happiness is a warm gun (NTPxGAN cover, reh.)
video, 2’44”, 1920x1080, silent
for Video Art Miden 2023
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Statement: happiness is a warm gun (NTPxGAN cover, reh.) by Noah Travis Phillips is a visual “cover”, a synthesized reverse ekphrasis, of the original song. Imagery generated in dialogue with multiple GANs are collaged together in various layers toward dynamic abstract interpretation. Phillips worked with and beyond the lyrics to create a silent music video that symbolizes the song. Phillips’ video echoes the structure of the song, with its three distinct parts. The video is the same length as the song and is edited to its sonic cues. Though the video is primarily intended to be viewed silently, it can be synchronized with the version of the song from The Beatles (White Album). The video is an ode to one of the artist’s favorite songs, one that has always captivated them with its dark, imagistic, surreal poetry. The video is an exploration in communicating with another language, that of GANs, and in being expressive within a system of rules, by using the lyrics as a script to create an experimental music video artwork.
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Bio:
Noah Travis Phillips is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and scholar; BA, Naropa University, Fine Art and Environmental Studies; MFA, University of Denver, Emergent Digital Practices. Their research and creative interests integrate the anthropocene and posthuman, magical correspondences, and ecology, by activating appropriation and digital/analog remix and collage strategies, and working with both a private media archive and open algorithmic systems. They create adaptable and multicentered artworks incorporating 2D / 3D digital fabrication, videos, books, performance, and the internet. Phillips is Assistant Professor + FabLab Coordinator at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. They have exhibited extensively locally, nationally, internationally, and virtually. They live and work in Boulder, Colorado and can be found online at noahtravisphillips.com.
________________________________________________ 'happiness is a warm gun (NTPxGAN cover, reh.)' was created by Noah Travis Phillips in dialogue with multiple freely-available GAN.