“For everything outside the phenomenal world, language can only be used allusively, but never even approximately in a comparative way, since, corresponding as it does to the phenomenal world, it is concerned only with property and its relations.”
Media Sculpt is an ongoing interplay between epochs and technologies, an exploration of the intricate connections between linguistic diversity, urban morphology, and the transformative capacities of Media Technology. Through the framework of Deep Objekt, this project delves into the very essence of human existence, unraveling the veiled narratives woven into the fabric of time and inviting contemplation on the shifting contours of human agency amidst the relentless progress. It is through the medium of storytelling and relentless inquiry that the project unfolds, opening to new realms of comprehension and discourse, reshaping our collective understanding of culture, technology, and the essence of human volition in the digital epoch.
The Žižek turn
"Every order of culture implies its obscene underground what one is not allowed to talk about publicly this space of dioxin operates on multiple levels from rumors about the dark side of the private life of the political leaders and then the use of dirty language in decent insinuations to cases which are much more innocent and such even more crucial."
-Slavoj Zizek
In the depths of our collective consciousness lies a realm that Slavoj Žižek poetically dubs the "obscene underground". This domain, hidden beneath the societal norms and cultural taboos, pulsates with the raw, unfiltered truths that society dare not speak aloud. In his exploration, Žižek provoke us to look beyond the facade of our carefully curated realities and confront the uncomfortable truths that hides in the shadows. He invites us to gaze into the depth of human existence, where the ugly and the beauty intertwine with contradiction and complexity.
Within the background of "Media Sculpt," we embark on a journey that echoes Žižek's call to unravel the beauty of the "obscene underground." Here, amidst the corridors of allegorical inquiry and speculative reflection, we confront societal taboo and cultural dominance. Through the lens of allegory, we journey into the heart of technological innovation, where artificial intelligence becomes both creator and destroyer. In the depth of AI's transformative potential, we confront the unsettling truths that lie beneath the surface of our digital reality—the biases, the injustices, the hidden agendas that shape our technological landscape.
As we navigate the waters of human agency and technological progress, we are forced to confront our complicity in continuing the status quo. We are challenged to beat the conventional discourse and look into the depths of our collective unconscious, where the seeds of revolution and revelation lie dormant, waiting to be awakened.
We find comfort in the knowledge that our journey is not one of isolation, but of interconnectedness— a shared pilgrimage into the heart of darkness in search of enlightenment. It is a journey that transcends the boundaries of time and space, of culture and ideology—a journey that reminds us of our shared humanity and our collective responsibility to confront the uncomfortable truths that lie at the core of our existence.
The Ethereal Nexus
Delving into the threads that bind together linguistic diversity, urban morphology, and the transformative potential of Media Technology, transcending temporal and spatial confines.
At its core, we navigate the maze of human consciousness, probing the interplay between language, identity, and belonging. It unravels the questions surrounding cultural heritage, societal dynamics, and the evolving nature of human agency.Within this framework, urban morphology emerges as a manifestation of collective human consciousness, reflecting on the linguistic diversity in the architectural fabric of cities. It invites us to contemplate the symbiotic relationship between built environments and cultural identities, offering insights into the essence of human expression and resilience.
Artificial Intelligence, as a catalyst for societal transformation, occupies a central role. It provokes inquiry into the ethical dimensions of technological progress, challenging us to confront the implications of AI-driven language technologies on human cognition, communication, and cultural evolution.
Through allegorical storytelling, the project transcends conventional boundaries of discourse, inviting audiences on a metaphysical journey of introspection and enlightenment. It serves as a channel for the exploration of timeless truths, guiding us towards a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things in existence.
Language Loom
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE (22)
1) Assamese, (2) Bengali, (3) Gujarati, (4) Hindi, (5) Kannada, (6) Kashmiri, (7) Konkani, (8) Malayalam, (9) Manipuri, (10) Marathi, (11) Nepali, (12) Oriya, (13) Punjabi, (14) Sanskrit, (15) Sindhi, (16) Tamil, (17) Telugu, (18) Urdu (19) Bodo, (20) Santhali, (21) Maithili and (22) Dogri.
