observations

from beast to maiden...clearing Medusa's name

in

Clarification Note: The text of this post was prepared using ChatGPT and Claude AI . The images in the post were crafted by Midjourney AI that followed my prompts.

In Greek mythology, the Titans were ancient deities who ruled in peace and harmony before the Olympian gods. After the Titans lost to the Olympians, long before the time of Ancient Greece, the Titans' images were demonized. This demonization later became embedded in the myths of Ancient Greece and was eventually passed down to Western culture as it was. Medusa, the most beautiful maiden of Titan origin, did not escape this fate. Today, her name is commonly associated with a terrifying monster whose murder was considered a blessing. To restore justice let us explore the original version of Medusa's myth.

Various versions of the restored myth of Medusa have been proposed. I lean towards the one inspired by Golosovker's "Tales of the Titans" and the lectures from the Forgotten Ruins channel, particularly the lecture "The Gorgon Medusa - The End of the Legend." I highly recommend both sources to readers interested in exploring the subject further. Neither of them is available in English, but they can be easily translated using modern AI tools. The next best option for English-speaking readers is the excellent novel by William Tenn, “Medusa Was a Lady” (click the link to read it).

So, let's begin our journey from Beast to Maiden.

Medusa: Beauty Behind the Myth

Digest to ‘The Tale of the Titaness Gorgon Medusa'

Children of Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky) — the Titans Phorcys and Ceto — had six daughters (The Phorcydes). Three of them — Pemphredo, Enyo, and Dino — were called the Graeae and were known for their silver hair and beauty. The other three — Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa — were the beautiful Gorgons with golden wings.

( Undoubtedly, the names "Graeae"-"Old Women" and "Gorgon"-"Terrifying" were given to the Phorcydes by the Olympian gods following the Phorcydes defeat. This was done to erase any memory of their once-beautiful nature.)

After the fall of the Titans and the rise of the Olympian gods, the Phorcydes refused to bow to the new rulers. Athena-Pallas, daughter of Zeus and the Titan Metis, envied Medusa's beauty and strength, especially her hair. Poseidon, urged on by Athena, chased Medusa and eventually raped her in a temple where she was hiding. Not satisfied with this, Athena, in her anger, transformed Medusa from a beautiful girl into a monstrous figure with snake hair and a gaze that turned everything to stone.

(By the way, the story of Athena's nickname, Pallas, perfectly illustrates her wild sadistic nature. After she defeated the Giant Pallas, Athena skinned him alive to make her breastplate. She also added the Giant's name to her own as a trophy, which is why she's often referred to as “Pallas” or “Pallas Athena.” She later affixed the head of the Gorgon Medusa to it. The other version is that the breastplate was made from the hide of her "milk grandmother", the goat Amalthea, who nursed her father Zeus as an infant. It's up to you to decide which version sounds less shocking.)

Medusa became an outcast and had to hide with her sisters at the edge of the world, guarded by the Graeae. Once a year, the Gorgons would fly out into the world, and during that time Medusa realized her gaze could turn anything to stone.

Athena inspired Perseus, the son of Danaë and Zeus, to want to cut off Medusa's head, and Hermes helped him find the way. Perseus got magical items from the nymphs: a bag, an adamantine sickle, and Hades' cap of invisibility. Athena also gave Perseus a mirror-like shield so he could see Medusa without looking directly at her.

Using trickery, Perseus forced the Graeae to show him the way to the Gorgons. When he arrived, he cut off Medusa's head. From Medusa's body came the winged horse Pegasus and the titan Chrysaor. Medusa's sisters woke up and tried to chase Perseus, but they couldn't catch him. By the gods' command, Perseus returned all the magical items, including Medusa's head, which Athena placed on her breastplate.

Athena also collected Medusa's blood, which could either save or kill people, and gave it to the healer Asclepius. Asclepius used it to bring the dead back to life, breaking the law of Ananke, the inevitability of fate. This disruption of the natural order of the cosmos angered Zeus and he struck Asclepius down with a lightning bolt to remind everyone of the inevitability of death.

My drawing of Perseus from around 1954, which I found many years later in my mom’s archive

Homage to Medusa

Since many people will see the images on small screens, which might not highlight the images' nuances, here are some enlarged fragments of "Homage to Medusa" to enhance the viewers' experience.

Medusa's Cenotaph

Mourning Giantess

lost in time...winter on newtown’s last farm

in

We settled in Newtown Township in 1996, right on the edge of Newtown Borough - a small town of about 2,000 people. Back then, our backyard overlooked farmland, with open fields stretching in all directions.

Fast forward to the 2020s, and the landscape has completely transformed. The farms that once surrounded us have disappeared, replaced by single-family homes, condominiums, and shopping centers. Though the area still retains its suburban charm with plenty of green spaces and parks, the only farm that remains nearby is Shady Brook Farm.

Shady Brook Farm, in particular, has seen rapid development around it. With condominiums and commercial buildings now encroaching on its borders, its future feels uncertain. Sadly, these might be its final years. A landscape once timeless, now fading into memory.

I drive by its fields daily, taking in the ever-changing scenery - vast open spaces, an unobstructed sky filled with dramatic or cheerful clouds, and the shifting colors of the seasons. This winter has been unusually warm, with little snow. Here’s a glimpse of how it looks nowadays - starting with bare fields,

then a light dusting of snow as the snowfall begins to accumulate,

and finally, a snow-covered field

they are coming...brushed in tradition, framed in code...atelier Nexus

in

Clarification Note: The images in the post was crafted in cooperation with Midjourney AI, which followed my prompts

It’s already a reality.

AI-powered robots are reshaping the art world. On November 7, a 7.5-foot portrait of Alan Turing created by Ai-Da, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, sold for $1,084,800 at Sotheby’s Digital Art Sale, far surpassing the pre-sale estimate of $180,000.

