藝術家講座：貓咪、人工智慧與遊行：爆炸理論的互動藝術
Artist Talk：Cats, AI and Parades: The Interactive Art of Blast Theory
日期｜2024/08/11(Sun.)
時間｜14:30-16:00
地點｜聯合餐廳展演空間 灰盒子
講者｜Matt Adams（爆炸理論藝術家）
主持人｜張碩尹（藝術家）
主辦單位｜張碩尹工作室
合辦單位｜C-LAB當代藝術實驗平台
＊本次講座將全程以英文進行＊
講座介紹｜
- English Below
台灣藝術家團隊張碩尹工作室與英國的藝術團體爆炸理論（Blast Theory）經過兩年的合作，將於今年八月拍攝新作，為此爆炸理論藝術家麥特·亞當斯（Matt Adams）將來台參與製作。
藉此機會，工作室與C-LAB當代藝術實驗平台合作，邀請亞當斯舉辦講座，並透過兩件作品《貴族貓宮》、《唾沫傳播的死亡：一場遊行》講述爆炸理論的藝術實踐。
《貴族貓宮》（Cat Royale）今年ㄧ月受邀在台北當代藝術館《你好，人類！》中展出，作品將三隻貓咪安置在一個看似烏托邦的環境中，由AI人工智慧控制機器人手臂，每隔一段時間為貓咪提供遊戲，觀測牠們的幸福程度，並學習貓咪喜歡哪些遊戲。亞當斯將解釋計畫之中機器學習的運作，以及動物學習結合電腦科學的創作觀察，這個計畫促使觀眾反思日益依賴這項技術的好處以及可能付出的代價，更探討了社會對於人工智慧和自主系統的矛盾心理。
《唾沫傳播的死亡：一場遊行》（Spit Spreads Death: The Parade）則是一場爆炸理論為紀念在費城 1918 年流感大流行中喪生的人們而舉行的遊行，由馬特博物館（Mütter Museum）委託製作。他們為這個計畫開發了ㄧ個數位平台，讓每個參與者能夠選擇一位在 1918 年去世的人進行紀念，Matt也將分享舉辦這場遊行以及招募數百名參與者的過程，以及動作設計和雕塑的元素是如何被應用在這個計畫之中。
透過這兩件作品希冀能讓觀眾更理解這個自1991年成立的互動藝術團體如何透過劇場、遊戲、互動、科技等多種媒介製作作品，並以不同的國際合製和研究單位合作穩定發展，走過三十餘年的歷程。
講者介紹｜
麥特·亞當斯（Matt Adams）
麥特·亞當斯於 1991 年共同創立爆炸理論，以其靈活運用劇場、遊戲和視覺藝術等手法而聞名。Matt 曾在泰特現代美術館和倫敦的 ICA 策展，並在巴黎索邦大學、史丹佛大學、皇家藝術學院等國際學術單位授課、講座。他是遊戲開發者選擇獎 Maverick 獎的得主，曾擔任南澳大利亞政府的駐地學者，並於 2018 年成為世界衛生組織在日內瓦的首位駐地藝術家。亞當斯 從 2012 年到 2019 年擔任英格蘭藝術委員會東南地區委員會委員，並自 2007 年到 2014 年擔任皇家中央演講與戲劇學院的互動媒體客座教授。
爆炸理論（Blast Theory）
英國知名的互動藝術團體「爆炸理論」成立於1991年，由麥特·亞當斯、朱·羅·法爾（Ju Row Farr，已於2023年離開該團體）和尼克·譚達瓦尼奇（Nick Tandavanitj）三位藝術家成員組成。他們擅長運用多媒介，包括表演、電影、遊戲、應用程式與裝置，創造跨界感性連結。透過數位科技、大眾文化與遊戲結構設計，將日常生活情境匯入作品中，試圖消弭生活與藝術的隔閡。他們的創作具有社會學意義的開放性，通過互動藝術機制，讓公眾置身於不尋常的體驗中探索社會和政治議題，創造新視角並開闢變革可能性。
「爆炸理論」曾於多個國際展演和機構展出，包括威尼斯雙年展、翠貝卡影展、東京NTT互動藝術中心、柏林Hebbel am Ufer國際表演中心、倫敦巴比肯藝術中心和泰德現代美術館等。他們曾受英國第四頻道、日舞影展、皇家歌劇院等委託創作。「爆炸理論」與研究者、科學家密切合作，自1997年起與諾丁漢大學「混合實境實驗室」合作。他們是45篇研究論文的共同作者，也在巴黎索邦大學、史丹佛大學、皇家藝術學院等國際學術單位授課、講座。他們在泰德現代美術館「活文化」一展中擔任影像系列的策展人。
「爆炸理論」曾四度提名「英國影藝學院電影獎」，並獲得「林茲電子藝術獎金尼卡大獎」和「白南準藝術中心獎」。
他們亦多次受邀於台灣展出，包括2024年台北當代藝術館《你好，人類！》、2019年C-Lab主題大展《城市震盪》、2011年台北數位藝術節、2004年國立台灣美術館。
—------ English Version—------
Date｜2024/08/11(Sun.)
