Editor’s Note: This story is part of Newsmakers, an ARTnews series where we interview the movers and shakers who are making change in the art world.
After more than a decade in development, Hong Kong’s M+ opened its doors in 2021, instantly becoming a focal point of the city’s art scene. The contemporary art museum showcases ambitious exhibitions of both Asian and Western art, solidifying its position in the city’s art ecosystem.
M+ also stands out in the cityscape with its enormous LED facade, towering at over 200 feet tall and 350 feet high. The museum commissions works to fill the facade throughout the year, with some of the most notable pieces co-commissioned with Art Basel and unveiled during the company’s Hong Kong fair.
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Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen is the latest artist to showcase their work on the M+ Facade with „Night Charades,“ on display until June 29. Concurrently, Ho is also featured in a solo exhibition at Kiang Malingue gallery through May 13. „Night Charades“ pays tribute to Hong Kong cinema from the 1980s and ’90s, using artificial intelligence video generation to create characters reminiscent of iconic films from directors like Wong Kar-wai, John Woo, and Stephen Chow.
Ho Tzu Nyen, who represented Singapore at the 2011 Venice Biennale, is known for his experimental films, sculptures, and multimedia installations that challenge traditional notions of history, identity, and culture. „Night Charades“ is a unique blend of cultural references that blur the lines between past and future, showcasing the artist’s innovative use of AI technology.
ARTnews had a conversation with Ho about „Night Charades,“ the ethics of AI, nostalgia, and creating art for the massive scale of the M+ Facade.
This interview has been edited and condensed for brevity and clarity.
ARTNews: Research plays a crucial role in your practice, especially for a work like „Night Charades“ that draws heavily on Hong Kong cinema. Can you talk about the research and conceptualization process behind this piece?
Ho Tzu Nyen: „Night Charades“ was a project that held personal significance for me, as Hong Kong cinema of the ’80s and ’90s was a big part of my childhood. While I was familiar with these films, researching the social and historical context from which they emerged was essential. Understanding the deliberate strategies behind Hong Kong cinema’s development, especially in relation to Western genres, was eye-opening for me.
Were there any surprising discoveries you made during the research process?
Ho Tzu Nyen: I was intrigued by the intentional duplication of popular films in Hong Kong cinema, as well as the industry-wide practice of producing similar films to capitalize on the success of a hit movie. Learning about the stunt industry and action choreography in Hong Kong cinema also provided valuable insights into the industry’s creative process.
When an explosion occurred in a building and individuals were propelled from the seventh floor, they actually did it. They leaped from the seventh floor onto a mattress and cardboard on the ground level. As a child watching movies, I always assumed there were tricks involved, but in many ways, it was all real. This was truly astonishing for me.
Did your realization of the repetition and reworking inherent in the Hong Kong film industry impact how you approached Night Charades? The piece is essentially a deconstruction and reimagining of these films.
My approach to this work involved a series of reimagining and restructuring. I utilized existing material while also infusing my own unique perspective. It involves a balance of repetition and divergence. Utilizing existing narratives or found footage and subverting them has always been a significant part of my artistic practice. As I delved into the history of Hong Kong cinema, I began to ponder if my inclination towards this approach stemmed from my exposure to Hong Kong films during my childhood. The idea of taking something and recreating it in your own way resonated with me. Perhaps my artistic roots are connected to growing up immersed in Hollywood cinema, Hong Kong cinema, Japanese films, and anime simultaneously. The practice of blending elements from both Eastern and Western cinema and reshaping them into something original is a core aspect of my work, mirroring the evolution of Hong Kong cinema itself.
You have frequently incorporated archival footage into your previous projects. For instance, in Hotel Aporia (2019), you used archival footage and clips from Japanese films to explore Japanese imperialism during World War II. How did your approach differ when using AI to generate a new version of past footage for Night Charades? What ethical considerations come into play when working with archival material?