I am not sure if AI artist studios will proliferate in the future as photography studios did during the boom of the early 20th century. Still, the idea of breathing new life into classic image-making in the Silicon Age is intriguing.

What if traditional artistry and cutting-edge technology came together in a harmonious blend? In that spirit, here’s a glimpse into the imagined AI art studio 'Atelier Nexus,' a place where timeless techniques and futuristic innovation coexist.

mjb and mj...ch6. 2024...box that is always with you

in

Clarification Note: All images in the post were crafted in cooperation with Midjourney AI, which followed my prompts.

Quick Summary for Those Who Prefer a Short Read:

2024. Things are going wrong, and we’re unsure how to fix them. ‘Thinking outside the box’ sounds good, but it usually just creates another box. Using intuition and non-logical thinking might help, but it’s hard to convey the results to others because words often fall short. We’re at a confusing crossroads, and here’s my visual take on this less-than-optimistic observation

'Suppose you succeed in breaking the wall with your head.

And what, then, will you do in the next cell?'

 Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

2024. Everything is going in the wrong direction and nobody knows what to do with it.

We need leaders who can think outside the box, just like the heroes in all those great books and movies. ‘Thinking outside the box’ sounds like a great idea. It should save the world, right?

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that stepping outside one box just puts us into another box. Here's why:

If we define ‘thinking’ as the mental process that involves language and logic, then those things create a sort of ‘box’ for our thoughts. So, ‘thinking outside the box’ means going beyond the usual ideas we know, but it’s still just thinking within another set of ideas, or another box.

What about ‘thinking outside A box’? That means thinking beyond any set of established ideas, not just swapping one set for another. But here's the tricky part: as soon as we start thinking, we create structures or ‘boxes’ to organize our thoughts. So, the idea of thinking completely outside any box is kind of impossible because even trying to do that makes a new box. It leads nowhere.

Well, there is a way out of the ‘thinking box’ trap that’s not very popular in our science-focused world: tapping into intuition and other non-logical ways of knowing. While we usually think of logical thinking as the best kind, this overlooks other ways of understanding the world. Intuition, for example, lets us process information quickly and often subconsciously, leading to insights that logic might miss. Non-verbal thinking, like visual or spatial reasoning, also plays a big part in solving problems and being creative.

But here's the catch: communicating these intuitive and non-verbal insights is tough. They don’t follow the clear, structured paths of logical reasoning. When we try to explain these insights, we have to put them into words, which can be limiting and might not capture the full essence of our understanding.

So, we have a paradox: while intuition and non-verbal thinking are essential for a deeper understanding of the world, sharing these insights effectively requires words. And words can only roughly translate the original insight, losing some of the nuance along the way. This means that while we can personally appreciate these ways of knowing, sharing them with others is often a complex and imperfect task.

Although blending all these ways of thinking might happen in the future if our civilization survives (kind of like what Hermann Hesse imagined in his book [Ch.4]), it’s not something we can use right now. Today, we’re at a crossroads without a clear view of the path ahead.

These thoughts have been bugging me for a while. After almost a year of navigating through various attempts with mixed results, here’s my visual take on this less-than-optimistic observation.

The Box That Is Always With You

Glimpses into AI Image Creation:

The crafting of this image took me the longest time so far — almost a year of on-and-off attempts. It's a good example of how the real process of AI image creation works. Despite the general misconception that one just needs to write a verbal prompt, click a button, and voilà, a great result appears — there is much more to it.

It is true that one can submit to AI a prompt with a few words, many words, or even a blank prompt, and receive a visual response within minutes. The response could be a great image or garbage, but almost never what the prompter had in mind. To get a more predictable result, a prompter has to do a lot of tweaking and adjusting of the prompt's text and parameters, sometimes through hundreds of tries and errors without guaranteed success. Depending on the prompter's persistence and patience, the process can take from hours to weeks or even months. Eventually, the prompter just stops because of exhaution and accepts the result no matter what result was achieved.

One unforeseen aspect of this endeavor is how long the process takes and how the model evolves along the way. The AI-assisted image generation is a quickly developing field. For example, I use the Midjourney AI model, and during the year it took to create this image, I started with version 4 and successively switched to versions 5, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, and 6. Each version had significantly improved abilities, which forced me to change directions and ideas in my attempts. Of course, this would not have happened if I had completed the image in days or weeks.

Another important aspect of the current AI image generation state is that despite explosive growth, this field is still in its infancy (Midjourney is about 2 years old). It can generate great images, but the more complex the image, the less perfect and predictable is the result. Therefore, to create a complex image like the one listed above, one has to break the final idea into parts, create them separately, and gradually blend them together. This is an extremely tedious process requiring numerous tries and errors by itself.

To illustrate the process, here is the image that contains a minuscule portion from hundreds of attempts I made over the year:

Out-of-box-ers

The first two rows show examples of images generated by AI prior to some selection and tweaking. Finally, I got an image I considered the seed for the final result (the second from the left in the bottom row) and started to work around it. I created additional parts of the final image separately (numerous tries and errors by themselves), blended them together, and eventually did all tonal and color corrections and resizing in Photoshop.

So, the question, 'Who is the creator of an AI-generated image — the prompter, the AI, the artists whose works were loaded into the AI database, or all of them?' does not have a simple answer. You be the judge. I am only positive that the image is unique, and nobody, including myself, can reproduce it even by thoroughly repeating each step of its creation. Welcome to the brave new world!

nostalgia in blue...reviving film memories

in


Once upon a time, back in the days of film photography, I captured a series of still life images with bottles. I recently looked through my old photos to find a nice still life image for a spot on my living room wall and was pleasantly surprised by how good these images were. They reminded me of why I fell in love with photograghy in the first place and made me realize how much I miss film photography.

'Blue Bottles' image on display in the living room

behind the canvas...inside artist studio

in

I have a confession to make: I don't have a lot of favorite artists.

