Algorithms in Art by Magda Stanová

People interested in artificial intelligence usually ask whether computers could become as intelligent and creative as humans. I decided to think about it the other way around: I'm interested in the extent to which the creative process of artists is algorithmic. It's not difficult to create something that will look like art; you just need to imitate an already existing genre or style. The challenge is to create something that will be able to trigger an art experience. In this visual essay, I'm studying where, in a spectrum of different kinds of experiences (jokes, magic tricks, pleasure from solving a mathematical or scientific problem), there are thrills triggered by art. All of these experiences depend on a sufficient amount of novelty. Therefore, the creators of experience triggers face the same problem: the impact of a joke, a magic trick, or an artwork tends to diminish when heard/seen repeatedly. The human brain has evolved in a way that it is able to distinguish repeating patterns, formulas, schemes, algorithms. Uncovering an algorithm causes pleasure. But once an algorithm is uncovered, it does not cause pleasure any more. To trigger an experience of the same intensity, we need a new trigger. In this work, I also address the question of why certain types of triggers wear off more slowly than others. The outcomes of this project are a book—a visual essay in which drawings and texts form one line of an argument—and a series of lecture-like events, in which I combine sincerity and directness of lectures, panel discussions, and guided tours with richer ways of expression typical for object theatre, performances, and magic shows.

A L G O R I T H M S I N A R T

by Magda Stanová

A B O U T

Algorithms in Art was my dissertation (2016) for the Fine Arts program of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, produced under the guidance of Tomáš Vaněk.

The inspiration for this project was the class Language and Logic taught by Vince Corvo at the San Francisco Art Institute in the spring semester of 2009. An early version of this work was my MFA exhibition at the same school.

The outcomes of this project take the forms of book and various lecture-like events.

B O O K

hardcover, 128 pages, 22.2 × 18.4 cm

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S

I would like to thank Tomáš Vaněk, my advisor, and Vince Corvo, whose class was the inspiration for this project.

I would further like to thank Becca Krock, Dino Dvořák, Dagmar Svatošová, Roman Babjak, Mária Stanová, Peter Stano, Eva Ellingerová, Alessandra Landi, Jan Šerých, and Lukáš Válka.

Research of the topic and production of the book were financially supported by the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under the grant program “Studentská grantová soutěž na podporu projektů specifického vysokoškolského výzkumu”.

Part of the research was done during the artist-in-residence programs of the Visegrad Fund and Centre for Contemporary Art Futura, in 2011 at Futura in Prague and in 2014 at the Triangle Arts Association in Brooklyn.

The English edition of the book was additionally supported by the NOVUM Foundation and using public funds provided by the Slovak Arts Council. This book reflects the views only of the author, and the Council cannot be held responsible for the information contained therein.

English edition

Algorithms in Art

publishers: Nakladatelství AVU / Academy of Fine Arts in Prague & CEE PhotoFund

editor: Becca Krock

December 2016

Slovak edition

Algoritmy v umení

publisher: Academy of Fine Arts in Prague

December 2015

The book is available at artmap.cz.

L E C T U R E - L I K E E V E N T S

Algorithms in Photography

performative lecture, circa 30 min.

The Moment when Everything Was Possible

performative guided tour, circa 15 min.

Discussion with Scientists on Art

panel discussion, circa 2 hours

Lady with Two Heads

lecture show, circa 25 min.

Algorithms in Art

lecture show, circa 30 min.

The following video is a recording of the lecture show Algorithms in Art that took place at Prague College in 2019. (The lecture show was followed by an artist talk.)

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