Victor Wong 黃宏達 | Machine-Art-Intelligence 机器.艺术.智能
Image 图片: Cathay Pacific. Victor Wong 黃宏達
Artificial intelligence has developed rapidly over the years and it is now in our daily lives. Whether we are using an app or searching for information online, it has become an integral part of life. With such advancements, artists have been merging technology with various art forms leading to new tools for artists to work with. Hong Kong artist, Victor Wong is one such artist expanding their artistic exploration with artificial intelligence. Wong created AI Gemini, the first artificial intelligence ink artist worldwide in 2018.
人工智能这些年来发展迅速，已经进入了我们的日常生活。无论是使用app上的应用程序还是在线搜索信息，它都已成为生活中不可或缺的一部分。随着这些的发展，艺术家们一直在将技术与各种艺术形式相结合，从而为艺术家们提供了新的创作工具。来自香港的黃宏達（Victor Wong）就是这样一位艺术家，他通过人工智能来扩展他们的艺术探索。在2018 年，黃宏達 创造了 AI Gemini，成为全球第一位人工智能水墨艺术家。
About the artist
关于艺术家
Image: 3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini
图片：3812 Gallery. 黃宏達和A.I. Gemini
Victor Wong is a Hong Kong artist known for his work in special effects. Wong graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1989 and he would go on to establish a visual effects production company vfxNova. His company produced over 800 TV advertisements and designed special effects for over 100 films from Hong Kong and Hollywood, including Iron Man, Fantastic Four, Initial D, and more. He has won multiple accolades from JIAA (Japan), New York Festival, Hong Kong Film Awards, and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards.
黃宏達是一位以特效作品而闻名的香港艺术家。他于 1989 年毕业于西雅图的华盛顿大学，之后创立了视觉效果制作公司 vfxNova。他的公司制作了 800 多个电视广告，并为来自香港和好莱坞的 100 多部电影设计了特效，包括《钢铁侠》、《神奇四侠》、《头文字D》 等。曾获得JIAA（日本）、纽约电影节、香港电影金像奖、台北金马影展等多项大奖。
In 2005 he was listed among Hong Kong’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons. In 2019, Martell honored him with the Martell Artist of the Year and Our Hong Kong Foundation presented him with an InnoStars Award for his emphasis on innovation and heritage preservation in his passionate artistic journey. His works are held by many key private collectors, including the Uli Sigg Collection in Switzerland.
他在2005年入选香港十大杰出青年， 2019 年，马爹利授予他年度马爹利艺术家奖，香港基金会授予他 InnoStars 奖，以表彰他在充满激情的艺术之旅中对创新和遗产保护的重视。他的作品被许多重要的私人收藏家收藏，包括瑞士的 Uli Sigg Collection。
Engineering an artist
“制造”一位艺术家
Image: 3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini
图片：3812 Gallery. 黃宏達和A.I. Gemini
Victor Wong’s conceptualization of the AI Gemini project began in 2015 when he was tasked to create an animation film based on the style of ink horse paintings by Xu Beihong. He imagined a pairing with this ink-based art style and a form of 3D technology. On the reasoning behind this development, he looked back to the history of art, remarking that artists would "choose the newest technology available to them at the time.”
黃宏達对 AI Gemini 项目的概念始于 2015 年，当时他受命创作一部基于徐悲鸿的水墨画“马”系列风格的动画电影。他想象了一种基于墨水的艺术风格和一种 3D 技术形式的搭配。关于这一创作手法背后的原因，他回顾艺术史，说艺术家会“选择当时可用的最新技术”。
Image: 3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini
图片：3812 Gallery. 黃宏達和A.I. Gemini
The artist breaks down the robot artist, AI Gemini (or Gemini as he calls it) into two parts, the artist and its inventor. He, the inventor is the brain that influences the traits that the robot will train to create and the AI itself will produce an artwork that not even its inventor can imagine. Over three years the artist trained Gemini in painting traditional Chinese landscapes which brought out various styles. Equipped with a robotic arm and an ink-loaded brush, the AI produced artworks freely. At the same time, through the programming and adjustments the artist made, they were communicating and transitioning from a technical perspective into an artistic one.
他将机器人艺术家 AI Gemini（或他称之为 Gemini）分为两部分，艺术家和发明者。黃宏達，作为发明者，是影响机器训练创造的大脑，而人工智能本身将产出甚至连发明者都无法想象的艺术品。三年多来，艺术家训练Gemini绘制中国传统山水画，展现出各种风格。配备机械臂和墨水刷，人工智能可以自由地制作艺术品。同时，通过他的编程和调整，他们正在从技术角度进行磨合，逐渐过渡到艺术的角度。
AI Gemini operates by converting geographical data into mathematical formulas and algorithms to generate a 3D image inked as a 2D image that is physically painted using a robot arm, ink, and paper. Each image takes about 50 hours to create. Victor fuels the AI on brush techniques, use of water, brush pressure, and more. He also provides real-time changes in humidity and temperature alongside some random data to challenge the AI.
