BASED ON IDEAS OF Cheonghye Sophia
Cheonghye Sophia is a multidisciplinary artist based in Trondheim and Berlin. Her current work explores the concept of process as material, questioning the materiality of a process and the method of working with it. Considering the process as everything that happens in everyday life, she uses sensors such as microphones to digitise the elements of happenings in the physical environment.
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The work in this article is an intermediate result of Sophia`s original project. I tried to summarize my personal thoughts about it. It`s valued for people who enjoy developing simple ideas inspired by original projects.
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The world of art is constantly evolving, shaped by new materials and technologies that push creative boundaries. Today, we find ourselves at an intersection of biology, neuroscience, and generative design—a space where real-life data inspires artificial life.
From Brainwaves to Artificial Life
At the heart of this work is the ability to translate the intangible—human emotions—into something tangible. By using a device to capture EEG signals from a creative brain, I transformed raw neurological data into the basis for generating unique digital entities. Each entity represents an individual aspect of the artist’s mental state at the time of data collection. These entities, rendered as autonomous, evolving forms, inhabit a virtual panel, creating an ever-changing visual narrative.
The Dynamics of Interaction: A Digital Survival of the Fittest
Once generated, the entities exist in a shared environment, where their behavior is dictated by algorithms inspired by natural selection and competition. In this space, they interact, move, and ultimately engage in a process of "absorption." Each entity strives to consume others, mimicking the primal survival instinct observed in nature. This dynamic culminates in a singular outcome: only one entity can remain, the “survivor” of this digital battleground.
This evolutionary behavior is not purely aesthetic; it mirrors the way biological entities interact and compete for resources. The interplay between the entities creates a mesmerizing, chaotic dance of survival, drawing parallels between the organic and the synthetic, the emotional and the algorithmic.
Artistic Implications: Creating from the Subconscious
The result is more than a technical experiment; it’s a medium for artistic exploration. By using an artist’s EEG signals as input, the entities are inherently personal, shaped by the individual’s unique mental landscape. The entities act as a bridge between the subconscious and the digital world, offering a novel way to externalize their inner states and engage with their creations on a deeply intimate level.
The survival mechanism adds another layer of meaning. The process of absorption and competition can be interpreted as a metaphor for the struggles of creation itself—ideas clashing, some being consumed, and others thriving to completion.
Pushing the Boundaries of Creative Technology
This experiment raises thought-provoking questions about the relationship between human creativity and artificial systems. What happens when art is no longer entirely in the artist’s control but instead co-created by generative systems? Can these autonomous entities, born of neurological data, be considered an extension of the artist, or do they become independent forms of expression?
Moreover, the project demonstrates the potential of using real-life data to create generative art that evolves, reacts, and interacts in ways that are both unpredictable and captivating.
A Glimpse into the Future
This experiment is only the beginning. By integrating real-world data like EEG signals into the creative process, we open doors to entirely new art forms that blur the lines between creator, creation, and observer. The intersection of neuroscience, generative algorithms, and artistic expression represents a fertile ground for innovation, offering a glimpse into a future where art and technology coexist in harmony.
In this evolving narrative, the digital entities are not merely code; they are reflections of the artist’s mind, rendered as vibrant, evolving forms. For artists and creatives alike, projects like these invite a rethinking of what art can be and how it can be created—making the intangible tangible and the subconscious visible.
Take a view of sample codes in action:
https://pandorium.eu/2dent/