The SIGGRAPH Digital Arts Committee (DAC) presents “SPARKS: Short Presentations of Artworks & Research for the Kindred Spirit.” SPARKS sessions are held monthly, featuring 5- to 10-minute lightning talks followed by in-depth discussions on the theme of the month. These discussions are led by DAC committee members and invited guest moderators, aiming to inspire ideas and foster exchange. SPARKS speakers are a mix of invited experts curated by the committee and outstanding applicants selected from open calls.
The theme of this SPARKS session is the “SIGGRAPH Asia Art Papers 2024 Review,” centered around the theme “Curious Minds.” It will be held as an online event on February 20, 2025. The session will focus on the interactions between artists and critics in the realm of new technologies and explore the profound impacts of these technologies on society and culture. Discussions will revolve around several cutting-edge art projects, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, interactive design, virtual reality, and interdisciplinary art practices, offering participants a feast of ideas and creativity.
Register for Free: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PzBMMe-6RwC6t-wYY6ObIQ
Highlights of the Projects:
- AI-rays
An interactive installation created by Ziyao Gao, AI-rays uses AI to generate speculative identities based on participants’ appearances, expressed through synthesized personal items placed in their bags. The project employs speculative X-ray visions to contrast reality with AI-generated assumptions, metaphorically highlighting AI’s scrutiny and biases. It aims to spark discussions on modern surveillance and the future of human-machine interactions.
- Understated Haptics
An artistic exploration of haptics by Ivana Chaloska, this project materializes tactile memories through a co-creative practice between humans and nonhumans. It presents touch as a “third surface,” documenting human and nonhuman tactile interactions through drawings and imprints, and translating them into haptic expressions. The project explores the possibilities of haptic art and cross-species co-creation.
- Cinema Meowdiso
Developed by Xuanyang Huang and Xiaoyun Zhong, Cinema Meowdiso is a system that uses generative AI to transform everyday footage captured by pets into short films across various genres. The project explores the potential of non-human entities as narrative agents and examines how AI can autonomously create stories with human guidance.
- Pulse Memorial
A collaborative participatory art installation, Pulse Memorial explores queer grief and erasure through multichannel web audio streaming, data sonification, and field recordings. Inspired by Toni Morrison’s concept of “disremembrance,” the project offers an immersive sonic experience that fosters collective remembrance. The sound, generated by combining data sonification and field recordings into an 8-channel score, is transmitted via WebRTC to participants, creating a multi-channel sonic event.
- Tale of Tales
An interdisciplinary art project created by Tak Cheung Hui, centered around the history of the sugar industry in Taiwan and Japan. By integrating sound, imagery, and performance installations, the project creates an immersive experience. The core work, “Tale of Tales,” combines electronic music, historical soundscapes, and traditional performance forms such as Taiwanese glove puppetry and Japanese Bunraku music, reinterpreting these traditional elements to showcase rich layers of history and culture.
For more details, please visit: https://dac.siggraph.org/sparks/2025-02-siggraph-asia-art-papers-revisited/