My criterion for favorite artists is this: if I can read their books, view their paintings, or watch their movies numerous times without getting bored by the repetition and always finding new facets to enjoy, then they're in the club. They might not be the big names you'd expect, but there's something about them that clicks with me; I just have a feeling that they simply belong to the same Karass as I do.

My roster of beloved artists remains modest; over the years, the list has diminished from hundreds to just a few. These select few share notable characteristics: a formidable educational background that allows them to build on what came before, an attitude to life that's a mix of being serious when it counts but not taking themselves too seriously the rest of the time—a blend of Decalogical ethics, irony, humor, and alienated engagement, as encapsulated in the enigmatic words of Heine: 'I cannot understand where Irony ends and Heaven begins'.

When it comes to belles-lettres, the current list of favorites contains just two pieces of literature: Pelevin's 'Chapayev and Pustota' and Brecht's 'Refugee Conversations'.

Only one animation makes the list - the animated series 'Masyanya' by Oleg Kuvaev.

In the realm of visual arts, one figure that stands out to me is the painter Ilya Zomb. He began his artistic career in our shared hometown, Odessa, before emigrating and settling in the US. As the beloved son of Odessa, Michael Zvaneckiy once said, 'There is something in this nervous soil that gives birth to musicians, chess players, artists, singers... who shine so brightly on both sides of secondary education!' And if I may add, 'on both sides of the Atlantic as well.' The emigration proved beneficial for Ilya; one can observe a shift in his paintings' palette from the gloomy, muddy colors of his pieces created in the USSR to the bright, vibrant colors of those made in the US. In my humble opinion, he reached the peak of his form and settled on his style around 2007, where he remains today.

Ilya has been on my radar for about a decade now. I can't recall exactly how I discovered his work online, but once I did, I was hooked. I added the link to my top favorites and scoured the internet for any of his work I could find

And then not too long ago, I found out that he hosted an Open Doors tour at his studio in Riker Hill Art Park, NJ. So, I made my way over there, and it was awesome. The studio was located in a quiet, cozy location, and the atmosphere at the event was very friendly and informal. I spent a good chunk of time talking about our lives and his art in the company of the artist, his lovely wife, and their cute dog.

Here are some photos from when I was there.

Art studio

Prop shelf

Tools of trade

Relaxation corner

Muse-in-chief

Muse-in-chief sidekick

Ilya

Saying goodbye in style

And finally, some great news - the next Open Doors event will be hosted this weekend.

mjb and mj...ch5. tales of tails

in

Clarification Note: The text of this post was crafted completely by ChatGPT AI with a touch of my own. All images in the post were crafted by Midjourney AI that followed my prompts.

[ Ch.1 ] [ Ch.2 ] [ Ch.3 ] [ Ch.4 ]

As mentioned earlier, I often use AI for entertainment. At this time, I have added an enjoyable twist by envisioning myself assuming the role of a photography magazine writer tasked with crafting an article on the 100-year evolution of portrait photography. Here is the article created by AI following my suggestions.

 

Evolution of Portrait Photography through the Masters

Portrait photography has evolved significantly over the last century, with each era marked by distinctive techniques and stylistic innovations. The works of iconic masters serve as a visual timeline, showcasing the evolution of this art form. Let's delve into the technical and stylistic transformations evident in the 'Boy and His Dog' portraits captured by renowned photographers across different periods.

From the eloquence of classical compositions to the raw authenticity of documentary realism, from probing psychological explorations to the fearless embrace of bold minimalism, and finally, the embrace of cutting-edge innovations in contemporary expression—each photograph unveils a distinct and compelling chapter in this vibrant story.

Edward Steichen (1879-1973)

Steichen's 'Boy and His Dog' portrait epitomizes early 20th-century classicism. Employing a soft focus and painterly aesthetics, he emphasized the subject's connection through meticulous composition and lighting. Steichen's use of chiaroscuro techniques brought depth and intimacy to the relationship portrayed.

Walker Evans (1903-1975)

Evans' approach represented a departure from romanticism, leaning towards documentary realism. His 'Boy and His Dog' photograph showcased a straightforward, unembellished style. Employing sharp focus and clarity, Evans captured the essence of the relationship within its unadorned setting, reflecting the straightforwardness of an era marked by social change.

Diane Arbus (1923-1971)

Arbus challenged conventional portraiture norms. Her 'Boy and His Dog' portrait was unconventional, diving into psychological complexities. Using unconventional angles and stark contrasts, Arbus conveyed a raw, unfiltered emotional connection between the subjects, presenting a departure from traditional compositional norms.

Irving Penn (1917-2009)

Penn's 'Boy and His Dog' displayed refined elegance and precision characteristic of mid-20th-century portraiture. Employing meticulous lighting and posing techniques, he created a composition emphasizing symmetry and balance. Penn's use of controlled studio settings elevated the bond between the boy and dog, exemplifying a harmonious relationship within a controlled environment.

Richard Avedon (1923-2004)

Avedon's 'Boy and His Dog' portrait was a departure from traditional portraiture. Employing stark backgrounds and a minimalist approach, he focused on capturing raw emotion and expression. Avedon's use of high contrast and boldness in composition created a striking visual impact, marking a shift towards unconventional and provocative portraiture.

Patrick Demarchelier (Born 1943)

Demarchelier's 'Boy and His Dog' reflected the evolving contemporary style of the late 20th century. Employing modern lighting techniques and a more relaxed approach to posing, he depicted a casual yet intimate connection between the subjects. His use of natural light and candid moments brought a contemporary sensibility to the traditional theme.

Tim Walker (Born 1970)

Walker's 'Boy and His Dog' departed from reality, embracing surrealism and fantasy. Through elaborate staging and whimsical elements, he created an otherworldly atmosphere. Walker's use of props, elaborate sets, and creative manipulation of light and color challenged traditional portraiture, inviting viewers into a world of imagination.