AI Gemini 通过将地理数据转换为数学公式和算法来生成 3D 图像，该图像以 2D 图像的形式使用机械臂、墨水和纸张进行物理绘制。每张图像大约需要 50 个小时来创建。黃宏達在笔刷、水的应用、画笔压力等方面为 AI 提供动力。他还会制造湿度和温度的实时变化以及一些随机数据来挑战人工智能。
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Escapism-0016-0016 (2018). Ink on paper 46 x 118cm.
“Each time A.I. Gemini starts a fresh painting I like to introduce elements that could be potentially chaotic, feeding him random data. I have no idea what the drawing might look like until it is finished and the result amazes me every time…”
“每次 A.I. Gemini 开始画一幅新的作品，我喜欢引入可能潜在混乱的元素，为他提供随机数据。在完成之前我不知道这幅画会是什么样子，结果每次都让我感到惊讶……”
- Victor Wong 黃宏達
More than a machine
不仅仅是一台机器
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. The Fauvist Dreams of Gemini 03 (2020). Chinese ink, acrylic & gold paint on rice paper 69 x 47 cm.
The manner in which Victor Wong sees AI Gemini is eccentric in person but acceptable in concept. Wong’s respect for Gemini can be seen through his personification of the AI robot and the granting of creative authority over their collaborative works. Every artwork made with AI Gemini is signed by both ‘artists’ and the earnings from the sales of these works are reinvested into creating a new body for Gemini.
黃宏達看待 AI Gemini 的方式在个人看来很古怪，但在概念上又是可以接受的。他对双子座的尊重可以通过他对人工智能机器人的拟人化以及对他们合作作品的创作权威来体现。用 AI Gemini 制作的每一件艺术品都有他们俩的“艺术家”签名，而这些作品的销售收入再作为投资，用作为 Gemini 创造一个新的身体。
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. The Fauvist Dreams of Gemini 01 (2020). Chinese ink, acrylic & gold paint on rice paper 43 x 129 cm.
“It’s a collaborative process. A.I. Gemini won’t be able to draw without me feeding him the data and I can’t draw the kind of landscapes he does. He is not just a creative tool. I like to think of A.I. Gemini as my partner and soul mate.”
“这是一个协作的过程。如果没有我给他提供数据， A.I. Gemini无法画画，而我自己也无法画出他所画出来的那种风景。他不仅仅是一个创造性的工具，我更将 A.I. Gemini当作是我的伙伴和灵魂伴侣。”
- Victor Wong 黃宏達
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Escapism 0005-0005 (2018). Ink on paper 46 x 118cm.
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Escapism 0002-0002 (2018). Ink on paper 48 x 140cm.
Wong’s intricate engineering also adds a sense of sophistication to the robot. Like a human, it has a sense of looks, range of emotion, as well as and attention to its surrounding environment. In fact, many of the ideas surrounding AI racing through Victor's mind link to emotional emulation. He ponders about the contradictory state of AI development as such:
黃宏達复杂的工程设计也为机器人增添了一丝精致感。像人类一样，它会关注外貌、情感的范围以及周围的环境。事实上，许多围绕 AI 的想法在黃宏達的头脑中都与情感模拟有关。他思考了人工智能发展的矛盾状态：
“Humans’ minds are so contradictory sometimes. We create AI so we can create something that can do without emotions. You can skip out the emotions and extract data. But on the other hand, we want AI to respond to us emotionally. That’s contradictory, right? I think that development is ongoing. It’s going to take less and less time for [AI] to respond, and that makes us fear that the machine is very closely human because it reacts like us. That is something that is going to happen. For me, that’s good because I can do more experiments.”
“人的思想有时候就是这么矛盾的。我们创造了人工智能，所以我们可以创造出不需要情感的东西。可以跳过情绪并提取数据。但另一方面，我们希望人工智能在情感上回应我们。这很矛盾对吧？但我认为这种发展是持续的。“AI” 响应的时间会越来越少，这让我们担心机器与人类其实非常接近，因为它和我们有相似的反应。这就是即将要发生的事情。对我来说，这很好，因为我可以做更多的实验。”
Taking Ink Art to the next level
将水墨艺术提升到一个新的水平
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. 7 Scholars Series (0001-0007) (2019). 122 x 296 cm. (Set of 7 works 118 x 34cm each artwork).
