Naufrágio Marítimo | Naufrágio Espacial

Tobias Gaede

Este ensaio é um resultado dos exercícios feitos ao longo da disciplina “Pensamento em Arte Atual”, parte do curso de doutoramento em Artes Plásticas da Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade de Porto, 2023/2024, sob orientação da professora Filipa Cruz. Trata-se de uma apropriação da obra “Naufrágio com Espectador”, de Hans Blumenberg, pelo estabelecimento de paralelos entre a metáfora do naufrágio e as experiências das práticas artísticas e daquelas relacionadas à investigação acadêmica em artes. Na primeira parte do ensaio, “O grande marujo que sempre naufraga”, parto do mote “o que resta ao náufrago”, título do segundo capítulo do livro de Blumenberg, para discutir, de maneira geral, as aventuras e desventuras do artista/investigador diante dos riscos de fracasso, numa alegoria às odisseias marítimas da literatura universal. Já o segundo trecho do ensaio, “agora submerso em ondas eletromagnéticas”, é mais aplicado à pesquisa que eu, particularmente, venho desenvolvendo no doutoramento: o uso de tecnologias ditas de “inteligência artificial” para a criação de obras de arte generativas pela interação cibernética, entre humano e máquina. Neste capítulo faço uso de referências da cultura pop, nomeadamente obras de ficção científica que introduzem o elemento da IA nas narrativas heróicas contemporâneas. Para trazer materialidade ao que é tratado no texto, apresento duas experiências práticas de criação de códigos de programação destinados à geração de obras de arte generativa pelo método que proponho em minha investigação. Como procedimento de transparência do processo de criação, apresento links externos para que se tenha acesso à versão das obras em sua versão em html, às trocas de mensagem com a ferramenta de inteligência artificial utilizada, à integridade do código de programação da versão final do projeto e ao histórico de versões que o código teve ao longo de todo seu desenvolvimento. As obras apresentadas têm como tema o “naufrágio marítimo” e o “naufrágio espacial”, relacionadas às duas partes em que se divide o texto. Ao final, ainda apresento uma montagem que reúne trechos das duas obras em uma única materialidade, a visão de um horizonte do céu e do mar. This essay is a result of exercises undertaken during the course "Thinking in Contemporary Art", part of the doctoral program in Fine Arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto, 2023/2024, under the guidance of Professor Filipa Cruz. It involves an appropriation of Hans Blumenberg's work "Shipwreck with Spectator" by establishing parallels between the metaphor of shipwreck and the experiences of artistic practices and those related to academic research in the arts. In the first part of the essay, "the great sailor who always sinks," I start with the theme "what the shipwrecked person is left with", the title of the second chapter of Blumenberg's book, to discuss, in a general sense, the adventures and misadventures of the artist/researcher facing the risks of failure, an allegory to the maritime odysseys of universal literature. The second part of the essay, "now submerged in electromagnetic waves", is more applied to the research I have been developing in the doctoral program: the use of so-called "artificial intelligence" technologies for the creation of generative artworks through cybernetic interaction between humans and machines. In this chapter, I make use of references from pop culture, particularly works of science fiction that introduce the element of AI into contemporary heroic narratives. To give materiality to what is discussed in the text, I present two practical experiences of creating programming codes for generating generative artworks by the method proposed in my research. As a transparency procedure in the creation process, I provide external links to access the works in their html version, exchanges with the AI tool used, the integrity of the programming code of the final version of the project, and the version history that the code had throughout its development. The presented works focus on the themes of "maritime shipwreck" and "space shipwreck," related to the two parts in which the text is divided. In the end, I also present a montage that brings together excerpts from the two works into a single materiality, the view of a horizon of the sky and the sea.

html view conversation with artificial intelligence programming code code version history

From a shipwreck, nothing may remain. It seems even more plausible that it be so, or that very little survives the catastrophe. Perhaps what remains is only splinters of wood, shreds of fabric, or some random object that luck and currents bring within the reach of the wretch thrown into the sea. But whatever wreckage falls into their hands, it becomes immensely valuable. First, because if the thing did not sink, it is probably something light, buoyant. It then becomes a lifesaver. Second, because the castaway will need useful tools if they survive the accident and find solid ground beneath their feet again.