In the vibrant tapestry of human civilization, language stands as a cornerstone of cultural identity, serving as a channel for communication, expression, and societal cohesion. Across the diverse landscapes of the world, linguistic diversity manifests in a multitute of languages, dialects, and vernaculars, each with unique histories, traditions, and cultural nuances. This rich mosaic of linguistic variation not only reflects the richness of human experience but also shapes the social, economic, and political dynamics of communities and nations.
A Tapestry of Diversity
Embarking on a journey through history, the project unveils the ancient echoes of language that resonate across the ages. Through exploration, we unravel the intricate tapestry of linguistic diversity that weaves its way through the fabric of time, shaping the cultural constructions of nations and civilizations.
The Indo-Aryan language family, with its roots in Sanskrit, represents a dominant linguistic force in northern, western, and eastern India. This linguistic heritage reflects historical migrations, cultural exchanges, and the evolution of regional identities.
The Dravidian language family, primarily spoken in southern India, presents a distinct linguistic and cultural identity. Dravidian languages like Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada showcase unique grammatical structures, vocabulary, and script systems.
The presence of Austroasiatic languages among tribal communities in central, eastern, and northeastern India highlights the cultural diversity and linguistic heritage of indigenous populations.
Similarly, the Tibeto-Burman language family, prevalent in northeastern India, reflects historical connections with neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
Furthermore, the Austro-Tai and Sino-Tibetan language families, along with the unique Andamanese languages, offer additional layers of complexity and diversity to India's linguistic construction.
By embracing linguistic diversity as a source of strength and resilience, we pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable society, where every language and culture finds its rightful place in the tapestry of India's cultural heritage.
Mapping the Mind
As we delve into the urban labyrinth, "Media Sculpt" unveils architectural marvels that stand as living chronicles of human ingenuity. Through a lens, we decipher the messages inscribed within these structures, each a testament to the ever-evolving narrative of human civilization. The streets become our conduits, guiding us on a journey of discovery and contemplation as we unravel the tales woven into the cityscape.
India's vast linguistic diversity shapes its urban morphology in unique ways. Cities and towns develop distinctive
neighborhoods centered around linguistic and cultural communities, leading to a mosaic of urban forms. This diversity influences architectural styles, public spaces, and the organization of urban areas, reflecting the cultural practices and social dynamics of each community. Urban planners and architects must navigate these complexities, ensuring spaces are inclusive and meet the varied needs of these diverse communities.
In our exploration of linguistic diversity and urban morphology, one of the key methodologies employed is the use of OSMnx mapping. This mapping tool helps us to visually dissect and analyze how languages are distributed across streets of various states and cities in India.
Imagine peering into the web of linguistic communities, each thread representing a distinct language spoken by different groups of people. With OSMnx, we can map out these linguistic threads, tracing their paths as they weave through the urban landscapes of West Bengal, Assam, and parts of Tripura.
For instance, let's take the example of the Bengali language, which holds significant cultural importance in these regions. By utilizing OSMnx mapping, we were able to visualize how Bengali-speaking communities are spread across these states, from bustling metropolises to remote villages.
Our analysis revealed fascinating insights into the spatial distribution of Bengali speakers, highlighting concentrations in major cities like Kolkata, Guwahati, and Agartala. These linguistic hotspots not only reflect the prevalence of the Bengali language but also offer glimpses into the socio-cultural fabric of these urban centers.
By leveraging OSMnx mapping, we gain a deeper understanding of how language intersects with urban development and social dynamics. This spatial analysis not only sheds light on the linguistic landscape of India but also unveils the intricate connections between language, culture, and community within these diverse regions.
Beyond the Digital Dawn
At the heart of linguistics and artificial intelligence lies a synergy, shaping the trajectory of human communication in our project. Through computational linguistics, AI becomes a vital tool in unlocking and generating human language, discovering hidden patterns and nuances. Neural network language models further enhance this collaboration, offering insights into the cognitive aspects of language processing. This fusion not only revolutionizes how we interact with technology but also prompts philosophical inquiries into the nature of language and cognition. In Media Sculpt, we explore these intricate relationships, delving into the cognitive, technological, and philosophical dimensions of the union between linguistics and AI.
A Journey of Datasets
In our rapidly evolving world, the preservation of linguistic diversity and cultural heritage remains a crucial endeavor. With the rise of machine learning technologies, we have new tools at our disposal to tackle this challenge. In this blog post, we explore how machine learning can be leveraged for character recognition in a new language, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of cultural heritage.
