OUR FUTURE exhibition artist | YAMIN XU
Using emerging technology to replicate already existing art forms does not excite me. I strive to create and define new things, which have not been clearly perceived as art. This motivation is sustained by my rigorous art/engineering practice, which is informed by the convergence of divergent spheres of study: religion and science, privacy and surveillance, the robotic and organic. The result is an innovation, a feedback to affect and expand my understanding and definition of art. This process of exploration itself is art.
As an experiment designed to question augmented human expression by embedded AI and robotics, Iris is given independent perception and temperament by using biosignal measuring, facial expression recognition, and emotion synthesis. This temperament is expressed through motions that are generated in real-time. Emotions of the Iris are affected by the wearer’s feelings through sensors that measure the biosignal of the wearer. This ability to perceive and emote reflects both a certain connection and difference with the wearer as if showing a split personality. Giving different responses to others affects interpersonal interactions and relationships. These effects are heightened during Covid-19 when our faces are covered by masks, the Iris performs like a highly specialized organ to augment humans’ expression. Does the future technology enhance our expression or obscure our true feelings under the mask?
Yamin Xu is an artist and electronics geek, working on the edge that blurs animation, coding, and electronics with an emphasis on the exploration of emerging technology and art. Before he earned his MFA in the United States researching computer vision, he obtained a BA in art and design in China. His experience includes being a VFX artist at CCTV, an instructor at Peking University, and a researcher at Argonne National Laboratory. His art pieces have been shown in many international exhibitions and conferences, such as NMC and SIGGRAPH. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in the Digital Arts program at Bowling Green State University.
