egor-kraft - Tumblr blog

[egor-kraft]

This book has a special place in my library. It was published with the support of European ARTificial Intelligence Lab, in partnership with Ars Electronica and brings together 13 cultural and six scientific institutions from across Europe. I am happy my series of works Content Aware Studies is mentioned there as one of the early examples of Ai driven research-based artistic practices.

Special thanks @onassis.stegi

@irini_mirena @arselectronica & bmkös

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CAS_15.1 Deep Frieze. 2021 Breccia marble, concrete, machine learning algorithms, unique synthetic dataset; dimensions: ~108x90cm. Produced with support from: Onassis Foundation & Garage Museum. @onassis.stegi @garagemca The Content Aware Studies (started in 2017) is a series of artistic investigations that spans computational, sculptural, screen-based and textual works that together critically examine what artistic, technical and philosophical capacities Ai technologies hold, both as means for automatic historical investigation & synthetic knowledge production. Artificial neural network is directed to replenish lost fragments of classical sculptures. Analysing thousands of 3d scans, it generates models, which are then 3D printed, marble fabricated and used to fill the voids of the original sculptures. #contentawarestudies #cas #kraftblog #kraftworks (at Zebrastraat) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpngcmRPZ2A/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

It was an adventure, perhaps, a good one, to be on the jury for the first Asta Award for art, science & technology in Art & Ai category. To me personally, or rather politically, it was indeed not an easy decision to engage in a cultural initiative in my infamous motherland for the first time since the full-scale invasion (let's admit this war is actually on for many years now). However, the community, which includes some of the most brilliant local (or previously-local) people that took part in the jury is a group of some extraordinary people within the art & science cultural project out there, who I genuinely want to stay connected to despite complete inability and geographical spread as a result of forced mobility, although perhaps this harm is incomparable to that of many others as a result of it all. I believe, in the times like this, we also need to try and preserve, something very valuable, – the community. A shout-out to @amicat & @dashaazbil whose work was my nomination of choice. #kraftblog https://www.instagram.com/p/CpF21w1PZR7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Some views of the show "Navigating the Digital Realm" in the EU commissions DG connect building in Brussels. The exhibition is curated by the great team at GLUON @gluon_bxl @nicolas_wierinck in collaboration with LUCA School of the Arts @luca.schoolofarts, Snowball, Ars Electronica @arselectronica and Bozar, Centre for Fine Arts Brussels @bozarbrussels Photos (c) Fabien Sylvestre. #kraftblog #cas #contentawarestudies https://www.instagram.com/p/CoDLxh9PFqt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

I was somewhat quiet about it. To be fully honest I find it challenging to speak and publish much these days as the pain of the bleeding world is taking its toll. I'm sure so it does to many. But for the sake of exercising of getting out those tiny bits of life that happen to be on the brighter side — mine was definitely in Japan for the past few months. I was incredibly lucky to have been taking part in an academic visit at the @tokyo_geidai Geidai University of the Arts in Tokyo, a city I have an escapist romance with lately. And a place, where I'm currently working on some new stuff largely inspired by the unique locality. #kraftblog #tokyo #geidai https://www.instagram.com/p/CnxB1sBSFtj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

@fondazioneprada recently published a brilliant catalogue dedicated to the exhibition “Recycling Beauty” - an unprecedented study about the reuse of Greek and Roman antiquities in post-antique contexts. The catalogue features my work "CAS_05 Julia Mamea" in the essay "Digital Artifacts: Processing Antiquities in Contemporary Art" written by Patrick R. Crowley @marbleindex. The exhibition is curated by Salvatore Settis and Anna Anguissola with Denise La Monica and designed by Rem Koolhaas/OMA and @2x4inc. Photos (c) OMA, Fondazione Prada and Patrick R. Crowley #kraftblog #publication #contentawarestudies (at Fondazione Prada) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmdUWPoPM_Y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

This is the Mount Fuji as seen from my aircraft on one of the recent flights to Europe. I'm now back again to Tokyo. Perhaps the busiest and definitely the most populated town in the world. Yet everyone is findings their undisturbed comfort in the quiet corner of their own body and a little space anyone has a privilege to occupy. I will likely be far from the good old Europe for at least a few months as I'm engaged in an academic visit at the Geidai University of the Arts. Hit me up if you're visiting the island of fully automated post-nuclear spiritualism. I learn a lot from being here. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) #travellog #kraftblog #tokyo (at Tokyo, Japan) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmLj_55Pa_s/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Just stumbled upon this image of our film Air Kiss screened at Deptford Moving Image festival @demomovingimage @deptfordx in London in 2019. Phew these were the times. The film was produced during our time as part of “The New Normal” @strelka_thenewnormal a think tank at Strelka Institute @strelka_institute, directed by Benjamin Bratton. The film was a collaborative effort between @alinakvirkveliya, @pxkkx and @karina.golubenko and myself Air Kiss; 2017 Film, HD, 19’38”; website, book. #kraftblog #airkiss (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkBuAXfLK1G/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