In our endeavor to explore the diverse landscape of Indian scripts, we have meticulously trained and tested a dataset comprising over 10,000 unique images, all uniformly resized to a resolution of 250 x 250 pixels.
This dataset is a testament to the rich linguistic and cultural tapestry of India, encompassing 12 distinct Indian scripts, namely Assamese, Brahmi, Devanagari, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Modi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Each script class is facilitating seamless training and testing of machine learning models.
To assess the performance of our models, we utilize a confusion matrix, which summarizes the number of correct and incorrect predictions across script classes. This analysis provides insights into the model's accuracy and identifies any misclassifications that require further investigation.
We visualize the model's predictions on test images by plotting them alongside the actual characters. This visualization helps us understand the model's performance qualitatively and identify areas where it may struggle to recognize characters accurately.
Visualizing training curves, including loss and accuracy metrics, allows us to monitor the model's convergence and performance over successive epochs. This analysis helps us identify signs of overfitting or underfitting and adjust model parameters accordingly to optimize performance.
A Journey of Sound and Visuals
In the midst of this technological revolution, a new wave of creativity emerges, driven by the fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and filmmaking. With the advent of AI-powered software tools such as ChatGpt, Mid journey, Runway, Genmo, meshy, topaz, and loudly, filmmakers are empowered to unleash their imagination in unprecedented ways, transforming the landscape of storytelling.
These AI tools harness the power of deep learning algorithms to generate sound, visuals, and even entire short films autonomously. Through sophisticated neural networks, they analyze vast datasets of audiovisual content, learning to mimic and even surpass human creativity in generating immersive experiences.
With Mid journey and Runway, filmmakers can explore new realms of visual storytelling, manipulating images and videos with unprecedented ease and precision. From enhancing colors and textures to creating surreal visual effects, these AI-driven tools offer limitless possibilities for cinematic expression.
Genmo and Meshy revolutionize the creation of soundscapes, allowing filmmakers to compose original scores and sound effects with remarkable realism and emotional depth. Through advanced audio synthesis techniques, these AI tools generate immersive soundscapes that resonate with the essence of the story being told.
Meanwhile, Topaz and Loudly enable filmmakers to transform raw footage into polished cinematic masterpieces. With AI-driven video editing capabilities, these tools streamline the editing process, automating tedious tasks and empowering filmmakers to focus on the creative aspects of storytelling.
In this new era of filmmaking, AI is not just a tool but a creative collaborator, guiding filmmakers towards uncharted territories of creativity and innovation. With AI by their side, filmmakers have the opportunity to transcend traditional constraints and unlock new dimensions of storytelling, enriching the cinematic landscape with their unique visions and narratives.
The Post-Human Epoch
In this exploration, we find ourselves at the heart of human agency and artificial intelligence, standing on the threshold of a new era in which the boundaries between human and machine blur and dissipate. Here, amidst the vast expanse of linguistic diversity that characterizes India's cultural landscape, we confront the dawn of a cybernetic age where the very essence of human expression is reshaped by the transformative power of AI.
At the heart of our inquiry lies a fundamental question: What does it mean to be human in a world increasingly governed by intelligent machines? As we embark on this journey, we are compelled to struggle with the existential implications of our technological prowess, probing the depths of human consciousness and the nature of our relationship with the digital other. Through our speculative inquiry, we cross the realms of ethics, society, and culture, seeking to resolve the complexity of human-machine interaction. We confront the ethical dilemmas in the development and deployment of AI-driven language technologies, questioning the very foundations of human autonomy and agency in an age of algorithmic governance.
Yet, in between the uncertainties and complexities of our technological future, we find moments of profound insight and illumination. We envision a world where linguistic diversity is not merely preserved but enhanced by the synergistic collaboration between human ingenuity and machine intelligence. We imagine a future where AI serves not as a threat to human expression but as a catalyst for its evolution, unlocking new realms of creativity and cultural exchange. As we navigate these waters, we are reminded of the words of the great thinker Friedrich Nietzsche, who proclaimed, "Man is something that shall be overcome." In our quest to transcend the limitations of the human condition, we stand on the brink of a new frontier, where the fusion of human and machine heralds the emergence of a post-human civilization.
to be continued..