The Embodied Interface: Assembling Interactive ALife Systems for Musical Performance: (researcher: Helen Bledsoe)
My research explores artificial life's (ALife's) potential as a co-creative agent in developing interactive audio and audio-visual works through the intertwined acts of performance, composition, and system design. As an interdisciplinary field drawing on biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science, ALife provides a rich basis for artistic research. ALife and AI are adjacent fields, they share conceptual features such as the exploration of intelligence and creativity. However, rather than implementing typical AI or machine learning as a generative engine for notes and chords, I develop interactive audio and audio-visual systems that adopt processes and concepts from ALife: flocking, growth, entrainment, genetic algorithms, open-ended evolution, and diverse intelligences. Grounded in studies in creative coding and embodied performance, I aim to contribute to a interpretative, reflective practice that decenters human autonomy yet remains attuned to the distinctiveness of human performance. Through artistic experimentation and critical analysis, I will create artworks, performance strategies, and illustrate in general how musicians can actively shape emerging technologies rather than be subsumed by their rapid development.
Results
• A Portfolio of performances with my own compositions (minimum three, containing minimum one audio-visual).
• A written Thesis.
• Software with usage instructions.
• Public documentation (i.e. slide presentations, articles, blog entries) detailing technical aspects and artistic reflections.
For critical feedback, presentations will be offered to conferences and seminars (e.g., NIME, IRCAM Forums, ALife Conference ). During my studies, I will take part in and give workshops for composers, performers, and researchers, offering channels for critical reflection and inspiration (Q1, Q2).
Possible topics for workshops: entry-level workshops for performers interested in electronics (to keep in touch with the needs of non techno-fluent musicians), introduction to creative concepts in ALife and workshops on human-computer interaction with ALife, and an introduction to the Python library Tölvera.
Tools for AI implementations (especially Python-based) assume a techno-fluent user base, which at the moment is predominantly male. Offering gender specific workshop environments for female identifiers can often facilitate a more welcoming and questioning atmosphere. This experience will help me take into account the diversity of those who may engage with my work, informing my system design.
Further public engagements during and after my studies could include concert presentations at music festivals, conferences, and artistic centers (i.e. ZKM ). Shareablilty is important: compositions, performance videos (with the consent of those involved) and presentations can be streamable. Updates and public notes will be available through my research blog, software will be made available on platforms such as GitHub and Discord, facilitating wider adoption by musicians and technologists and offering a platform for engagement and feedback.
