The artist Jonas Lund collaborated with the Belgian telecommunication company Televic in the framework of Gluon’s Art & D Labs. He realized the work Significant Other, an intelligent, networked sculptural display installed in two locations in Belgium and Bulgaria. Descending from the ceiling, two cameras and flat-screens are programmed to read the “emotional state” of each person crossing their pathway. The data extracted from the images are compared with the data collected at the other location. The intelligent machines draw conclusions on the opposing data and communicate the results via pop-ups and statistics. Visitors are confronted with striking text-based information such as “You are 22% more happy.” Competition arises between the two sites. How do they compare? How do the visitors comprehend what the media informs them?
Project Credits:
This project is supported by:
- Gluon
- Televic
- European ARTificial intelligence Lab
- Creative Europe
- STARTS
- Region of Brussels-Capital
- Provincie West-Vlaanderen
Biographies:
Jonas Lund (b. 1984) is a Swedish conceptual artist who creates paintings, sculpture, photography, websites and performances that critically reflects on contemporary networked systems and power structures. Lund’s artistic practice involves creating systems and setting up parameters that oftentimes require engagement from the viewer. This results in game-like artworks where tasks are executed according to algorithms or a set of rules. Through his works, Lund investigates the latest issues generated by the increasing digitalisation of contemporary society like authorship, participation and authority. At the same time, he questions the mechanisms of the art world; he challenges the production process, authoritative power and art market practices.
Televic: Founded in 1946 as a Belgian manufacturer of professional radio systems, Televic is now an international leader in high-end communication systems across many different markets. It develops products such as passenger information systems and on-board control systems for trains, communication systems for healthcare, conference systems for large venues and multimedia solutions for educational institutions. Televic creates added value for its customers by developing custom-made solutions and by continuously innovating at the cutting edge of technology. With headquarters in Belgium and offices and plants across Europe, Asia and the US, Televic employs nearly 700 people worldwide.
