See the app here: https://moss-oracle-a77d4136.base44.app AI generated description of App. 100-Word Description: Cryptogamic Oracle is a techno-organic divination system that reads the hidden materiality between natural and technological systems. Users capture two images: cryptogams (moss, lichen, fungi) found in urban environments, and nearby technology infrastructure. After documenting the specific materials, locations, and forms of each subject, the app generates a visual overlay with adjustable processing parameters. An AI analyzes the merged pattern using a 44-card symbolic deck, drawing three cards to produce a reading that weaves computing terminology with botanical/mycological language. The readings explore material convergences—copper oxidation in circuits mirroring mineral uptake in moss, rare earth metals in electronics paralleling substrate chemistry in cryptogamic growth. 200-Word Outline: I. Image Capture Phase Two-photo sequence: cryptogam (organic) +
Research
Pond computer simulation
I have found it helpful to think through my pond computer research using AI assited codeing. In this patch, I created a simulated pond computer. An 8×8 hypothetical sensor grid is imposed over a 2D simulation of daphnia-like particles swimming around. The daphnia are attracted to light. The 8×8 grid represents LDRs and LEDs (though it could use camera tracking in the long run). Each cell adjusts its LED brightness to keep local daphnia density near a target level (trying to simulate a Stafford Beer-style homeostasis). This work in progress is far from perfect, but it has been helpful in my thinking process so far. INSTRUCTIONS: First click on the patch and try the vairous keys to change settings. You can view
The Cave
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave offers a metaphor for the limits of human perception. Plato describes a group of prisoners in a cave who know the outside world only through shadows projected on a wall in front of them. Similarly, LLMs don't learn about the world from direct experience, but from “shadows” in its training data: billions of sentences written by people, describing things, events, and our conversations about them. It is trained to predict the next word in those texts, not to build an accurate picture of reality. Jan Kulveit suggested that an LLM is like a ‘blind oracle in yet another cave, who only hears the prisoners conversations about what they see. I thought It would be interesting to simulate a version
Back to the Pond
On Being Moss Over the past couple of years, I have been focusing on mosses. I learned a lot about moss, but to really understand it, I actually started embodying and reflecting moss-like behaviours in my working practice. I began to become like the moss. Thinking through moss affords a different way of practising and being in the world. I employed a 'methodology of moss' to guide my practice, a set of principles for eco-activist practice that draws parallels between the ecology of moss and eco-arts practice. The power of moss is in its smallness and its slow persistence. It's both interesting and challenging to align these principles with the fast-moving worlds of emerging technologies, new media and AI. Mosses, like artists,
Carbon Cloud Chat
https://carbon-cloud-chat-21c0d88f.base44.app As a thought experiment, I used AI to develop a carbon-aware AI chatbot that actively discourages the use of AI and guides users toward lower-carbon alternatives, or encourages them not to use the AI at all. I have been working on several modules related to UX and sustainability in the digital arts this year, and the ecological impact of AI is a key concern. This is a work in progress, and I will use this app as a point of discussion in my lectures. I am aware of the meta irony here: I used AI (Basse44, with one primary design prompt and 20 further iterations, plus a few hours of testing) to build an AI that advises people not to overuse AI. That
Co Lab Game
I creted this game using p5js.org for stundets, as a fun way of outlining the benifit of turning up to lessons, doing the work and avoiding over use of AI (However I did create this game with help of AI. This has been an enjoyable process, exploring basic game design through lots of play testing and code tweaks (Aproximatly 5 hours work so far)..
Text scramble effect
Some experiments with P5JS code. https://editor.p5js.org I wanted to create a poster for Dorkbot which had a glitch scramble effect...Alsoi tried to replicate slime mould type visulisations with words..Next step if to make these updateable from a google sheet so we can quickly update the info and presnet full screen for the dorkbot event.
Micro protest workshop
The Micro-Protest Workshop explores the power of gentle protest through small, situated acts of resistance. Participants use a process of ‘diffractive mapping’* to co-create protest signs and slogans that draw on perspectives from ecology, art, and activism. Rather than large-scale statements, these micro-signs give voice to overlooked or more-than-human worlds, transforming protest into an exercise in empathetic imagination. Drawing on Corbett’s idea of gentle protest (Corbett, 2017) and the Situationist practice of détournement (Debord & Wolman, 1956), the workshop uses humour, play, and re-appropriation to show how media objects, even modest ones can disrupt dominant narratives and open space for critical reflection.
