Projects
Identity in the Post-Algorithmic World
Identity in the Post-Algorithmic World is an audiovisual installation that explores the profound implications of artificial intelligence on human identity.
Identity in the Post-Algorithmic World is an audiovisual installation that explores the profound implications of artificial intelligence on human identity. By juxtaposing two technological paradigms—algorithmic computation and generative AI—the installation examines the evolving relationship between deterministic logic and emergent behavior. It invites audiences to reflect on how these technologies influence both collective and individual identities, questioning whether AI will reinforce homogenization or encourage a spectrum of diversity and freedom.
System Design and Interaction
The installation consists of multiple interconnected machines, with two large displays as its centerpiece, positioned on opposite sides of a central setup. One display showcases an algorithmic layer, generating music and visuals through rigid, rule-based computation. The opposing display presents the outputs of a generative AI model, driven by a custom implementation of StreamDiffusion, which interprets and transforms the algorithmic data in real-time. Together, these screens embody the conceptual tension between the structured predictability of algorithms and the emergent creativity of AI.
Both displays are accompanied by corresponding sonic outputs: algorithmically generated music on one side and AI-generated compositions on the other. This duality provides an immersive audiovisual experience, with the contrasts in style and evolution between the two paradigms made audibly and visibly clear.
Audience interaction is facilitated through a tactile MIDI interface that allows participants to adjust parameters and values within the system's generative module. These adjustments influence both the AI-generated music and visuals, subtly modifying the interplay without overshadowing the core conceptual narrative of the installation.
Conceptual Focus
The installation uses the conflict between the algorithmic and AI layers as a formal metaphor for the tension between past and present paradigms. Algorithmic computation, with its predictable and repetitive outputs, symbolizes a programmed and homogenized identity shaped by societal norms and corporate algorithms. Generative AI, with its emergent and adaptive capabilities, introduces an unpredictable element, representing the potential for identity to evolve and diversify.
Technology has long played a central role in shaping collective and individual identity, often as a consequence of its deep entanglement with economic imperatives. Algorithmic systems—ubiquitous in social media, commerce, and entertainment—have been optimized to maximize efficiency and engagement, frequently at the expense of nuanced individuality. This optimization often funnels human behavior and thought into predictable patterns, reinforcing a homogenized cultural landscape. By contrast, generative AI, with its capacity for adaptive and multi-dimensional outputs, introduces the possibility of fragmentation, multiplicity, and divergence, challenging the constraints imposed by its algorithmic predecessors.
The installation also raises questions about the emotional and psychological impact on audiences as they witness this interplay. The immersive experience encourages reflection on their own identities, shaped by and within systems of technology. By engaging with the tactile interface, participants confront their agency within these frameworks, provoking a deeper understanding of their role in an increasingly digitalized world.
Through this lens, the installation examines whether AI’s capacity for complex learning and creativity can liberate identities from the reductive logic of algorithmic systems. Will this technological evolution enable greater individual and collective diversity, or will it perpetuate uniformity through new forms of optimization? Furthermore, the piece highlights the ethical and cultural dimensions of these technologies, subtly exploring whether their influence will continue to prioritize economic imperatives or allow for a more humanistic trajectory. By highlighting the tension between these paradigms, the project situates itself as both a critique and a speculative exploration of how emerging technologies might redefine the boundaries of human identity in a hyper-digitalized and economically driven world.
About The Artist
Santiago Grau
Through generative systems and real-time graphics, I craft visual compositions that weave technology and mysticism into intimate, thought-provoking experiences. These works are designed to evoke a visceral resonance in the viewer, inviting introspection and connection.
The pursuit of awe and transcendence deeply informs my creative process. This perspective shapes my art, guiding me to create mutable, evolving pieces that reflect the passage of time through constant transformation. By leveraging the generative potential of code, I explore themes of infinity and impermanence.
Real-time execution allows my practice to blend performative and digital fine arts, as demonstrated in works like 3:19. These projects emphasize the ephemeral and eternal nature of generative art, sparking a dialogue between time and change.
I am currently expanding the boundaries of generative art through augmented image synthesis, integrating real-time live coding with artificial intelligence. This approach opens new dimensions in my exploration of technology’s role in artistic expression, pushing the limits of what is possible in digital and performative art.
In the upcoming months we will publish more information about the project. 🖤