Annie Leibovitz (Born 1949)

Leibovitz's 'Boy and His Dog' exemplified modern portraiture's fusion of traditional and contemporary elements. Her use of environmental storytelling, combined with innovative lighting and composition, conveyed a narrative depth. Leibovitz merged classic portraiture with a contemporary touch, capturing a timeless yet relatable relationship between the boy and his dog.

The timeless theme of 'Boy and His Dog,' captured by these esteemed masters, not only symbolizes the enduring connection between humans and animals but also acts as a vivid canvas mirroring the continuously changing world of portrait art. This captivating exploration honors the ongoing evolution influenced by shifting aesthetics, progressing technology, and the limitless creativity of artistic minds.

mjb and mj...ch4: reflecting on AI and AI-infused image creation

in

Clarification Note: The text of this post was crafted completely by ChatGPT AI with a touch of my own. The image in the post was crafted by Midjourney AI that followed my prompts.

[ Ch.1 ] [ Ch.2 ] [ Ch.3 ]

Recently, there have been intense discussions about the essence of AI, particularly within the cutting-edge domains of text-to-text and text-to-image systems. Esteemed minds consistently share their thoughts on where AI stands now and where it might be headed. However, the rapid progress in AI fields makes it incredibly challenging for a human to keep pace. It may very well require an AI system itself to thoroughly explore the crucial aspects of this subject.

I have neither the aspirations nor the expertise to participate in the discussions of these distinguished experts. Instead, this serves as my humble reflection, coming from the perspective of an enthusiastic neophyte who uses one of today's leading AI platforms: Midjourney and ChatGPT. My journey begins with a longstanding history in photography and digital images manipulation, supported by an educational foundation in physics, math, and engineering, alongside a self-cultivated grounding in the liberal arts, particularly inclined towards belle letters. This blend of experiences has strongly influenced how I view the AI tools I have at my disposal. I make no claim that my perspective is universal, or even definitively accurate, if such a perspective can indeed be presented.

For around six months, I've immersed myself in using both tools. Some of the outcomes of my efforts, featured within this blog, might offer a clear peek into my creative process i.e. of 'what' I am doing with the tools. However, when faced with the question of 'why' I am doing it, asked by others or even by my own self-reflection, I find myself unable to give a definite answer. Clearly, I'm not pursuing this for practical or financial gain. Undeniably, I take immense pleasure in this pursuit, but that's as far as my explanation goes, and this unanswered question bothers me.

Almost every day, I come up with resolutions that, though sincere, turn out to be fleeting. This quest, in and of itself, is an engaging intellectual adventure, compelling me to voraciously consume and analyze a wide range of information across various fields of knowledge, and engage in deep conversations with ChatGPT. Astonishingly, I've discovered these exchanges to be more fruitful than those with the humans accessible to me.

And here I am, sharing how I currently perceive creation of compelling AI-enhanced images.

So far, I have managed to come up with a list of the current reasons 'why' I am doing it:

1. Addiction to achieving compelling results much faster compared to any other art forms I am practicing

2. Aesthetic pleasure in generating compelling images

3. Intellectual enjoyment that comes from playing with words using loose rules, often leading to unexpected and exciting results.

4. Art Therapy Practice.

5. Having my personal 'museum on demand', that is always accesible

6. Opportunity to simultaneously utilize my skills, this spans fields that previously appeared unrelated to me.

7. Appreciation of people whoes views I value

8. And finally - its uselessness; as Oscar Wilde once coined 'We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. All art is quite useless.'

Upon assembling this list and examining it, something struck me - "Wait a minute, isn't this a vague description of the reasons Castalians played The Game?” I'm referring to The Glass Beads Game described in 'The Glass Beads Game' by Herman Hesse.

Just in case if you never heard of it "The Glass Bead Game" by Herman Hesse was first published in 1943 in Switzerland. It stands out as one of Hermann Hesse's more overtly speculative and intellectually complex works. Hesse was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946, "The Glass Bead Game" were a significant factor in him being awarded the prize.

The novel is set in a distant future where society is organized around intellectual and aesthetic pursuits. The central focus of this society is the titular game, that combines elements of music, mathematics, philosophy, and art. The novel explores themes of individualism, intellectualism, and the search for higher meaning. In the book, Hesse deliberately described the game (also known as "Magister Ludi") in abstract and symbolic terms, leaving many details open to interpretation, allowing readers to imagine it in their own way.

This is how one (myself included) may interpret the Game:

Players:

The game is typically played by highly educated individuals, known as Castalians.

Components:

It involves the use of special symbols, often represented by 'glass beads', which are arranged to create complex patterns and structures on the 'board'. Each symbol likely represents a concept or idea from various fields of knowledge. No specific detail regarding 'beads' and 'board' was provided, the terms serve rather as methaphors of the actual devices. However, during the game the players were 'observing the evolving patterns' of the 'beads' composition, that implies that the 'beads' and the 'board' were not just neutral pieces of material but highly advanced devices that contained/could access vast arrays of information and could interact with each other. One has to keep in mind that Hesse envisioned the Game in early 40s, he could not possibly provide even fictional details about the Game specifics as the first electronic computers (possible potential candidates for the game components prototypes) appeared in late 40s and were a far cry from modern devices. Hesse's focus was on the conceptual and symbolic aspects of the Game rather than the physical manipulation of 'beads'.

Integration of Knowledge:

The game involves integrating knowledge from a wide range of disciplines including mathematics, music, philosophy, literature, and more. Players use 'beads' to explore the relationships and connections between these different fields.

Goal and Purpose:

The primary purpose of the game is intellectual and artistic. It serves as a means for players to explore and express complex ideas, often in abstract and symbolic ways.

The goal is to achieve a sense of visual harmony and aesthetic beauty in the arrangement of the 'beads'. The patterns created should be aesthetically pleasing and intellectually stimulating. Watching the "visual poem" would involve observing the evolving patterns and contemplating the meaning and connections behind them. The patterns created would serve as a visual representation of the synthesis of knowledge from diverse fields. It's a way of exploring the relationships between seemingly unrelated concepts.

