The algorithm, 2024, Process art – New media art – AI

 

 

 

Marcello Mercado

The Algorithm

2024

Process Art – New Media Art – Photography – AI

 

 

The Algorithm is an exploration of the intersection between obsolete technologies, photographic processes, and the evolving nature of AI. It traces the transformation of a photographic recording apparatus over five decades, employing both historical reference and technological development to produce a new, integrated system.

In 1972, the artist’s grandfather was photographed using a Century Number 7 large-format folding camera (*), an early 20th-century device that captured highly detailed portraits. In 1980, the same camera was used to capture the artist’s own portrait, long after his grandfather’s death. This juxtaposition of temporal gaps sets the tone for the project’s investigation of technological evolution. At that point, the camera was relegated to storage, its physical obsolescence marking a moment of suspended history.

In 1998, the artist recovered the camera, bringing it back from 26 years of dormancy. In 2024, the artist revisited the camera, now using a 2009 iPod (**) to photograph the remnants of the once-relevant tool, an obsolete device that bridged the analog and digital eras. The final photograph of the camera was taken using an iPhone 14, the latest in digital photography technology, marking the completion of a technological cycle from the heavy, mechanical analog to the sophisticated, AI-integrated systems of today.

The project moves beyond symbolic or representational frameworks to focus on the material and procedural connections between technologies. Each image in the process not only documents a specific object but contributes to an unfolding algorithm that connects the past to the present, analog to digital, and mechanical to artificial intelligence. The final output is an algorithm generated through AI that incorporates the visual information collected by the cameras across the decades.

This work draws on media archaeology as articulated by Siegfried Zielinski, whose emphasis on the recuperation of discarded technologies allows for a deeper understanding of how these objects continue to influence contemporary culture. The Algorithm operates within this framework, not only as a historical narrative but as a living exploration of how obsolete technologies carry forward the traces of their past functions, even in their residual states. Through this lens, obsolescence becomes a productive force, fueling a new cycle of technological engagement.

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The Process:

 

A.

1972: A portrait of the artist’s grandfather is captured in the public square of the artist’s hometown by an anonymous photographer, using the Century Number 7 camera. This moment marks the initial interaction between the artist’s family history and the medium of photography. The camera, designed for high-resolution, large-format images, signifies a moment where technology is embedded in personal memory.

 

 

01. Portrait of the artist’s grandfather, 1972

 

 

B.

1980: The same camera is used to photograph the artist. In a subtle twist, the portrait is given a «vintage mask» effect, which makes the photograph appear older than the one taken in 1972, highlighting the contrast between perceived time and actual technological progress.

 

02. Portrait of the artist, 1980

 

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C.

1998: The remains of the Century Number 7 camera, stored for decades, is rediscovered by the artist.

 

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D.

2024: Using a 2009 iPod, the artist photographs the remains of the Century Number 7 camera, marking the crossover from physical to portable digital technology. Despite its own obsolescence, the iPod serves as a transitional tool in the photographic evolution.

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03. 2009 iPod taking a photo of the remains of the Century Number 7 camera

 

04. 2009 iPod photograph of the remains of the Century Number 7 camera

 

 

E.

2024: The final photograph is taken with an iPhone 14, representing the pinnacle of digital and AI-integrated photography. The phone, lighter, faster, and more accessible than its predecessors, signifies the completion of the technological transition from analog to digital, from mechanical to AI-powered systems.

 

05. Remains of the rescued Century Number 7 camera

 

 

 

 

 

Each photograph taken during this process contributes to an algorithm that the artist uses to generate an on-demand artificial intelligence response. The algorithm serves not only as a documentation of the passage from one device to another but also as a living expression of how technologies evolve, disappear, and, in their obsolescence, continue to inform new ways of thinking and creating.

 

 

 

The performance shifts from an historical recounting of technological change to an active, ongoing process of engagement with technology, memory, and cultural history. Each device, from the Century Number 7 to the iPhone 14, acts as both a marker of time and an agent of transformation, tracing a line from the past to the present, and ultimately, through artificial intelligence, into a new future.

The Algorithm not only addresses the obsolescence of technologies but also reveals how these obsolete forms continue to shape contemporary creative practice. It is an act of media archaeology that does not merely recover the past but allows it to inform the future. The work demonstrates the continuous presence of old technologies in the fabric of modernity, revealing their residual power to inform and generate new forms of artistic and intellectual expression.

