Neural string network at Shanghai University

Sermon, PS

Abstract

An interactive collaborative drawing ‘machine’ designed on the concept of a neural network, allowing participants to experience a shared creative process, using the principles of open-source and social networked communication through an analogue string system. The underlying concept of the Neural String Network is to introduce participants to the idea of collaborative-shared drawing practice, a dispersed collective that draws on Roland Barthes ‘The Death of the Author’ (1967) whereby each participant plays an equal role as both viewer and artist. Played out like a surrealist ‘Exquisite Corpse’ game of consequences or as a piece of Haiku poetry, the drawing participants contribute marks, signs and signifiers to an open-content drawing, akin to the development of open-source software on neural networks. The string network consists of five drawing table ‘nodes’ within a room/studio space measuring eight by eight metres square. Each node is linked to the other four via pulleys and washing lines, making it possible to peg a sheet of A4 paper to a line and winch it across to any one of the other nodes. The network system uses 10 string connections between the five drawing tables, creating a pentagram within a pentagon neural network design.

Citation

Sermon, P. Neural string network at Shanghai University. [Installation and workshop]. (Unpublished)

• Exhibition Performance Type: Exhibition
• End Date: Jul 13, 2012
• Deposit Date: Sep 19, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 19, 2012
• Related Public URLs: http://vimeo.com/49027600; http://creativetechnology.salford.ac.uk/paulsermon/string/; http://www.shu.edu.cn/Shuweb/english/Art/index.html
• Additional Information: Number of Pieces : 1