"The Glass Bead Game" was written in a very different technological context, and Hesse's intentions were likely focused on broader philosophical and intellectual themes rather than specific predictions about AI. Nonetheless, the novel's themes could be a fertile ground for discussions about the role of advanced technology in shaping the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. It may be interpreted and discussed in the context of the AI era and the potential implications of advanced technology on intellectual pursuits.

To my surprise I was not able to find any meaningful discussion on Hesse's role as a prominent AI visioner. It might be that there is none. I suspect that as leading AI developers mostly belong to the 20-40 years old generation they might never heard of him. The novel is not easy to read because of its dense and introspective style, as well as its philosophical themes. People who enjoy this book are usually scholars who study philosophy and related subjects, rather than scientists and technocrats. Also, it's quite long and the way the story is told might need more attention. Or might be its time does not come yet.

Symphony of forms and colors, embodying the essence of 'The Glass Bead Game'

Before we dive into the subject of the post i.e. comparing AI-powered image creation with the complexity of the Glass Bead Game, it's important to acknowledge the current state of Midjourney development. Right now, Midjourney, while promising, is far from the level of the fully developed Glass Bead Game. Rather, it resembles an embryonic phase in the evolution of the Game, showing hints of what AI system could become.

Feature Breakdown

The Glass Bead Game:

Initiator:

Human - Player(s)/Castalian(s)

Initiation Method:

Human-provided arrangement of special symbols, ‘beads’ on a flat ‘board’. The 'beads' and the 'board' could be interpreted as metaphors for highly advanced devices that contain or have access to extensive arrays of information, and possess the capability to interact with one another.

Processing Method:

There is no a definitive description of how it processes the information. The novel just provides a literary and philosophical concept, allowing readers to contemplate the nature of knowledge, creativity, and the synthesis of diverse disciplines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Domains of Knowledge:

Specific domains are not explicitly defined, but various references suggest the inclusion of the following:

concepts from mathematics, physics, and other scientific disciplines;

musical compositions, musical theories, and artistic elements;

philosophical ideas and concepts;

historical events, works of literature and poetry, as well as literary theories;

concepts from religious and spiritual traditions;

language, linguistics, and the structure of communication;

ethics and morality;

political theories, sociological concepts, and analyses of social structures;

elements of technology

Outcome:

The exact outcome or goal of the game is left deliberately vague and open to interpretation. The main goal of the Glass Bead Game is often thought to be reaching a deeper understanding and insight. It involves exploring and combining complex ideas from different areas of knowledge. This game helps people see connections between things that might seem unrelated at first. It's like a journey to bring together diverse elements in a harmonious and unified way. The result can be a stunning and intricate pattern of interconnected ideas, resembling a work of art.

 
 

Midjourney AI Platform

Initiator:

Human - Prompter/Prompt Engineer

Initiation Method:

Human-written text prompt containing words, phrases, and characters.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Processing Method:

Midjourne uses Large Language Model and Diffusion Model to create unique images based on text prompts. The large language model helps understand the meaning of the prompts and converts them into guides to the diffusion process. The AI image generator begins with a canvas of visual noise, progressively refining it through latent diffusion, resulting in an image representing the objects and concepts described in the prompt.

Domains of Knowledge:

Midjourney is trained on a massive dataset of text and images, and it learns to associate certain words and phrases with certain visual concepts.










Outcome:

When a user provides Midjourney with a prompt, it leverages its understanding of the world to produce an image that aligns with the given prompt. This is accomplished by randomly selecting from the pool of images it has acquired associations with during its training.



 
 

To put it simply, Midjourney, with its blend of Large Language Model AI and Diffusion Model AI, can definitely perform specific tasks in their respective areas. But it doesn't capture the complete, imaginative nature of playing "The Glass Bead Game." This special intellectual pursuit isn't about just getting things done — it's about seeking deep understanding and enlightenment through the fusion of diverse knowledge.

mjb and mj...ch2. superior being

in

Clarification Note: All images in the post were crafted by Midjourney AI that followed my prompts.

[ Ch.1 ]

[ Russian version ]

During the COVID pandemic, I found myself confined to my home studio. Determined to make the most of the situation, I embarked on a creative endeavor that resulted in a series of photographs featuring Venice carnival Jester masks. The traditional Jester mask (the Joker mask depicts a male character, the Jolly - being the female equivalent) portrays a court Jester of the Middle Ages wearing a hat known as the fool's hat. It has three points or "punte" with the bells on the end that represent the tail and ears of a donkey. Another type of the Jester mask has multiple points spread evenly all around its face. As I delved deeper into the history of these masks, I stumbled upon images of the Etruscan artifacts, which looked in some way reminiscent of the Venetian Jester masks.

Etruscan goddess Uni, clay antefix, from the city of Satricum, in Latium, dating to the V century B.C., now in the Altes Museum (Staatliche Museen), Berlin, Germany.

This similarity led me to hypothesize that the history of Joker masks extends beyond the medieval period and possibly indicates a connection to ancient cargo cults. These cults emerged when members of primitive communities encountered representatives of more technologically advanced civilizations and imitated their practices, rituals, and symbols in the hope of achieving the same level of development. To verify this hypothesis, I conducted an online search for images of artifacts from ancient civilizations resembling Joker masks. My goal was to discover similarities between these masks and their potential ancient prototypes in order to uncover the evolution and sources of the captured images within the masks, whose meaning and significance have likely been long forgotten. I embarked on this search with a sober understanding that attempting to trace the evolution of these ancient images would likely be unsuccessful.

To my astonishment, I came across enough artifacts suggesting that Joker masks could be remnants of a series of cargo cults originating from mysterious ancient times. The first part of the blog post was published in February 2022.