 

 

F.

The five images obtained were processed by an artificial intelligence language model to obtain an on-demand algorithm.

The algorithm obtained was regenerated to obtain a second variation of it.

 

 

Algorithm 01- AI

PHOTO 01 + PHOTO 02 + PHOTO 03 + PHOTO 04 + PHOTO 05

 

 

 

Algorithm 02- AI

 

PHOTO 01 + PHOTO 02 + PHOTO 03 + PHOTO 04 + PHOTO 05

 

1. Introduction:
   • Begin by outlining the objective of tracing the transition of a photographic apparatus from analog to AI, covering three distinct camera technologies and their evolution alongside a language model.
2. Initial Setting:
   • Set the scene with the Century Number 7 camera capturing portraits in a town plaza in Argentina in 1972, highlighting its distinctive green flexible bellows.
3. Camera Evolution:
   • Provide a historical overview of the Century Camera Co., established in 1900 and its subsequent acquisition by Eastman Kodak Co. in 1903, leading to its discontinuation in 1920.
4. First Transition:
   • Transition to the iPod era, initiated by Apple Inc. in 2001, featuring portable digital audio players. Detail the iPod’s key features such as weight, storage capacity, screen size, battery life, and data transfer speed.
5. Second Transition:
   • Progress to the iPhone 14, the latest smartphone model available at the time. Discuss its announcement, release date, screen size, camera enhancements, and connectivity capabilities.
6. Personal Connection:
   • Introduce a personal connection to the narrative, mentioning the birth years of the protagonist’s grandfather (1898) and the protagonist (1963). Emphasize the generational shift from older to newer technologies.
7. Storage of Old Devices:
   • Describe the circumstances of the Century Number 7 camera being stored in a warehouse for 26 years before its rediscovery in 1998, highlighting the passage of time and technological advancements during its hiatus.
8. Capture with Obsolete iPod:
   • Explain how a photo of the Century Number 7 camera was taken using a 2009 iPod, symbolizing the convergence of traditional and modern technologies.
9. Final Transition:
   • Conclude with the capture of the final photo of the Century Number 7 camera using an iPhone 14, symbolizing the culmination of technological evolution from analog to digital and from physical to AI.
10. Personal Reflection:

• Reflect on the fascination with both old and new technologies, and how the protagonist navigates between them using an iPhone 14 and ChatGPT, underscoring the interplay between past, present, and future in technological advancement.

This algorithm provides a structured approach to narrating the journey of technological evolution, weaving together historical context, personal connections, and the protagonist’s interaction with various devices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

(*).

The Century Number 7 large format folding camera is a model from the early 20th century and was manufactured by the Century Camera Company. Here are some of its key features:
Film Format: The Century Number 7 camera was designed to use large format film, usually in sizes such as 4×5 inches or 8×10 inches. This made it possible to capture high resolution images with a high level of detail.
Folding design: As the name suggests, this camera had a folding design that allowed it to be collapsed for easy transportation and storage. When folded, the camera became more compact and portable, making it ideal for photographers who needed mobility.
Lens Focusing: The Century Number 7 typically came equipped with a high-quality focusing lens that offered manual focusing options as well as the use of an extendable bellows. This allowed the focal length to be adjusted to achieve optimal sharpness in the image.
Rugged construction: Large-format cameras such as the Century Number 7 were often constructed of durable materials such as wood and metal, giving them a sense of solidity and stability. This ruggedness contributed to the camera’s longevity and ability to withstand the rigors of outdoor use.
Tripod Mount: Due to its nature and size, the Century Number 7 would typically be mounted on a tripod to ensure stability during photography. Tripods provided solid support and allowed the height and angle of the camera to be adjusted to suit the potographer’s needs.

 

 

(**)

The 2009 version of the iPod did not have a built-in camera. However, in September 2009, Apple released the fifth-generation iPod nano with a built-in video camera. Here are the key features of this camera:Resolution: The camera on the fifth-generation iPod nano had a video resolution of 640 x 480 pixels (VGA) at 30 frames per second.
Storage capacity: The iPod nano allowed you to record video directly on the device and store it in its internal memory, which varied depending on the model’s capacity (8GB or 16GB).
Video format: Videos were recorded in H.264 format and saved as .MOV files.
Other features: The iPod nano’s camera could take still photos at a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. It also offered basic video editing capabilities right on the device.