Artificial Intelligentsia

Learn more about the history of artificial intelligence, digital art, and vanguard creative practices.

Curators' Note

"Language has been given to [people] so that [they] may make Surrealist use of it."

Andre Breton, Surrealist Manifesto, 1924.

One hundred years ago, in the wake of the First World War, a group of artists coalesced in Paris, seeking free and unencumbered access to the imagination and subconscious. Under the name "Surrealists," these artists used exercises in dream analysis and free association to guide their arts practice.

In one such exercise, called Exquisite Corpse, participants would make a drawing on a piece of paper guided by their subconscious, then fold the paper to hide their sketch, and pass it to another artist who would continue the "automatic" drawing. Unfolded to reveal the composite drawing, Exquisite Corpse was not only a collaboration between artists, but with chance, serendipity, and happenstance.

Today, OpenAI's image-generation platform, DALL-E2, takes its namesake from the most popularly recognized artist associated with Surrealism, Salvador Dali. DALL-E2, and other AI-image generators, are built on a diffusion model-- a type of generative model trained on large collections of image data that obscures images with noise, then attempts to recover image data by learning to reverse the process. Much like the Surrealists, who took the diffuse data of their own dreams and reassembled them into uncanny and haunting works of art, DALL-E2 uses its diffusion model to generate original images based on text prompts supplied by users.

Artificial Intelligentsia invites the creative writers at the helm of Northwestern's literary magazine, Helicon, to engage in their own version of Exquisite Corpse with DALL-E2. Exchanging prose, prompts, and images to create new works, our participating writers explore the advantages, surprises, pitfalls, and challenges of AI-image generation as a creative tool of the future.

The pursuit of complex, adaptive, and highly capable artificial intelligence began in the early 1950s; now, 70 years later, technologists and tastemakers alike predict we are at the swell of a tidal shift in computation, led by advances in AI. While AI stands to change the way we interact with technology, from our personal devices to data infrastructures, it is essential that we meet that change with care and keen criticism.

Dall-E2 and other image generators have been proven to disproportionately produce whitewashed and hypersexualized images unless prompted to otherwise, and even then to inconsistent results. Technoethicists, activists, policymakers, and journalists alike have repeatedly reminded us that the algorithms that structure neural networks reflect the humans that wrote them, amplifying their biases and blindspots.

At the intersection of art and technology, Artificial Intelligentsia invites viewers to follow their curiosity and concern for the future of AI through the resources collected below. Far from extensive, this cursory reference library provides introductions to the history of AI, current developments in public policy, digital art and new media, with the intention of opening discussion on what an accessible, representative, and just technological future may look like.

Lily Glaubinger

1

"Had she been aware of the specter behind her, perhaps she would have known better than to write her secrets out in pen."

1

"Had she been aware of the specter behind her, perhaps she would have known better than to write her secrets out in pen."

1

"Had she been aware of the

behind her, perhaps she would have known better than to write her secrets out in pen."

Woman writing in journal being followed by

in gothic style.

Woman writing in journal being followed by specter in gothic style.

2

"Once the victim's specter had found peace, she wrote his account into her journal. She did not know whether his spirit would disappear when he fell asleep, but she hoped her intuition and detective skills would finally put this case to rest."

2

"Once the

specter had found peace, she wrote his account into her

She did not know whether his spirit would disappear when he fell

but she hoped her intuition and detective skills would finally put this case to rest."

Woman detective writing in

while ghost of

in bed in noir style

Woman detective writing in journal while ghost of victim sleeps in bed in noir style

3

"She was a doctor, and she was a detective. This made her cases rather complicated, but she kept her head held high with her stethoscope around her neck and logged his medical history along with the account of his murder. His phantom writhed in pain behind her. Clearly, his death had not been a peaceful one."

3

She was a doctor and she was a

. This made her cases rather complicated, but she kept her head held high with her

and logged his

history along with the account of his murder. His

writhed in pain behind her. Clearly, his death had not been a peaceful one."

Woman

with

writes in

journal while anguished

screams behind her.

Woman detective-doctor with stethoscope around neck writes in medical journal while anguished phantom screams behind her.

4

"The doctor paced around the abandoned mansion's foyer, chewing tobacco (which she already knew was a vice, thank you very much) with reckless abandon. She paid no heed to the detective's words. All talk of hauntings was pure superstition, and she was above believing in that nonsense. Therefore, when the wailing phantom popped out of the closet, she knew none the wiser. She had been dead on arrival."