Inspired by these findings, I eagerly began writing the second part of the post. I prepared a series of artifact images illustrating the evolution of mask prototypes and started working on the layout in February. However, a tragic global event occurred - on February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. This brought the world to the brink of catastrophe and dampened my enthusiasm to complete the second part of the post.

Now, after nearly 500 days, I feel ready to return to this project. During the forced hiatus, there has been a revolutionary leap in image processing technologies - the emergence of accessible artificial intelligence systems that have opened up new possibilities for preparing illustrations for the post. Therefore, I have decided to rework the material of the post and include images generated using the AI generative program Midjourney.

I will publish the second part of this blog post as soon as it is complete. In the meantime, I believe the image I have created holds independent value within the context of my new ‘mjb and mj’ series. Here is a sneak peek of one of the images generated by AI, offering a glimpse into the upcoming second part of my blog post:

Superior Being

Stay tuned as we embark on a captivating exploration of the ancient origins of Jester masks, uncovering a tapestry of history, culture, and artistic expression spanning millennia.

mjb and mj...ch2. superior being (rus)

in

[ English version ]

mjb and mj...ch2. высшее существо

Во время пандемии COVID я вынужден был проводить большую часть времени в своей домашней студии. Воспользовавшись этой ситуацией, я создал серию фотографий с масками шутов Венецианского карнавала. Традиционная маска шута (маска Джокера - мужской персонаж, Джолли - женский эквивалент) изображает дворцовогоо шута эпохи Средневековья в шляпе, известной как ‘шляпа глупца’. У шляпы имеются три конца или "пунте" с колокольчиками, которые как считается представляют хвост и уши осла. Еще один тип маски шута имеет несколько кончиков, равномерно расположенных по всему лицу. Разбираясь в истории этих масок, я наткнулся на изображения этрусских артефактов, которые во многом напоминали венецианские маски Джокера.

Этрусская богиня Юни, глиняный антефикс из города Сатрикум в Лации, датируемый V веком до нашей эры, сейчас находится в Альтес-музее (Штатлихе Музеен), Берлин, Германия.

Это сходство привело меня к гипотезе о том, что история масок Джокера выходит за рамки средневекового периода и возможно указывает на связь с древними карго культами, которые возникали, когда члены первобытных сообществ встречались с представителями более технологически развитых цивилизаций и имитировали их практики, ритуалы и символы в надежде достичь этим такого же уровня развития. Для верификации этой гипотезы я произвёл онлайн поиск изображений артефактов древних цивилизаций сходных с масками Джокера. Моя цель заключалась в обнаружении сходств между этими масками и их потенциальными древними прототипами в надежде раскрыть эволюцию и источники запечатлённых в масках образов, смысл и значение, которых вероятно были давно забыты. Я начинал этот поиск с трезвым пониманием, что попытка проследить эволюцию этих древних образов скорее всего не будет успешной.

К моему изумлению, мне встретилось достаточно артефактов, указывающих на то, что маски Джокеров могут быть останками серии карго культов, пришедших из загадочных древних времен. Первая часть блог-поста была опубликована в феврале 2022 года.

Вдохновленный этими находками, я с энтузиазмом приступил к написанию второй части поста. Я подготовил серию изображений артефактов, иллюстрирующих эволюцию прототипов масок и в феврале начал работать над оформлением второй части. Однако, произошло трагическое глобальное событие - 24 февраля 2022 года России вторглась в Украину. Это привело мир на грань катастрофы и охладило мой энтузиазм завершить вторую часть поста.

Теперь, спустя почти 500 дней, я чувствую себя готовым вернуться к этому проекту. За время вынужденного перерыва призошёл революционный скачёк в технологиях обработки изображений - появление доступных систем искусственного интеллекта, которое открыло новые возможности в подготовке иллюстраций к посту. Поэтому я решил переработать материал поста и включить в него изображения, подготовленные с помощью генеративной программы ИИ Midjourney.

Я опубликую вторую часть, как только она будет готова. В то же время я мне кажется, что созданные ИИ изображение имеют самостоятельную ценность в контексте моей новой серии ‘mjb and mj’. Вот одно из таких изображений, которое войдёт во вторую часть блог-поста:

Высшее существо

Следите за обновлениями, мы скоро отправимся на поиск прототипов венецианских масок Джокера в увлекательном путешествии в переплетение истории, культуры и художественного творчества на протяжении многих тысячелетий

mjb and mj...ch1. i think this is the beginning of the beautiful friendship

in

Clarification Note: The text of this post was crafted completely by ChatGPT AI with a touch of my own. All images in the post were crafted by Midjourney AI that followed my prompts.



Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence demonstrated by machines

Midjourney (Mj) is a generative AI program and service

ChatGPT is a large language model AI chatbot

MJB - Mark Joseph Berman, yours truly

NB - Naomi, Coton de Tulear



MB, NB, ang Mj on the beach - a triad of highly intelligent individuals complementing each other's abilities in the pursuit of happiness

Over the past months, I've dived headfirst into the realm of text-to-image AI. I've embarked on an adventure prompting Midjourney to generate numerous images, and let me tell you, the results left me utterly stunned. It sparked a series of thought-provoking questions that ignited my curiosity:

To what extent are human-AI look-alikes?

As I gazed at the AI-generated images, I couldn't help but wonder how closely they resembled their human counterparts. It's remarkable to witness the AI's ability to capture elements of human likeness, blurring the boundaries between human and machine.

The role of the human in this process - is the human a creator?

Amidst this creative journey, I found myself pondering the role of humans in the text-to-image AI interaction. Are we mere prompters, or can we consider ourselves co-creators? It's a fascinating dynamic, where humans provide the initial spark of inspiration by providing the input—descriptive text or prompts that guide the AI's artistic prowess. It's like giving the AI a virtual canvas and saying, "Create something amazing!" But hey, we're not just co-creators; we're also the eager users who witness the magic unfold.

Are the resulting images an art?

