Operasi Cassava 5.0

Research Background
This research project builds upon the themes of digital existence, self-consciousness, and self-identity in the digital realm, intersecting the fields of interactive media, digital aesthetics, and artificial intelligence. It extends the inquiries of my 2008 solo exhibition When You Are Not Your Body (WYANYB), which explored disembodied digital existence, by engaging critically with artificial intelligence and its impact on self-identity. The project examines: How can AI-driven processes, particularly Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), reshape our understanding of relational self-concepts as described by the assimilation-contrast model in social cognition (Bless & Schwarz, 2010).
Research Contribution
The project contributes to the field of media arts and digital humanities by integrating GANs to explore dynamic constructions of self-identity. Using a dataset of 2,000 photos collected during WYANYB, GANs are deployed to generate AI-driven portraits that visualize relational self-concepts through assimilation (integration) and contrast (differentiation). These portraits, presented as animated morphologies on E-ink displays, offer a novel method of exploring self-representation in the digital age. The work not only advances the creative application of AI in media arts but also deepens our theoretical understanding of identity formation mediated by technology.
Research Significance
Funded by CENDANA through its highly competitive evaluation process, the project aligns with its mission to nurture cultural vibrancy and sustainability through public art initiatives. By presenting Unstable Portraiture in public spaces in Malaysia, the project fosters discourse on the interplay of technology, identity, and art, making a critical intervention in the fields of digital media and cultural sustainability. It serves as a meaningful model for how AI-driven art can enhance public engagement, while simultaneously contributing to theoretical and artistic advancements in the study of digital selfhood.