Gallery REVIEW: SONICA: They've Got Your Eyes - ★★★★★

20 hours ago

2 min read

They've Got Your Eyes - Rachel MacLean & Ela Orleans

Rachel Maclean sees a parallel between today’s rush to embrace (or impose) AI in every context with the rush of technological innovation of the nineteenth century. They’ve Got Your Eyes, a film work Maclean created using AI models trained on her own image and archive, follows an inventor: one part tech bro, one part Scottish Enlightenment thinker, conjuring fantastical fairies who grant his every desire – or, at least, what they think he desires. These creatures are his offspring, but they’re not under his control. In a cautionary myth for our time, Maclean reminds us always to be careful what we wish for.

The film’s original score is composed by Cryptic Artist Ela Orleans, whose work frequently explores the boundaries between analogue and digital sound worlds. In addition to her composition, Orleans worked with AI generation to create a hypnotic soundtrack that moves between references of Tchaikovsky and Elgar, at times glitching into discordant noise.

Co-commissioned by Sonica Glasgow and FACT Liverpool with support from 1646, The Hague.

Supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund and Creative Scotland.

Where?

Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow - until 25th October

WEBSITE

Stewart - ★★★★★

"A wonderfully weird, creepy and haunting film installation that personifies the A.I. revolution and the dangers of artificial programming taking over. MacLean's work is always fascinating and eerie - have you visited Upside Mimi's at Jupiter Artland - if not, you should!

Here this 20 minute film played every half hour at the Buchanan Galleries is a really trippy experience following an inventor's artificial creation and it's fascinating - the humour is very pointed and it's all a little bit gross as well. A real thought provoking piece that might make you reconsider asking ChatGPT to help you write your next e-mail!"