4

"The

paced around the abandoned

foyer,

(which she already knew was a vice, thank you very much) with reckless abandon. She paid no heed to the detective's words. All talk of hauntings was pure superstition, and she was above believing in that nonsense. Therefore, when the

popped out of the closet, she knew none the wiser. She had been dead on arrival."

attacks woman

in a haunted

in horror style

Wailing phantom attacks woman doctor chewing tobacco in a haunted mansion in horror style

5

"The ghost was chasing her down the hall. She couldn't see it, but the supernatural was the only logical explanation. The whisps of its existence--the only sign it was there--streamed behind her like toilet paper stuck on a child's shoe. She had taken what food she could and ran. Maybe stealing salmon from a haunted house wasn't the best idea, but... she had done stranger things in her life. She was a doctor. Maybe she could tell everyone she did it for science."

5

"The

was chasing her down the

She couldn't see it, but the supernatural was the only logical explanation. The whisps of its existence--the only sign it was there--streamed behind her like toilet paper stuck on a child's shoe. She had taken what food she could and ran. Maybe stealing

from a haunted house wasn't the best idea, but... she had done stranger things in her life. She was a

Maybe she could tell everyone she did it for science."

Woman

carrying a plate of

is chased down a

way by a

Woman doctor carrying a plate of salmon is chased down a hallway by a ghost

Skye Tarshis

1

Headphones on ears, you stood by the roof of your red house. Bare-faced, no blush melting down your mouth.

1

Headphones on ears, you stood by the roof of your red house. Bare-faced, no blush melting down your mouth.

1

ears, you stood by the

of your

Bare-faced, no blush melting down your mouth.

Person with

crying no makeup, painting

Person with headphones on roof of red house, crying no makeup, painting

2

She sat on the red brick, enveloped in the pink sky. Listening to her ex lover's song, all she could envision were these violent shades: bright glaring white and blood red, the anger which he felt towards her palpable through her headphones.

2

She sat on the red brick, enveloped in the

Listening to her ex lover's song, all she could envision were these

bright

and

the

which he felt towards her palpable through her headphones.

music listener,

silhouette

Angry music listener, pink sky violent shades, white glare, red blood, silhouette

3

Envisioning herself in his body, a pang overcame her-whether it was guilt or empathy she could not tell. She had the sudden sense that she was outside of herself, watching a strange girl letting out a strange screech like a rooster.

3

Envisioning herself in his body, a pang overcame her-whether it was guilt or empathy she could not tell. She had the sudden sense that she was outside of herself,

a strange girl letting out a strange

like a

Conflicted woman inside of man,

woman and

Conflicted woman inside of man, watching woman and rooster screech

4

On the most tiring days, it helped to imagine her husband trapped in this painting in the living room. He could be in another realm entirely, flailing his limbs to cross some threshold he couldn't see. Help! Help! He would scream, and to her it would sound like nothing more than an underwater gurgling. Yet a guilt accompanied her dissociative ritual, following her like an obsequious bird threatening to raise its wings and topple the very foundation of her house.

4

On the most tiring days, it helped to imagine her husband trapped in this painting in the living room. He could be in another realm entirely,

his limbs to cross some threshold he couldn't see. Help! Help! He would scream, and to her it would sound like nothing more than an underwater gurgling. Yet a

accompanied her dissociative ritual, following her like an

to raise its wings and topple the very foundation of her

woman thinking in crumbling

drowning

blind man,

in watercolor.

Guilty woman thinking in crumbling house, flailing drowning screaming blind man, threatening obsequious bird, in watercolor.

5

So the bird built its nest on her roof. When all else was quiet in the house, she could hear its scuttling above her. Sometimes it sounded like two or three birds, all seizing her home as her own. She didn't want to tell her husband about the bird, precisely because his reaction would be so mild and incurious.

5

So the

built its

on her roof. When all else was quiet in the

she could hear its scuttling above her. Sometimes it sounded like two or three birds, all seizing her home as her own. She didn't want to tell her husband about the bird, precisely because his reaction would be so

and

chaotically building

above quiet

with nervous woman

and

man inside

Birds chaotically building nest above quiet house with nervous woman mild and incurious man inside

Natalie Jarrett

1

Once again, I've been preceded
By a flock of geese, without a sound
bowing their heads into

the earth, a whole mass of them
already locked into the cold
calculus of the morning

1

Once again, I've been preceded
By a flock of geese, without a sound
bowing their heads into

the earth, a whole mass of them
already locked into the cold
calculus of the morning

1

Once again, I've been preceded
By a

without a sound
bowing their heads into

the earth, a whole mass of them
already locked into the

calculus of the

Person following a

in the

as a painting

Person following a flock of geese in the cold morning as a painting

2

"The lake had become polluted over the years. A neighboring power-plant opened up about a decade ago, and with minimal oversight, was able to dump toxic waste directly into the lake. This is the most geese I've seen in a while, but most will end up dead by the end of the week if they stay here."

