“Aurora”, a magical journey to our perception / 06/28/2021, 05.08 am / BigGAN (Generative Adversarial Networks) image training model / Freeform / Limited collection of 20 images and two video artwork

In my project, Aurora I am interested in experimenting with the visual representation of phenomena and how our perception of the “unknown” changes over time. In the past, this natural occurrence was interpreted in spiritual, mythological stories passed down for generations. The “unknown” was reflected in legends about gods, spirits of the past and future, and many otherworldly ideas of an existence beyond earthly matters. The sublime beauty of observing rippling, colorful lights in a constant dance between the viewer and the sky inspired spiritual curiosity in us. As our world has changed, technology has provided different knowledge and digital replications of the natural experience. In this context, the perception of sensory experience, memory, and interpretation through technology plays an essential role in my project’s exploration.

We are in constant confrontation between the real and reflected experience between nature and images outside of physical space. Examining this relationship with artificial intelligence, I left the interpretative space of the “unknown” to a machine. The algorithm acts as a mythological interpreter and translates these dimensions from the point of view of a machine, inputting data from our own collective memories through information. Aurora is then interpreted by our human visual experiences through representation. In the shape of shimmering lights across digital space, the algorithm creates a visual resemblance to an iris; shifting and moving as perception and memory change over time.