Each project involving existing footage is unique, with distinct technical and conceptual approaches. I have employed found footage in various ways, sometimes with minimal alteration, while at other times, I have extensively modified it through techniques like roto-scoping. Night Charades marked my first foray into using AI to reinterpret existing materials. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all rule, intention plays a crucial role. I strive to approach these projects with good intentions, transparently acknowledging the sources I draw from.
Night Charades emerged as a tribute to the original materials, but the integration of AI processes fundamentally transformed the source material. AI-generated images are produced without natural light, offering a departure from traditional methods of image creation. This transformation underscores the complexity and novelty of AI-generated visuals compared to traditional cinematic imagery.
Some critics argue that AI in art erases historical context from source imagery, leading to a standardized outcome. How does this context or its absence factor into Night Charades given the historical specificity of Hong Kong cinema?
Night Charades deliberately strips the background from the images, resulting in a literal decontextualization. While the figures evoke gestures and actions from the original films, the removal of context challenges the viewer’s understanding. For those familiar with the films, the work triggers memories and recognition, while for others, it presents a puzzle or enigma. The division in audience response adds layers of complexity to the work, inviting contemplation on the diverse interpretations it elicits. The actions are mysterious, leaving you to speculate on their nature.
Another aspect that intrigued me greatly was the unique traditions of animation and its connection to AI. In traditional 3D animation, air dynamics, such as wind effects on hair or clothing, are the most challenging and costly to create. This is why Pixar characters often have smooth or bald appearances. However, with AI, simulating wind dynamics and movement becomes much simpler. In Night Charades, characters wear pleated clothing, and their movements showcase the peculiar and slightly artificial way the fabric moves, which I find captivating. This adds a different dimension to the work by utilizing original actions to evoke new emotions and experiences.
Is there an underlying hope in the work that the second audience, unfamiliar with the context, can still grasp some of the meaning and emotion of these gestures purely through form?
Many of these gestures hold significance for us due to their origins, but some have become part of broader cinematic culture. For example, John Woo’s iconic „double gun“ gesture has made its way into Hollywood films like The Matrix. Even viewers without knowledge of Hong Kong cinema may recognize these gestures and postures. Hong Kong cinema itself has borrowed from other traditions, creating a continuous flow of influence and transformation throughout cultural history.
Regarding the issue of context and decontextualization, my recent visit to Hong Kong museums highlighted exhibitions that celebrate the „golden age“ of Hong Kong cinema and Canto-pop. While I enjoyed these cultural products growing up, the emphasis on a past „golden age“ left me feeling somewhat melancholic. This sentiment influenced the conceptualization of Night Charades, where I sought to blend elements of the past with a futuristic framework to explore the outcomes of this juxtaposition.
Initially, I assumed the project was centered on nostalgia, but after hearing your perspective, it seems to challenge that notion or perhaps play with the tension between nostalgia and innovation.
Nostalgia was a key theme in designing Night Charades. I acknowledge the melancholic and problematic aspects of nostalgia, yet I also experience it personally. While I aim to counter nostalgia, I do so not out of direct opposition but as a participant in the sentiment.
You mentioned this is your first time using AI. AI systems, like text or image generators, tend to replicate the median of their training data, potentially perpetuating historical biases and stereotypes. Did you consider this with Night Charades?
Existing AI platforms are built on specific models that reflect cultural data sets, often simplifying things into types. While this can be a concern, there’s also power in these aggregates. When using AI, one must navigate between the wide-reaching communication potential of these types and the inherent biases they carry. In Night Charades, I explored the interplay between Hong Kong cinema’s distinct qualities and these large aggregates and biases, offering a unique perspective on stereotyping.
In Night Charades, you’re essentially crafting new archetypes for Hong Kong.
