In my continuous endeavor to map the cultural identity and sense of belonging among individuals in London, I engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue with a Chinese multi-displicinary visual artist and tech expert today.
Yu Chen, multi-displicinary visual artist, graduated from MA of information experience design, Royal College of Arts.
The insights gleaned from this conversation have proven invaluable, offering fresh perspectives on my project.
Q: How do visual arts play a role in helping individuals explore and express their cultural identity in a city as diverse as London?
As a visual artist, I see art as a language that speaks where words sometimes cannot. In a city brimming with diversity, art can highlight personal stories and cultural dialogues. For your project, consider the elements that trigger emotions and memories for your participants – these are the keys to their cultural identities.
Q: During city walks, what should I capture to reflect the participants’ cultural experiences?
Encourage your participants to document what catches their eye or stirs their emotions. These spontaneous captures, be it through a quick photo or a scribble in a notebook, will be the genuine expressions of their cultural encounters.
Q: “Making collage of personal identity” is widely used to reflect individual’s cultural identity. Considering organising this kind of collage workshop (no matter online or physical) will take too much time for participants which will reduce their desire to attend, do you have any suggestions?
Using AI drawing tool could be considered as it could not only generate the picture very fast, but also help you to cover people who is not good at drawing or making collage. What’ important ,there’s no need for participants prepare anything in advance.
Q: How can AI assist in creating personalized cultural maps that reflect complex cultural identities?
AI can sort through the rich data from your walks, identifying patterns and preferences. Just remember, the technology should amplify personal stories, not replace them. Keep your participants involved in the process to ensure their stories are told authentically.
Q: How to ensure the AI-created maps respect individual uniqueness while also showing their global connections?
Balance is essential. When you design your AI system, it needs to be flexible enough to recognize and celebrate individuality. At the same time, it should draw connections to the broader global narrative that each person is a part of.
Q: How to balance artistic freedom with a deep understanding of participants’ cultural backgrounds?
Start with empathy and research. Your interventions should be rooted in the real stories and backgrounds of your participants. Create spaces where they feel safe to express their cultural narratives – that’s where the most authentic art comes from.
Q: Do you have any other suggestions on my project?
Considering to move to 3D can bring a new level of depth and interaction to your work. It’s an exciting step that can make the cultural journey more tangible for participants. Collaborate with experts in 3D visualization to ensure the experience is immersive and accessible to all.
After the interview, I start to conduct the research on AI-based tools for creating digital arts. According to Aela (2023), using AI drawing tool could generate a large variety of images quickly and efficiently. AI-based digital creation tool can open up new possibilities for artists and designers, , allowing them to create stunning and abstract works of art.
Then, I decide to discover if AI drawing tool- Midjourney could satisfy with my requirement on generate the “personal cultural map” and how the output and effect are.
Reference:
Aela, E. (2023). Artificial Intelligence: How AI is Changing Art. [online] aelaschool.com. Available at: https://aelaschool.com/en/art/artificial-intelligence-art-changes/ [Accessed 3 Nov. 2023].