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Table of Contents
Evolving Mirrors
by Lex Moakler (lexmoakler.com)
Introduction
How do we relate to images of ourselves, when the technology we use to do so evolves faster than our biology? How do the ways we create, manipulate, and archive images, which are developing rapidly throughout our lives, shape how we understand visual representations of ourselves and other people?
Evolving Mirrors is an interactive new media installation that invites you to look at yourself, as seen through real-time video ‘mirrors’ that change before your eyes. The artwork uses a genetic algorithm to generate transformations of participants’ images and displays them in an evolving ecosystem where each mirror competes for the attention of curious onlookers.
Background
Genetic algorithms are used by Artificial Life (A-Life) researchers and artists to generate surprising solutions to complex problems. Such an algorithm encodes possible solutions as genetic sequences, and simulates an evolutionary struggle where only the fittest solutions survive and reproduce. The way this fitness is defined—the fitness function—indirectly determines which solutions prevail.
A-Life algorithms are typically designed to be very fast: millions of generations can be created and testing in mere seconds. In contrast, Evolving Mirrors is slow enough that participants can see new transformations be generated in real-time.
Prototypes
Figure 1 - Sketch of the project hanging from a gallery ceiling. The nearby silhouette of a participant provides a sense of scale.
