Sey G, is a music producer from South London. He Obtained his BA in Creative Music Production from Leeds College of Music, Sey G is also a secondary school music teacher, however dedicates most of his time to collaborating with emerging artists across London.