It is natural that, in an adventure of this kind, one ends up landing in unknown, perhaps desolate and dangerous lands. The artifact now in their possession becomes the last remnant of the known world. It is a result of the knowledge that their original culture was able to create and, thus, an identifying symbol that empowers the castaway to fulfill their destiny, keeping alive the memory that there is a place to return to. Now, advancing through unfamiliar territory, the explorer can wield this protective aegis. It is also possible to modify it, as Athena did by covering the paternal shield with new leather and imbuing it with even more astonishing powers. (Ovídio, 2017) Thus, new elements found along the way can join the small booty, either providing the castaway with new tools or amalgamating everything into a hybrid device.

Faced with such misfortune, whether the traveler must stay true to the initial purpose of the undertaking or, in the face of harsh reality, recalculate the route to at least return home alive, is up to them to decide. But is there a real chance of achieving what they coveted? Sinbad, nicknamed "the Sailor," had seven voyages, all filled with misfortunes: storms, attacks by sea creatures, thefts, betrayals, misfortunes... almost always involving shipwrecks. Nevertheless, each time Sinbad returned to Baghdad after a new maritime disaster, his fortune increased, along with his recognition as a great navigator. (Galland, 2017) One must ponder well on this curious case of a sailor whose fame survives the centuries despite never having managed to make a safe journey. Could shipwrecking not have been his disgrace but his great fortune?

We, who have barely loosened the ties between the boat and the dock and still have the port within sight, do not know the extent of the storm that awaits us. It may not be as terrifying as the myths tell, perhaps because they are moralizing and serve the purpose of keeping us cautious. But if the winds are too strong and the waves larger than those we can navigate, there will be a story to tell. If the narration of this journey causes revulsion, compassion, admiration, or fear in the listeners, we have the consolation of knowing that tragedy is, at least for Aristotle, superior to comedy. (Aristóteles, 2003)

The mythological foundation present in tragic drama and epic poetry has accompanied us since ancient times, and it will not be now that it will extinguish from the ways we construct our imagination. (Vogler, 2003) However, the watery substrate of seas and floods can be replaced by something of different density, perhaps like plasma or the vacuum of space. The odysseys of Dave Bowman (Kubrick, 1968) and Major Tom (Bowie, 1969) may already be considered old in a world marked by the exponential acceleration of technologies and their obsolescence. The fact is that something from 1960s science fiction is now coming into effect, albeit with some delay. It was not in 2001 that we could create an artificial intelligence villain dangerous and frightening enough. But 2023 has arrived, rousing from lethargy the fear that was only waiting for the right moment to awaken.

I embark on this adventure accompanied, not by the fictional and crafty HAL 9000, but by a crew composed of real and operational automatons, namely, ChatGPT, Bard, AlphaCode, Github Copilot, ERNIE 4.0. Others may join the squadron along the way. I take the risk of approaching certain companions of questionable character, but I never expected loyalty from them. The codes involved here are not those of morality, but the lines of programming. If this puts me at imminent risk of sabotage or even mutiny, I depart aware of the inevitable accidents and the potential catastrophic outcome for the journey.

If a shipwreck occurs and everything crumbles, I may find myself holding only a black and impenetrable box. This is of no use to me. It is in the immaterial component of this apparatus that what matters lies (Flusser, 2006), and it is in the machine's openness to the indeterminacy of the external world that its role is fulfilled (Simondon, 2018) Therefore, it is not enough to save the hardware from disappearing into the depths of the sea or the vastness of the skies. Its "vital" functions must be in order, and its intelligence, even if artificial, must remain clear-headed.

Tip

Tip

the great sailor who always sinks

now submerged in electromagnetic waves

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