‘Can AI replace human creativity?’ Swiss artist Jonathan O’Hear says we needn’t worry

“Technology can actually bring back some of the lost art forms,” he says

Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in partnership with the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia organised a 11-day workshop (from November 16 to 26) on light design and interactive stage technologies conducted by Swiss multi-disciplinary artist Jonathan O’Hear.

Jonathan’s works have been showcased at the CCS – Paris, Musée Tinguely – Basel, Villa Bernasconi – Geneva, Fonderie Kugler – Geneva, Médiathèque de Biarritz, Fluxum – Geneva, Analix Forever – Geneva, CAC – Geneva (with Ensemble Vide), Max Mueller – Delhi (with Mandeep Raikhy), and the Science art gallery – Dublin.

His works are at the confluence of art and technology. For instance, at the end of 2017, he launched the Dai project, which involves an Artificial Intelligence robot that learns art. 

The workshop at Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in Bengaluru, he says, was about using interactive technology in performing arts. “I wanted to share information about technology that can actually be used here. Sometimes I’ve seen other people do great workshops on technology that is available in the Western countries but are not so available here. I wanted to focus on DIY (Do It Yourself) tech, which is the core of my practice. For example, if you want to move a shadow on the stage with a trackpad, you can build that using DIY tech.”

Jonathan also answered other questions about how technology impacts art. 

Excerpts:-

Q / The development of technology in cinema over the last few decades – for instance, 3D films or IMAX projection – have been strikingly visible. What have been the major technological developments when it comes to the stage?