A wonderful outdoor show curated by brilliant @tactical_tech had opened in front of Berlin's @deutschestechnikmuseum last week as part of @berlinartweek and followed by a screening programme at @hauberlin Amongst many great things it features works by some of my favourite colleagues across the space incl, @disnovation, @nikolasmaigret, Vladan Joler, Agnieszka Kurant, @liam_y, @coralievogelaar and yours truly. #kraftwork #egorkraftwork #kraftblog (at Berlin Technik Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CivGpGyLeGc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Save the date: EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE AN OUTDOOR EXHIBITION BY TACTICAL TECH Berlin. DE. Outside the German Museum of Technology. Opening Event: 14 Sep, 7:00 pm. The outdoor exhibition by Tactical Tech, co-produced by HAU Hebbel am Ufer, explores through the lens of technology how people get informed, make decisions and respond to current global crises like climate change, pandemics or political polarisation. Dear Berliners, you've been missed, hope to CU this coming Wednesdays evening at Tempelhofer Ufer / corner to Trebbiner Straße. The lineup is fantastic and includes the work of over 50 artists, researchers and technologists, including Paolo Cirio, Marjolijn Dijkman, Disnovation.org, Olalekan B. Jeyifous, Vladan Joler, Egor Kraft, Agnieszka Kurant, Sybille Neumeyer, Liam Young, and more. I'm glad to be showing good old 'The New Color' #kraftwork #egorkraftwork #kraftblog https://www.instagram.com/p/CiVX3wkOFX_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