The question of whether AI-generated images can be considered true art sparks lively debates. Some argue that true art requires emotional depth and the human touch, while others appreciate the unique charm that arises from the fusion of human creativity and AI algorithms. It's an exciting blend of imagination and computational brilliance, expanding the boundaries of what we define as art.

What similarities exist between human-AI look-alikes and human-other-living-being look-alikes, such as dog look-alikes?

Intriguingly, the parallels between human-AI look-alikes and human-dog look-alikes caught my attention. It's amusing to observe how both combinations exhibit resemblances that bring a smile to our faces. It's a testament to the creative interplay between humans, AI, and the natural world.

To add a touch of humor and entertainment, I've included some delightful dog-owner look-alike images in this post. These images were prompted and tweaked by yours truly, serving as a testament to the collaborative process between humans and AI.

As I reflect on this exhilarating journey, I can't help but feel a surge of excitement for what lies ahead. The realm of text-to-image AI is brimming with endless possibilities, and I eagerly anticipate the unexpected discoveries and remarkable creations that await us on this road.

So, my friends, join me as we venture further into the realm of AI-generated images. Let's celebrate the fusion of human ingenuity and AI's computational brilliance, uncovering the breathtaking artistry that emerges from this captivating collaboration. Together, we'll continue to explore and embrace the boundless horizons of AI's creative power.

It's going to be a wild ride, and I'm excited to share it with you in the upcoming chapters. May the Intelligence be with you.

hanukkah coincidence...

in

I took this image in 2007 during Hanukkah celebration on the Akumal beach

On the first day of Hanukkah 2022 I came across these magic lines of poetry written by Gorodnitsky in the same 2007

Планет небесная механика
Над далью моря голубой,
Когда горит свеча на Хануку,
О чем мы думаем с тобой?

[Planets celestial mechanics / Over the distance of the blue sea, / When the Hanukkah candles burn / What are you and I thinking about?]

Such a beautiful coincidence

fridge vs TV...

in

In the last two years I passionately divided my spare time between two hobbies - Fine Art Photography and Bread Baking. Whenever a new fine art image was completed, I shared it with my Facebook friends and followers. It was only natural that I also made a Food Photography style image of any new type of bread I baked and shared them in my Facebook as well. Sometimes I also shared my images of pastry masterpieces baked by my wife.

Recently I posted within a week timeframe my latest fine art image

and an image of Lucy's latest masterpiece

The response to them (Likes/Comments) really surprised and intrigued me - the fine art one got 3/0 responses and the cake image got 25/7 responses, i.e. the cake got 8-1 win over the art. It looked like a perfect illustration of a far-famed Russian saying - 'In a battle between a television and a refrigerator, the fridge will always beat out the TV'.  I guess this view is kind of specific to Russian mentality. I have not seen a matching saying in English, the closest one is, probably, the famous ‘It’s the economy stupid’.

My first emotional explanation of this skewed outcome was that maybe because the majority of my online audience has the Russian origin and experienced periods of food shortages in their past, it made them more gastronomically inclined in their image preferences.

However, my scientific background did not allow me to accept such sad truth easily. What if this outcome was just a random deviation? Luckily, I posted enough images of both categories to make a proper statistical analysis rather than to accepting this outcome as the final truth. There were 16 bread/pastry images and 9 fine art ones in total posted from May 2020 to August 2022.

The mean values of number of responses were 15 and 13 respectively. The statistical comparison of the means of two groups showed that the difference between means of Bread and Fine Art groups is not statistically significant. In plain English, it means that my audience has not expressed preference for one group over another.

Phew, I feel much better now!

For those interested in the details of the analysis - they are given below


peaceable kingdom

in

Quaker Minister and America’s foremost primitive painter, Edward Hicks, resided and was buried just a mile away from my Newtown residence. He is best known for his ‘Peaceable Kingdom’ pictures, of which sixty-two exist, and he might had painted over a hundred of them. Hick’s house is still there and there is a ‘Peaceable Kingdom’ playground located a couple of blocks from it.

The ‘Peaceable Kingdom’ paintings depict a prophecy in the Book of Isaiah (11:6):

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
…
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain

Peaceable Kingdom playground, Newtown, PA

The prophecy is commonly perceived as a description of a state of harmony among all creatures, a state of peace as opposed to war. However, it is hard to believe that Hicks spent so much time on a series that spanned half of his life, from 1816 to 1847, to convey such a simple message.

The prophecy could be perceived on a deeper existential level as a description of a place where there is no death and no time - a blessed land where nothing changes, the feature frequently associated with an afterlife. Hicks being a Minister most probably perceived it as such and presented his reflections in the ‘Peaceable Kingdom’ series.

Many great intellectuals contemplated over the centuries the mystery of life, death, and possibility of the afterlife. Although they did not come any closer to resolving the mystery, at least they tried and left after magnificent descriptions of their views. Among them, in my humble opinion, is one of the most profound poetic works of the XX century - ‘The Great Elegy for John Donne’ by Joseph Brodsky. Here is the description of the ‘Peaceable Kingdom’ from this elegy:

The radiance of that Country does not fade.

From thence all here seems a faint, fevered dream.

From thence our Lord is but a light that gleams,

through fog, in window of the farthest house.

The fields lie fallow, furrowed by no plow.

The years lie fallow, and the centuries.

Forests alone stand, like a steady wall.

Enormous rains batter the dripping grass.

...All things are distant. What is near is dim.

The level glance slides from a roof remote.

All here is bright. No din of baying hound

or tolling bell disturbs the silent air.

Joseph Brodsky - The Great Elegy for John Donne

И климат там недвижен, в той стране.

Откуда всё, как сон больной в истоме.

Господь оттуда -- только свет в окне

туманной ночью в самом дальнем доме.

Поля бывают. Их не пашет плуг.

Года не пашет. И века не пашет.

Одни леса стоят стеной вокруг,

а только дождь в траве огромной пляшет.

