Mirror Stage
exhibition, Vejle Kunstmuseum, 2024 - 2025
In an era dominated by pervasive image manipulation, the relentless pursuit of physical ideals both on screens and in real life raises profound questions. What defines the perfection we seek in our physical faces and bodies? Mirror Stage attempts to blend classical ideals and new technologies in order to interrogate our societal notions of bodily perfection and our evolving connection to new technologies.
Mirror Stage is a collaborative venture between myself and artificial intelligence. At the heart of this endeavor is the use of text prompts to engage OpenAI's Point E, a machine learning system that generates 3D point clouds that can be turned into objects. Guided by prompts inspired by the physical ideals found in classical Western sculpture, such as 'a delicate female face' or 'the strong face of a god,' I and Point E endeavor to imagine and sculpt the quintessential human visage.
This experiment is a dance between human expression and machine interpretation, existing in the uncanny valley between the digital and the tangible. The resulting forms embrace and attempt to highlight the glitches and imperfections that are always inherent in emerging technologies. Here AI is in the spotlight, as it operates using vast data sets created and aggregated by humans; the imperfections inherent in this particular technology are directly connected to our own. Mirror Stage is a challenge to reconsider our perception of the flawless and to interrogate our evolving relationships with the machines and systems that increasingly shape our daily lives.
Through the lens of these human-machine-crafted faces, this work encourages contemplation on the intersections between our humanity and our technologies and invites viewers to engage with the beautiful flaws that emerge from the gaps between human aspirations and the imprecise artistry of artificial intelligence. As we humans navigate this emerging landscape, Mirror Stage aims to be a mirror reflecting not only our ideals but also the complexities of our existence in an age of relentless technological innovation.
This project is shown as a part of the group exhibition Kropumulig Kroputrolig at the Vejle Kunstmuseum in Vejle, DK. The exhibition was curated by Trine Grøne and features artists Mia Mai Dengsø Graabæk, Soren Thilo Funder and Lærke Posselt. Exhibition images courtesy of Kenneth Stjernegaard and Vejle Kunstmuseum. Funding for realizing this work courtesy of Statens Kunstfond and Vejle Kunstmuseum.
+ Vejle Museums’ Exhibition Page
+ Press Release
Mirror Stage is a collaborative venture between myself and artificial intelligence. At the heart of this endeavor is the use of text prompts to engage OpenAI's Point E, a machine learning system that generates 3D point clouds that can be turned into objects. Guided by prompts inspired by the physical ideals found in classical Western sculpture, such as 'a delicate female face' or 'the strong face of a god,' I and Point E endeavor to imagine and sculpt the quintessential human visage.
This experiment is a dance between human expression and machine interpretation, existing in the uncanny valley between the digital and the tangible. The resulting forms embrace and attempt to highlight the glitches and imperfections that are always inherent in emerging technologies. Here AI is in the spotlight, as it operates using vast data sets created and aggregated by humans; the imperfections inherent in this particular technology are directly connected to our own. Mirror Stage is a challenge to reconsider our perception of the flawless and to interrogate our evolving relationships with the machines and systems that increasingly shape our daily lives.
Through the lens of these human-machine-crafted faces, this work encourages contemplation on the intersections between our humanity and our technologies and invites viewers to engage with the beautiful flaws that emerge from the gaps between human aspirations and the imprecise artistry of artificial intelligence. As we humans navigate this emerging landscape, Mirror Stage aims to be a mirror reflecting not only our ideals but also the complexities of our existence in an age of relentless technological innovation.
This project is shown as a part of the group exhibition Kropumulig Kroputrolig at the Vejle Kunstmuseum in Vejle, DK. The exhibition was curated by Trine Grøne and features artists Mia Mai Dengsø Graabæk, Soren Thilo Funder and Lærke Posselt. Exhibition images courtesy of Kenneth Stjernegaard and Vejle Kunstmuseum. Funding for realizing this work courtesy of Statens Kunstfond and Vejle Kunstmuseum.
+ Vejle Museums’ Exhibition Page
+ Press Release
A head with flowing hair, archival inkjet print of AI-generated mesh, 70 x 100 cm.
A delicate female face, archival inkjet print of AI-generated mesh, 70 x 100 cm.
A beautiful visage, archival inkjet print of AI-generated mesh, 70 x 100 cm.
A perfect human face, 3D-printed plaster/bioplastic sculpture, 16 x 16 x 19 cm.
Detail.
An ideal face, 3D-printed plaster/bioplastic sculpture, 19 x 13 x 16 cm.
The face of a god, 3D-printed plaster/bioplastic sculpture, 12 x 10 x 15 cm.
Detail.
Surface detail.