Springtails under microscope
https://youtube.com/shorts/vO5B57RXVLM?si=xADWZH7ghxTv58Z3 Progress on generative film composition using touchdesigner. This uses a series of Caches and composite overlay (set to difference) a basic patch but the effect perfectly fits what I was looking for. Very much inspered by the work of experimental cimtograpers (Tschekassky, Smith, Brakhage etc)
Self Portrait (Film stills, Nerf)
States of being
Biokinetic Mantra for the Evocation of the Animistic Matrix
live performance with Maya chowdhry and Chris Gladwin. "This 30min live electronic music performance will feature organic components (mushrooms, moss, terrariums, water) being brought into contact with the ecstatic technology of dance music."I have recently returned to performing live and reawakened a part of my brain that had been dormant for a while. I'd forgotten how much I absolutely love the focus and intensity. The excitement of not knowing what's going to happen, or indeed sometimes wondering what is happening when something completely new emerges. Working with new collaborators has pushed me to explore new methods, leading to a number of fresh works in progress. Last month, I performed with Chris Gladwin and Maya Chowdhryat DVRK MASS II | Sonic Transformations: Ecosystems (organised by
Electronic Music Ensemble at Chorlton Arts FestivalElectronic Music Ensemble at
I performed as part of a line up from SODAs electronic music ensemble (which comprises of students, alumni and staff) at Chorlton Arts Festival, in Wilbraham St Ninian’s Church. I performed again alongside Maya Chowdhry continuing the ‘Biokinetic Mantra for the Evocation of the Animistic Matrix’ project - bringing together bioacoustics filed recording live electroaccoustics, and techno. This involved Darkling beetle larvae and rehydrating moss on hydrophones… Image: Neil Spencer Bruce SODAs electronic music ensemble 5691
Morecambe Bay walk
We were by the tumbling stream.
MOSS IS NOT THE ENEMY
Touchdesigner experiments
This year I started working with Touch Designer https://derivative.ca/. TouchDesigner is a multimedia visual programming environment with a node based interface for “Creative Coding”. I am learning how to combine sensors as control inputs for video and sound, the generative aspects are also fascinating. It is a steep learning curve (with pythonic code to learn along side this). I will post progress here... View this post on Instagram A post shared by Antony Hall (@tonazoid) View this post on Instagram A post shared
Boundary detectors – mosscillator walk
A day of field work, walking and talking with @glassball.studio we walked across a segment of the Peak District national park boundary, connected our boundary detector up to a fence to create a strange radio like circuit (also connected with a bat detectors as signal transducer) we could hear strange sounds emanating from the either. Initially we discovered we could almost perfectly receive Radio 4. With some further tweaking / breaking we were able to get a multitude of voices - “Hello…Hello… “ one said as if speaking to us. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Antony Hall (@tonazoid)
Visit to Art Ecology
I visited the Isle of Wight to find out more about the Art ecology group and their #vertipool project (and generally chat about moss and urban / eco design). They have an Interesting ideology of hyper-local working and employ a methodology that resists consumerist mass production models (many #greenwalls and moss tiles are patented technologies that require energy and are tied into maintenance contracts. Alternatively Art Ecology take more of an open source socially engaged approach, working with communities and training people to help make the pools (which are best made by hands). This hand making approach allows for a greater speed of making and building in complex structural features, nooks crannies and overhangs, that would not be possible with
DYCP – Funding 2022-23
I am delighted to announce I was awarded a DYCP grant from Arts Council England to develop my creative practice, enrich networks and also undertake training. I plan to meet mentors and fellow artists for a series of creative collaborations and conversations. Here are some highlights from the project: Highlights will be posted on this page while a series of posts are listed on the following tag: https://antonyhall.net/blog/tag/ace-dycp/ View this post on Instagram Moss Walk for SPARK artists Network A post shared by Antony Hall (@tonazoid) Now is the Time of Moss 2022 - A series of 10 terrariums created from found materials