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Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture AHM

Student Exhibition | Coded Contemporary

Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

Coded Contemporary is an exhibition curated by AI ChatGPT. As a language model trained by OpenAI, ChatGPT has a broad knowledge of various topics and was brought in to curate this exciting exhibition.

Start date 1 June 2023
End date 2 June 2023
Location Bushuis/Oost-Indisch Huis
Room Humanities Labs (June 1 14:00-18:00, June 2 10:00-16:00)

The theme of the exhibition is based on the assignments that the organizers completed during their last semester of their Master's program in Time-based Art Conservation and Restoration. The focus is on addressing the challenges and questions of preserving and restoring time-based media art.

In the main gallery on the first floor, visitors will find a variety of thought-provoking pieces. The centerpiece is a series of Arduinos created during a workshop with Paul Jansen Klomp, which utilizes basic coding and robotics to showcase innovative preservation techniques. The robots utilize ultrasonic sensors and LED rings that change color depending on the different steps they are taking.

Also on display in the gallery are WebArt pieces created using the p5.js JavaScript library for creative coding. These pieces will be displayed on an LCD screen, and one will be interactive, allowing visitors to engage with and explore the artwork.

A reinterpretation of Nam June Paik's TV Buddha will also be showcased. Using an Arduino robot, a webcam, and a laptop, this piece provides a unique take on the original work.

A digital reinterpretation of Bruce Nauman's Walking in an Exaggerated Manner Around the Perimeter of a Square (1968) will also be projected onto a wall using an Epson LCD projector. The organizers have also included an analog 8mm film of the piece, displayed on a looping device.

The gallery also includes a photo of Vito Acconci's Step Piece projected onto a CRT monitor and a slide projector carousel.

The Technical Lab on the second floor features a presentation of Steve McQueen's 7th Nov (23 min.) using a slide projector (Kodak Carrousel). The organizers plan to add some audio voice-over by AI, explaining what is happening in the piece.

Finally, in the Conservation Studio on the second floor, there will be another reinterpretation of Vito Acconci's Step Piece.

We would like to thank our supervisors, Ellen Jansen and Evelyne Snijders, for their invaluable input and ideas, which have been instrumental in the creation of this exhibition. We hope that visitors will enjoy Coded Contemporary and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and possibilities presented by time-based media art and preservation techniques.