Circular Repetition

"Circular Repetition" harnesses machine learning to reimagine Islamic ornamental designs. Processing over 15,000 archived patterns, it generates novel ones, blurring lines between cultural authenticity and AI constructs. The work probes tradition's evolution, challenging how we discern genuine heritage from digital reinterpretation in our modern era.

Details
Year

2019

Exhibition

La Biennale di Venezia

Gallery

Azerbaijan Pavilion

Location

Venice, Italy

Brief

Statement

Culture has long been an inspirational and educational beacon for humanity. Preserved with reverence, it is an emblem of traditions, values, rituals, and societal rules that society perpetuates. As time progresses, society has recognized the pressing need for evolution. This evolution, rooted in cultural development, has pivoted towards optimizing traditional practices by leveraging cutting-edge technologies. In this age of digitization, data has taken precedence over traditional narratives, serving as the primary medium for cultural communication. Data, though often chaotic and disorganized, encompasses a myriad of information that speaks volumes.

"Circular Repetition" is an avant-garde installation that dives deep into this evolving landscape. With a foundation of over 15,000 archived ornamental images from global museums and libraries, this installation harnesses the power of state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms. These algorithms, channeled through a robust neural network, analyze Islamic patterns, generating infinite imaginative patterns hitherto unseen.

Repetition, the recurring motif, no longer remains an isolated perspective or a mere echo of our perception. It embodies the imprints we leave behind, the legacies we craft. Through the lens of machine intelligence, "Circular Repetition" challenges and reshapes our understanding of repetition, urging viewers to question, redefine, and reimagine.

Drawing inspiration from the intricate Islamic patterns, the visual component of this installation offers a fascinating journey. It showcases the prowess of AI as it creates, mimics, and even falsifies the traditional learning processes typically passed down through generations. Far from being just an imitation, by accessing vast datasets of authentic ornaments, AI emerges not as a mere student but as a pioneering innovator, reimagining and revitalizing culture.

Beyond mere patterns, AI here ventures into the realm of conceptual creation, crafting new meanings and blurring the lines between the authentic and the fabricated. Such endeavors, wherein non-human intelligence steps into roles previously occupied by traditional craftsmanship, underscore the ever-evolving narrative of cultural development.

In "Circular Repetition," witness the harmony of tradition and technology, as AI pays homage to the past while crafting the future.

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Video Documentary