Yes, through AI processes and incorporating elements akin to high fashion, such as pleated fabrics, the combination becomes intriguingly strange. Du hast Niedrigkeit im Sinne des Hongkong-Kinos und dann hast du etwas, das typisch für die KI-Datensätze ist, die eher zu glänzenden Oberflächen tendieren. Dieses High-Fashion-Design und Kleidung und die Art und Weise, wie es mit Luft und Bewegung reagiert, erinnern mich sehr an Renaissance- und Barockgemälde, insbesondere Caravaggio. Night Charades ist für mich diese seltsame und vielleicht etwas monströse Kombination verschiedener kultureller Referenzen. Und dann, wenn man es auf diesen riesigen Bildschirm setzt, wird es zu einem Charakter innerhalb der Stadt selbst.
Es ist ein Charakter innerhalb der Stadt, aber die Größe des Bildschirms und seine Position in der Stadt sind interessant. Ich mag zu denken, dass er so groß ist, dass ihn jeder sehen kann, aber niemand ihn beobachtet. Er ist so groß, dass man ihn nicht wirklich so sieht, wie man einen Film im Kino oder sogar in einer Galerie sieht, wo man einer Handlung folgt, die man über eine gewisse Zeit verfolgt. Mit einem Bildschirm so groß wie der der M+ Fassade wird das Licht, das vom Bildschirm erzeugt wird, zu Umgebungslicht. Es wird atmosphärisch und Umgebung und in gewisser Weise architektonisch. Das Bild wird in etwas anderes verwandelt. Bei Night Charades dachte ich nicht, dass es möglich oder eine gute Idee wäre, eine Erzählung zu schaffen, der man folgen muss. Das Konzept einer Charade war für mich in diesem Sinne interessant, weil es eine Abfolge kleiner, kleiner Akte ist. Es verlangt nicht oder erfordert nicht die Konzentration auf das Folgen einer geraden Erzählung, sondern es ist eine Abfolge verschiedener Aufführungen. Es ist möglich, in diese Abfolge einzutauchen. Man könnte daraus seine eigene Erzählung machen, wenn man möchte, aber man kann sich auch von dieser Abfolge lösen und sich einfach auf das Individuum konzentrieren.
Ein Punkt zur KI, über den ich in letzter Zeit oft nachgedacht habe, ist, wie sie es dem Künstler ermöglicht, sich aus dem Zentrum des Werks zu entfernen. Ich habe bemerkt, dass du dies auch in anderen Werken tust. Mit The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia (2017–ongoing) hast du die Bearbeitung einem Algorithmus überlassen, der verschiedene Kombinationen von Texten, Musik und Bildern, die südostasiatische Identitäten erforschten, miteinander zu verweben. Siehst du eine Art Versprechen in der KI für Künstler, dass sie sich von der alleinigen Schöpferin oder Wahrheitsfindung entbinden könnten?
Was mich an KI interessiert, ist die Unkontrollierbarkeit. Ich arbeite gerne mit Prozessen, in denen ich keine Meisterschaft habe oder wo Meisterschaft eine unmögliche Aufgabe ist. Meine Werke entstehen aus dieser Begegnung mit Grenzen und Hindernissen und dann das Falten dieser Grenzen und Hindernisse in den Prozess, um die Form des Werks zu finden. Ehrlich gesagt bin ich mir nicht sicher, wie viel davon mir über die Jahre bewusst war, aber ich habe jetzt erkannt, dass es ein ständiger Bestandteil meiner Arbeit ist. Ich denke, ich mache mir gerne selbst das Leben schwer. Grenzen, Schwierigkeiten und Hindernisse interessieren mich, weil eines der Kriterien, die ich für die Herstellung eines Werks habe, ist, wie viel von der Welt ich darin unterbringen kann. Je mehr Welt das Werk in sich aufnimmt, desto dichter wird es, desto mehr interessiert es mich. Manchmal sind diese Hindernisse technisch, wie diese KI-Plattformen, die man nicht ganz kontrollieren kann. Manchmal ist es politisch – bestimmte Dinge, die unaussprechlich sind, und wir müssen einen Weg finden, sie in das Werk zu integrieren. Mit KI ist es wie eine Welle, und man reitet auf ihr, aber man kann sie nicht ganz kontrollieren.