2

"The lake had become polluted over the years. A neighboring power-plant opened up about a decade ago, and with minimal oversight, was able to dump

waste directly into the lake. This is the most

I've seen in a while, but most will end up dead by the end of the week if they stay here."

dying in a

lake wildlife photography

Geese dying in a toxic lake wildlife photography

3

"On April 20, 2010, an explosion at the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig released over 130 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. It was the biggest oil spill ever in U.S. waters and remains one of the worst environmental disasters in world history."

-Excerpt from National Geographic, "Ten years later, BP oil spill continues to harm wildlife"

Marine animals protesting photograph

4

"The dolphins have been protesting for 10 weeks, hoping to put an end to the practice known as Fo' Sulping.' The deadly practice has already claimed the lives of 15 other dolphins, but with no end in sight, protests have broken out on beaches across the nation."

4

Dolphins at the picket line vintage photograph

5

"This day in history: 50 years ago, a hoard of dolphins swam to Coney Island to campaign for their right to play volleyball."

5

"This day in history: 50 years ago, a hoard of dolphins swam to Coney Island to campaign for their right to play volleyball."

5

"This day in history: 50 years ago, a hoard of

swam to Coney Island to campaign for their right to play

playing professional

Dolphins playing professional volleyball

Ann Gaither

1

I fashion my Fallopian tubes into slingshots, sending wailing babies sailing into the lungs of heaving Goliath. He breathes them in.

1

I fashion my Fallopian tubes into slingshots, sending wailing babies sailing into the lungs of heaving Goliath. He breathes them in.

1

I fashion my

tubes into

sending wailing

sailing into the lungs of heaving

He breathes them in.

Woman faces

with a

made out of

tubes full of

Woman faces Goliath with a slingshot made out of Fallopian tubes full of babies

2

I cradle my innards in my arms and scream. My eyes bulge. They watch as I grasp on to myself--as I spill out of myself. "Vulnerability!" they say.

People look at a painting of a woman who holds stringy meat

3

Streaks of blue goop spill down the painting, down my leg.

3

Streaks of blue goop spill down the painting, down my leg.

3

Streaks of

spill down the painting, down my

spills onto someone's

in the style of a renaissance painting

Blue goop spills onto someone's leg in the style of a renaissance painting

4

My hands sculpt the sludge. It crawls out of itself: a living thing. Dancing, as prompted by my fingers.

4

My hands sculpt the sludge. It crawls out of itself: a living thing. Dancing, as prompted by my fingers.

4

My hands

the

It crawls out of itself: a

thing. Dancing, as prompted by my fingers.

Person

that dances 3d art

Person sculpting living sludge that dances 3d art

5

The ashes had long since left Pompeii. It left sculptures in the hot sun. Though they were made of dust, they were still human. And so, they were consumed by the very same things which consume the rest of us who die less dramatic deaths.

5

The ashes had long since left

It left

in the hot

Though they were made of dust, they were still human. And so, they were consumed by the very same things which consume the rest of us who die less dramatic deaths.

of preserved person in

is decomposing in the

Sculpture of preserved person in Pompeii is decomposing in the sun.

Alivia Wynn

1

I track the time by counting dustbunnies on qvc boxes and yellow photos

1

I track the time by counting dustbunnies on qvc boxes and yellow photos

Woman tracking time by counting dustbunnies on qvc boxes and yellow photos

2

I remember when I was young, I left a mango in a sandwich bag and it started to sprout what I thought looked like legs.
And it was my closest friend. I kept her around, and I called her Molly. But in the end, she rotted. and I was left with black mush in a bag.

2

I remember when I was young, I left a

in a

and it started to sprout what I thought looked like legs.
And it was my closest friend. I kept her around, and I called her Molly. But in the end, she rotted. and I was left with black mush in a bag.

Young Caribbean boy smiling with a

in a

in the style of a polaroid picture

Young Caribbean boy smiling with a mango in a sandwich bag in the style of a polaroid picture

3

There's a file on black boy joy. it includes the sweet skin of mangos and the familiar scent of my grandmother's kitchen
those grungy fruit magnets and the photos of my aunts and my father. the grooves in the wall where i can see my father's boyhood.

