Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire

Kevin Donnelly 

 
BA [Hons] Art

Currently, my art practice is video and concept-based that utilises current technology and AI as a tool to couple visual and video processes. I like to think about the line between art and technological advances and appreciate the variety using digital art forms. I often include a performance element to explore personal and social topics. In my recent work my performance has related to social media, data and machine learning. I like to juxtapose the quality of the narrative I am creating to the many alternative function’s technology offers us. My current research is an experimentation of using artificial intelligence as an art assisted tool.

Artificial Contemplation

‘Artificial Contemplation’ is a work that explores the relationship between artists and Artificially Intelligent systems. This piece aims to contrast and compare the imaginatively driven humanistic approach to art creation, with the statistically generative processes of Machine Learning. I create a unique visual style by leveraging AI video generation software which uses a neural network architecture designed to mimic neural activity observed in the human brain. This is achieved by feeding AI generated images into the neural network in combination with raw video of the artist. The video presented to the AI focuses on a silent contemplation of ideas and thoughts that comes from my own emotions and experiences as an artist, which can be interpreted in a variety of ways by the viewer. The goal of this piece is to find an equilibrium between technological ability of AI and artistic expression.


The Use of New Technology Within Contemporary Art.

An examination the interaction of an artist with the technology being used, I’ll be looking at how technology has been used by artists with varying levels of success. Artists are presently taking major strides in innovations either knowingly or unknowingly during this technological advancement. I want to find out whether artists can have the same impact in progressing technology in comparison to other academic fields like that of scientific impact on technology.