...Всё, всё вдали. А здесь неясный край.

Спокойный взгляд скользит по дальним крышам.

Здесь так светло. Не слышен псиный лай.

И колокольный звон совсем не слышен.

Иосиф Бродский - Большая элегия Джону Донну

And here is an image from my ‘Venetian Masks’ series inspired by the elegy. One with sharp vision could even discern ‘windows of the farthest house’ in the upper right corner.

Peaceable Kingdom

venice carnival jester masks... 2. in search of their origin

in
 

In memory of Andrey Yuryevich Sklyarov (1961 - 2016)

 

Andrei Sklyarov was a founder and ideological leader of the Laboratory of Alternative History, author of dozens of books and films that changed the views of thousands of people on the ancient history, architecture, archeology, and paleogeography.

 

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venice carnival jester masks...1. mask-induced obsession

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Over a year ago I developed an obsession with masks. It was not the common nowadays obsession with protective masks but a fancy obsession with the Venice Carnival masks. And it was not just with any kind of the Venetian masks but rather with one particular type - the Jester masks. I felt a strong urge to implement the Jester mask images in my photography and could not resist this idee fixe. So I started to create still life images where a Jester mask played a role of the centerpiece. So far I completed seven such natura mortes and still do not feel completely cured. It was a pretty elaborate project - each image took around two-three weeks from start to finish.

A short introduction for those who have never heard of the Venice Carnival - the etymology of Carnival is from Medieval Latin 'carne vale' that literally translated means 'meat, farewell'. Carnevale is celebrated in the pre-Lent period before Catholics spend forty days in deep reflection and give up luxuries such as meat. During the celebrations merrymakers are free to eat, drink, and dance without reproof.

According to legend, one of the most famous carnivals around the world, the Carnival of Venice, started in the 12th century. The Venetian Republic defeated the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico di Treven, he was taken prisoner and later released in 1162. The sharp-witted Venetians in exchange for his release requested payment of an annual tribute of a bull, twelve pigs and 300 loaves of bread to be delivered in the last days before Lent. In the honour of this victory, the people started to dance and gather in San Marco Square where the animals would be slaughtered in a public ceremony on 'Fat Thursday'.

The Republic of Venice only allowed nobles to participate in government and public life. Carnival of Venice relaxed the rules and allowed people of different classes to mingle together, which was not allowed at other times during the year. This tradition can be traced at least to the traditions of ancient Roman festivities such as Saturnalia. Venetian masks have always been a unique and important feature of the Venetian carnival. They made it possible for people of different classes to mingle together, which was not allowed at other times during the year.

Venetian masks may be generally classified under three major groups: Commedia Dell’Arte masks, traditional Venetian masks, and fantasy masks. Almost all of them are fancy faceless masks or depict funny recognizable characters, except for, maybe the Jester masks. The traditional Jester mask (the Joker mask depicts a male character, the Jolly - being the female equivalent) portrays a court Jester of the Middle Ages wearing a hat known as the fool's hat. It has three points or "punte" with the bells on the end that represent the tail and ears of a donkey. Another type of the Jester mask has multiple points spread evenly all around its face. In my opinion, this mysterious mask is in a class of its own, there is even confusion as to what mask group it belongs to. More about it in Part 2, below are still life images with Jester masks I created so far.

Venetian Mask and Shells

White Mask

Jolly Mask and Birds

White Mask, Bust, and Lemons

Farewell to MMXX (2020)

White Mask and Watches

Eight Birds and Mask

Gallery 14 Juried Photography Exhibition 2022

last days of summer

in

For a long time I was not in a mood to post something in this season of the covid-instigated turmoil. Just a year ago it was the consensus that we really were living in the most peaceful time in human history. What an irony!

A scene I drove by today reminded me of the peaceful summer life and made me wonder ‘Isn’t it the last one?’.

I would prefer, however, to stay positive. As Golda Meir once coined: ‘Pessimism is a luxury that a Jew can never allow himself’.

d.c. and vicinity...mount vernon

in ,

This is the third post about Washington, DC and vicinity inspired by my 2018 trip. The previous ones are here and here.

 

“Ethics and aesthetics are one.”

― Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, 1921

Wittgenstein published this thesis just a mere hundred years ago. However, long before it happened this idea was a lifelong philosophy of George Washington. He believed that a personal character meshes with the person’s aesthetic world to form an ethic of moral excellence and he himself was a perfect proof of this belief.

Washington is universally recognized as the most influential figure in American history, a hero of the Revolution, the first president of the United States. Much less known is his artistic and creative side - Washington was a talented landscape and interior designer, architect, and passionate art collector. For many years he carefully assembled his aesthetic world designing and supervising the remodeling of his family’s estate, Mount Vernon, to become a public face of his virtue.











hyacinth...the man...the flower

in

Hyacinth in some way is a very disturbing flower.

According to the Greek mythology Hyacinth, a beautiful Spartan youth, was killed by a discus thrown by Apollo, his lover, during a friendly competition. It was not clear what actually did happen then - either the discus change its direction because of the wind controlled by the abandoned jealous lover, Zephyrus (Apollo’s version) or the disk just bounced back from the ground (Zephyrus' version). The Greek also believed that Apollo had created the hyacinth flowers from Hyacinth's blood and inscribed the word 'AI' (alas) on its petals to commemorate the death of his lover. To add to the confusion, the flower we today call hyacinth is probably a different flower than the one mentioned in the myth.

Hyacinth flower was considered to be the most beautiful flower by the Greeks. However, with the tragic story behind its origin, its spear-like phallic form, queer vibrant color, and intense scent it can more easily be associated today with a feeling of disquietude than joy. And the recommendation to wear gloves when touching hyacinth bulbs does not necessarily improve its controversial reputation.

That being said, for some reason we have a lot of hyacinths in our garden. They are generally the first flowers that popped up there in spring. Here is the one from this season blooms, disturbing and lovely.