Time｜14:30-16:00
Location｜ C-lab Grey Box
Speaker｜Matt Adams（Artist）
Host｜Ting-Tong Chang（Artist）
Organizer｜TTC Studios
Co-Organizer｜C-lab Contemporary Art Platform
＊The lecture will be conducted entirely in English.
Introduction｜
For the past two years, the Taiwanese artist collective TTC Studios and the British art group Blast Theory have been working on a new collaborative piece. Blast Theory artist Matt Adams will be visiting Taiwan in August to co-produce the new work. TTC Studios, in partnership with C-LAB Contemporary Art Platform, is using this chance to invite Matt Adams to give an artist talk about Blast Theory's artistic processes.
Matt Adams will give an introduction to Blast Theory’s practice using a selection of video excerpts. He will present Cat Royale, a utopia where cats live in harmony with artificial intelligence, describing the key collaborations with researchers in Computer Science, Animal Behaviour and Animal Computer Interaction.
And he will present Spit Spreads Death, a parade to commemorate those who lost their lives in Philadelphia's 1918 flu pandemic, commissioned by the Mütter Museum. He will describe the decision to make a parade and the process for recruiting hundreds of participants; the digital platforms developed to allow every participant to choose someone who died in 1918 to honour; and the sculptural and choreographic elements of the parade itself.
In his two works, Matt aims to offer the Taiwanese audience a broader perspective on how Blast Theory harnesses various media, including theater, gaming, interaction, and technology, to create their artistic endeavors. He explores how the group has consistently evolved through international co-productions and collaborative research initiatives.
About Matt Adams
Matt Adams co-founded Blast Theory in 1991, an artists’ group making interactive work. Blast Theory is renowned for its multidisciplinary approach using new technologies in theatre, games and visual art. The group has collaborated with scientists at the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham since 1997.
Blast Theory has shown Ulrike and Eamon Compliant at the Venice Biennale, A Machine To See With at Sundance Film Festival and Can You See Me Now? at Tate Britain. Commissioners include Channel 4, National Theatre Wales and the Royal Opera House. Awards include the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica, the Nam June Paik Art Center Award and four BAFTA nominations.
Matt has curated at Tate Modern and at the ICA in London and has taught widely. He has lectured at Stanford University, the Royal College of Art and the Sorbonne. He is a winner of the Maverick Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards. He was a Thinker In Residence for the South Australian Government and was an inaugural Artist In Residence at the World Health Organization in Geneva in 2018. Matt served on the South East Regional Council of Arts Council England from 2012 to 2019. He was the Visiting Professor in Interactive Media at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama from 2007 to 2014.
About Blast Theory
Blast Theory make interactive art to explore social and political questions. Placing the public into unusual and, at times, unsettling experiences, the artists create new perspectives and the possibility of change.Led by Matt Adams, Ju Row Farr and Nick Tandavanitj, the group make performances, games, films, apps and installations.The group has shown work at the Venice Biennale, Tribeca Film Festival, ICC in Tokyo, Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin, the Barbican and Tate Britain. Commissioners include Channel 4, Sundance Film Festival and the Royal Opera House.
The artists work closely with researchers and scientists and have collaborated with the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham since 1997, co-authoring over 45 research papers. The artists teach and lecture internationally including at the Sorbonne, Stanford University and the Royal College of Art. They curated the Screen series for Live Culture at Tate Modern.
Blast Theory has been nominated for four BAFTAs and has won the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica and the Nam June Paik Art Center Award.
Founded in 1991, Blast Theory is based in Brighton in the UK.
