by Martine Syms (Through July 9)
Learn more from on the Philadelphia Art Museum's page
Location: Second Floor, Alter Gallery 276 (On the second floor, walk through the European Art 1850-1900 Impressionism wing and turn right into the Modern & Contemporary Art section)
Before you enter the space, check-in with your body. How are you feeling?
The human brain and body loves novelty and to be surprised (in some cases).
Walk into Gallery 276 and experience Neural Swamp by Martine Syms.
As you let your eyes adjust, what do you notice? What do you see? Check-in with your body again: How are you feeling?
This is the very first step of FIMS: IDENTIFY.
Once you have oriented yourself, take note of how others in the space are experiencing the room.
You may have noticed and read the introduction to the space on the wall upon entry. Read this quote from this narrative:
"Neural Swamp builds upon the artist’s research into machine systems that erase and exploit Black bodies, voices, and narratives. Blurring the lines between humor and horror, Syms uses algorithms and artificial intelligence to question the politics of images and the technologies that allow for their production and consumption."
If you are traveling/visiting with a partner, find a spot to connect. How does this narrative inform how you feel about this space as a work of art?
How does this experience impact your teaching?
When we think of ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovations in the news, we don't often consider AI in the multimedia space. Given this, how might you integrate this experience into your classroom?