The Lisbon edition of the show NEAR + FUTURES + QUASI + WORLDS recently ended. After having traveled for a while the pieces are to be displayed again in Madrid this coming October. The travelling exhibition NEAR + FUTURES + QUASI + WORLDS was presenting the selection of artworks from twelve artists in Berlin, Lisbon and Bologna, thus surveying seven years of S+T+ARTS: an initiative of the European Commission to foster collaborations between art, science, and technology since 2015. Massive thanks to @startseu, curators Manuel Cirauqui and Silvana Fiorese, State Studio and the colleagues who took part in the show incl. Evelina Domnich and Dmitry Gelfand, Félicie d’Estienne d’Orves, Forensic Architecture, Iris van Herpen, Julia Koerner, So Kanno and Takayuki Yamaguchi, Kasia Molga & Robin Rimbaud aka Scanner, and Etsuko Yakushimaru. #kraftwork #egorkraftwork #kraftblog https://www.instagram.com/p/CidFv8EMh6C/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Here's a few more details from the recent piece Decentralised Embargo [2022] EnBW (client of Gazprom Germania) electricity contract, rack case, open frame server including four Nvidia 3090 GPUs, custom water loop, Ethereum blockchain mining software In May 2022, a month after Russian armed forces invaded Ukraine, the gallery in Berlin was requested by the artist to sign an electricity supply contract with the energy provider EnBW. Known for being a client of Gasprom Germania, a daughter company of a major Russian state-owned multinational energy corporation ranked as the largest publicly listed natural gas company in the world, EnBW generates electricity by burning Russian fossil fuels. In this gallery, the artist set up an ultra-powerful computing server; powered with EnBW-supplied electricity it was mining Ethereum cryptocurrency throughout the duration of the show. This network participation was rewarded with Ethereum tokens, that were transferred to the official wallet address for donations to the government of Ukraine, an invaded country at war. Thus suggesting a strategic diversion at the largest issue within the European economies today - dependence on Russian gas as an infrastructural necessity despite the apparent misalliance with Russian outward politics, and the resulting armed conflict. #kraftwork #egorkraftwork #kraftblog (at alexander levy) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChpN7ynM6Yk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Decentralised Embargo (2022) EnBW (client of Gazprom Germania) electricity contract, rack case, open frame server including four Nvidia 3090 GPUs, custom water loop, Ethereum Blockchain mining software The gallery in Berlin, where the installation was initially exhibited in May 2022, was requested by the artist to sign an electricity supply contract with the energy provider EnBW. The company is known for being a client of Gasprom Germania, a daughter company of a major Russian state-owned multinational energy corporation ranked as the largest publicly listed natural gas company in the world. EnBW generates electricity for the German market by burning Russian fossil fuels. This electricity is then supplied to a powerful computing server set up by the artist as part of his exhibition in the Berlin-based gallery. Custom-assembled hardware components perform the energy-consuming algorithmic process of validating blocks on the Ethereum blockchain, a so-called cryptocurrency mining operation throughout the entire duration of the exhibition. This network participation is rewarded with Ethereum tokens, tradable at their market price. While the machine is mining, these tokens are being transferred to the official Ethereum wallet address for donations to the government of Ukraine, an invaded country at war. Via this chain of events, the installation suggests a strategic diversion at perhaps the largest issue within the European economies today - dependence on Russian fossil fuels as an infrastructural necessity despite the apparent misalliance with Russian outward politics, its agenda regarding Ukraine's political inclination towards Europe, and the resulting atrocious armed conflict. The work was initially presented as part of my solo show Lies, Half-Truths & Propaganda [The Bad, the Worse, and the Worst] at alexanderlevy gallery during the gallery weekend in Berlin. #kraftwork #egorkraftwork #kraftblog https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg_3vKdupOr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Today and tomorrow are the last days to see my show Lies, Half-Truths & Propaganda [The Bad, the Worse, and the Worst] at alexanderlevy gallery in their new space at Alt Moabit 110, Berlin. The show came about as a response to the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. It features a series of works of invited by me artists including those from Ukraine as well as a series of ideas and prototypes that utilise web3 and other developments to fight misinformation that is at the heart of propaganda tactics heavily instrumentalised in this warfare. I will post more on each of the included works later. Photo credit (c) Trevor Good PS I will be at the gallery tomorrow if you would like a guided tour. #kraftwork #kraftblog #egorkraft #hashd0x #alexanderlevy (at alexander levy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cen76cPLz1N/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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about a week ago, before the burn out, post-opening trauma, coffein intoxication and record sleep deprivation so far in the midst of installing my new show Lies, Half-Truths & Propaganda [The Bad, the Worse, and the Worst] at @alexanderlevygallery in their new space in Alt Moabit. The show opened last week as part of the Gallery Weekend Berlin and came about as a response to the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. It features a series of works of invited by me artist and all in all came about through a series of intense cooperations with some brilliant people or there. More on that soon. #kraftblog (at Alt-Moabit) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdOsRNUrYE2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Despite the horror of today's realms I'm glad to announce my participation in an online lecture series co-hosted by European Network for Cinema and Media Studies, on the topic of the impact of AI on contemporary visual culture and artistic practices. The Online Lecture Series is co-organized by Antonio Somaini (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris) together with Alexandra Anikina (London South Bank University, currently Balzan Postdoctoral Fellow within the research project “Aesthetics in the Present”). The history of visual cultures is periodically marked by the appearance of new images and new technologies of vision: images that introduce new forms of representation, and technologies of vision that introduce new ways of seeing, extending and reorganizing the field of the visible, while redrawing the borders between what can and what cannot be seen. In some cases, such changes produce only marginal transformations, whose effects can be felt only within specific areas of a specific visual culture, while in other cases the transformations are vast, tectonic shifts. This is what is currently happening, in a new phase in which AI, machine learning and neural networks are transforming profoundly the ways in which images are produced, modified, circulated, and seen, raising a whole series of aesthetic, epistemological, and political challenges, and leading us to question what we still mean by “image” and “vision” in the context of such vast transformations. The five speakers of the NECS Online Lecture Series – Emanuele Arielli, Tega Brain, Egor Kraft, Helena Nikonole, Joanna Zylinska – will tackle different aspects of this issue, focusing on the emergence of a new “artificial aesthetics” and of a new “extended aesthetic mind” (Arielli), on different possible approaches to the use of neural networks in art (Nikonole), on the way in which AI leads us to question again the status of human and nonhuman “creativity” (Zylinska), on the use of machine-learning processes in historical analysis (Kraft), and on the idea of the code as a “creative medium” (Brain) #kraftwork #cas #contentawarestudies #kraftblog (at Europe) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcjVVwah3QB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[egor-kraft]

Just contributed to UKRAINE DAO www.ukrainedao.love Contributing via traditional payment methods may lead to legal consequences in Russia as its authorities quickly pulled a regulation forcing any monetary or humanitarian support of Ukraine illegal. Hence crypto is the way. The project seems legit to me. #kraftblog (at Ukraine Україна) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cafx7u-LM-w/?utm_medium=tumblr