By 2019 Wong would show his Escapism series which held a collection of works created by Gemini followed by 7 Scholars series and his exhibitions, Tech-Ink Garden and Far Side of the Moon.
2019年，黃宏達将展出他的《逃避》系列，这个系列其中包括Gemini创作的作品《7位学者》，《科技墨水花园》和《月球背面〉。
The "7 Scholars" series shows seven different vertical works made to represent the surface of steep cliffs with several ridges. The title takes inspiration to the seven sages from Chinese history who took to a life of drinking and poetry instead of holding their secure government jobs. The purpose of the works is to create a break from the chaos of the world. The audience is invited to let go of their stress and find positivity through the viewing experience. Images may be interpreted in many ways based on the mental interpretation that is unique for each person based on their experiences.
《7位学者》系列展示了七种不同的垂直作品，它们代表了带有几道山脊的陡峭悬崖的表面。这个标题的灵感来自中国历史上的七位圣人，他们没有担任安稳的政府工作，而是过着饮酒赋诗的生活。作品的目的是打破世界的混乱。他邀请观众通过观看体验从而释放压力，找到乐观的方向。作品可以根据每个人的经历而产生独特的理解，从而以多种方式进行诠释。
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Far Side of the Moon 0004 (2019). Ink on paper 89 x 62cm.
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Far Side of the Moon 0006 (2019). Ink on paper 89 x 62cm.
"Far Side of the Moon" takes pictures from China’s probe, Chang-e 4, of the far side of the moon paired with observational data from NASA. The AI not only copies the data but makes its own interpretation of the craters and textures to form its own moonscapes. The artworks are made to emulate the style and feel of Chinese brush techniques while not exactly following the normal conventions of traditional Chinese painting. The gold color which is a new addition for the AI to experiment with led to the creation of aesthetically driven artworks that are distinct and pleasing to the eye.
《月球背面》展示了从中国探测器嫦娥四号拍摄的月球背面照片与美国宇航局观测数据的结合。AI 不仅会复制数据，还会对陨石坑和纹理进行自己的解释，以形成自己的月球景观。这些艺术作品模仿中国笔法的风格和感觉，却不完全遵循中国传统绘画的常规惯例。金色是人工智能新添加进去的一种实，它以自己的审美创造出了独特且赏心悦目的艺术作品。
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Far Side of the Moon 0005 (2019). Ink on paper 89 x 62cm.
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Far Side of the Moon 0003 (2019). Ink on paper 89 x 62cm.
The artist compiles the tech-art collaboration through the game-changing TECH-iNK Garden which has already been showcased throughout many cities around the world including London, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, and Nanjing. The event brings together the collective works from the "Escapism" series, "7 Scholars" series, and works from "Far Side of the Moon". The idea behind the collection is the concept of a Chinese garden, integrating the ideology of space in Chinese culture. It is a combination of 3D projects, 3D printed sculptures as well as AI. The title Tech-ink is derived from what Wong describes as a new movement that integrates both the artist and its robot AI, Gemini. By merging the two he is pushing the boundary for creative expansion and the exploration of the relationship between man and artificial intelligence.
这位艺术家通过改变游戏规则的《TECH-iNK 花园》作品，结合了技术与艺术，该作品已在世界各地的许多城市展出，包括伦敦、香港、台北、上海和南京。本次活动汇集了《逃离现实》系列、《七位学者》系列和《月球背面》的集体作品。该系列背后的概念是中国园林的概念，它融入了中国文化的空间意识形态。它是集3D 项目、3D 打印雕塑和人工智能的结合。“ Tech-ink ”的名称源自黃宏達描述的一种新浪潮，即结合艺术家和机器人“ AI Gemini ”。通过将两者合并，他正在将创意扩张，来探索人类与人工智能之间关系的边界。
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Far Side of the Moon 0001 (2019). Ink on paper 89 x 62cm.
3812 Gallery. Victor Wong & A.I. Gemini. Far Side of the Moon 0007 (2019). Ink on paper 89 x 62cm.
With each iteration, Gemini is constantly evolving by the day with hopes from its creator of being able to create animated 3D inked landscapes in the future. As for the tech-ink movement, it is only the beginning of a new era into the evolution of art.
随着每一次迭代， Gemini每天都在不断地发展，其创造者希望能够在未来创建动画 3D水墨风景。至于科技水墨运动，这只是艺术进化新时代的一个开始。
For more info on the artist, please click here
欲了解更多她的作品，请点击这里
Translation 翻译 Rona Xia
FOR MORE RELATED CONTENT