MFA|EDA Salon
Rotating guest curators from MFA|EDA present programs of notable moving image work one Sunday each month.

Program #3: The Neural Aesthetic with Gene Kogan
Curated by Sarah Riazati

Seating is limited, RSVP is requested: mfaedasalon@gmail.com

Over the past several years, two trends in machine learning have converged to pique the curiosity of artists working with code: the proliferation of powerful open source deep learning frameworks like TensorFlow and Torch, and the emergence of data-intensive generative models for hallucinating images, sounds, and text as though they came from the oeuvre of Shakespeare, Picasso, or just a gigantic database of digitized cats.

This talk will review these developments through the lens of creative, exploratory research. Artistic metaphor helps clarify that which is otherwise shrouded by layers of academic jargon, making these highly specialized subjects more accessible. A selection of experimental projects at the intersection of AI and new media art will be shown, including several real-time interactive demos. It will conclude with a survey of interdisciplinary tools and learning resources for artists and data scientists alike, offering an accessible introduction to this field.

Gene Kogan is an artist and a programmer who is interested in generative systems, computer science, and software for creativity and self-expression. He is a collaborator within numerous open-source software projects, and gives workshops and lectures on topics at the intersection of code and art. Gene initiated ml4a, a free book about machine learning for artists, activists, and citizen scientists, and regularly publishes video lectures, writings, and tutorials to facilitate a greater public understanding of the subject.

Why is a Raven Like a Writing Desk? from Gene Kogan on Vimeo.

Sponsored by the Master of Fine Arts in Experimental & Documentary Arts (MFA|EDA), and the Program in the Arts of the Moving Image (AMI).

Screen/Society screenings are free and open to the public.

Parking Info:  https://artscenter.duke.edu/parking/