3

There's a file on black boy joy. it includes the sweet skin of mangos and the familiar scent of my grandmother's

those grungy

magnets and the photos of my aunts and my father. the grooves in the wall where i can see my father's boyhood.

Sunny old New Orleans

with one table and a bowl of exotic

Sunny old New Orleans kitchen with one table and a bowl of exotic fruit

4

grandma made orange pound cake for my birthdays, because that was my favorite fruit.
She didn't pick the oranges from some sprawling garden, how could she with concrete for a back yard and one lively hackberry growing through the sidewalk out front.
She bought oranges from the orange man at the market.
and eggs from the egg woman and powdered sugar from the grocery store.
Grandma made orange poundcake for my birthdays.
and because it was my day she took me along, and let me lick the spoon.
but they were always extra sweet. her thick wrinkled fingers zesting oranges and softening the fruit

4

made orange pound

for my birthdays, because that was my favorite fruit.
She didn't pick the oranges from some sprawling garden, how could she with concrete for a back yard and one lively hackberry growing through the sidewalk out front.
She bought oranges from the orange man at the market.
and eggs from the egg woman and powdered sugar from the grocery store.
Grandma made orange poundcake for my birthdays.
and because it was my day she took me along, and let me lick the spoon.
but they were always extra sweet. her thick wrinkled fingers zesting oranges and softening the fruit

Short black boy and

making a

in an old New Orleans kitchen

Short black boy and grandma making a cake in an old New Orleans kitchen

5

I never liked football. sometimes i enjoyed soccer, if the grass was green enough. but at the same time, i felt some shame trampling a perfect lawn. Sunday dinner in a hot kitchen tended to bring me more comfort. Something heavy and savory broiled in the oven for how long. Stirring a cup of sugar into pitchers of sweet tea and lemonade. My aunt hovering over popping oil; my grandmother peeling vegetables. At some point her knees became weak and she started to lead our family from the kitchen table. Telling recipes and the stories they reminded her of. Sunday dinner, brought me peace.

5

table. Telling recipes and the stories they reminded her of. Sunday dinner, brought me peace.

Black extended family cooking soul food in a New Orleans

in the style of a painting

Black extended family cooking soul food in a New Orleans kitchen in the style of a painting

Exit Interviews

The Exhibition

Reading List

At the intersection of art and technology, Artificial Intelligentsia invites viewers to follow their curiosity and concern for the future of AI through the resources collected below. Far from extensive, this cursory reference library provides introductions to the history of AI, current conversations in technoethics, and contemporary digital art with the intention of opening discussion on what an accessible, representative, and just technological future might look like.

Audry, Sofian, and Yoshua Bengio, Art in the Age of Machine Learning. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2021.

Cox, Donna J., Ellen Sandor, and Janine Fron. New Media Futures: the Rise of Women in the Digital Arts. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2018.

Katz, Yarden. Artificial Whiteness: Politics and Ideology in Artificial Intelligence. New York: Columbia University Press, 2020.

Leaver, Tama. Artificial Culture: Identity, Technology and Bodies. New York: Routledge, 2012.

Paul, Christine. Digital Art. 2nd ed. London: Thames & Hudson, 2008.

Rinehart, Richard, and Jon Ippolito. Re-Collection: Art, Media, and Social Memory. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2014.

Simanowski, Roberto. Digital Art and Meaning: Reading Kinetic Poetry, Text Machines, Mapping Art, and Interactive Installations. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.

Winston, Patrick Henry. Artificial Intelligence. 3rd ed. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley Pub. Co., 1992.

Wittke, Henry Alexander. Artificial Intelligence: An Approach to Assess the Impact on the Information Economy. Baden-Baden: Tectum Verlag, 2020.

Woolridge, Michael J. A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence: What It Is, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going. First U.S. edition. New York: Flatiron Books, 2021.

Credits

Curated By

Kat Caribeaux

PhD Candidate, Art History
Innovator-in-Residence,
Northwestern IT Media & Technology Innovation

Craig Stevens

PhD Candidate, Anthropology
Innovator-in-Residence,
Northwestern IT Media & Technology Innovation

Northwestern IT Media & Technology Innovation

Video Production

Nate Bartlett, Senior Digital Media Specialist

Production Support

Zoran Ilic, Senior Systems Administrator

UI/UX Design

Natalie Roman, Senior UX/UI Designer