[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":328},["ShallowReactive",2],{"footer-settings":3,"post-shell:idolatry-machine-9fa4e2c1ea6f":22,"post-body:idolatry-machine-9fa4e2c1ea6f":61},{"heading":4,"body":5,"links":6,"note":21},"Bottom line, still up front.","A small footer for global links, contact paths, and project context.",[7,10,13,16,19],{"label":8,"url":9},"About","http:\u002F\u002Fmy-website.localhost\u002Fabout#now",{"label":11,"url":12},"Case Studies","http:\u002F\u002Fmy-website.localhost\u002F#selected-work",{"label":14,"url":15},"Side Projects","http:\u002F\u002Fmy-website.localhost\u002Fside-projects",{"label":17,"url":18},"Writing","http:\u002F\u002Fmy-website.localhost\u002Fwriting",{"label":20,"url":9},"Now","",{"id":23,"slug":24,"date":25,"author":26,"title":29,"excerpt":30,"canonicalUrl":31,"featuredImage":32,"authorName":28,"featuredMedia":33,"blocks":60},"cG9zdDo2MTg=","idolatry-machine-9fa4e2c1ea6f","April 20, 2023",{"node":27},{"name":28},"Aslan French","Idolatry Machine","I recently premiered an image collage and supporting series at an art exhibit and thought it would be good to do a write up about it. Idolatry Machine Eidos, Greek root word for image, idea, ideal, and idol. Idolatry…","https:\u002F\u002Faslanfrench.medium.com\u002Fidolatry-machine-9fa4e2c1ea6f",{"node":33},{"id":34,"sourceUrl":35,"srcSet":36,"sizes":37,"altText":21,"mediaDetails":38},"cG9zdDo3MTI=","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136.png","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-300x300.png 300w, https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-150x150.png 150w, https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-768x768.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136.png 1024w","(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px",{"width":39,"height":39,"sizes":40},1024,[41,48,54],{"name":42,"sourceUrl":43,"width":44,"height":44,"mimeType":45,"file":46,"fileSize":47},"medium","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-300x300.png","300","image\u002Fpng","medium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-300x300.png",125251,{"name":49,"sourceUrl":50,"width":51,"height":51,"mimeType":45,"file":52,"fileSize":53},"thumbnail","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-150x150.png","150","medium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-150x150.png",37219,{"name":55,"sourceUrl":56,"width":57,"height":57,"mimeType":45,"file":58,"fileSize":59},"medium_large","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-768x768.png","768","medium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136-768x768.png",724839,[],[62,68,73,77,81,85,89,94,98,102,106,110,114,118,123,127,131,135,139,143,147,151,155,159,163,168,172,176,180,184,188,192,196,200,204,208,212,216,220,224,228,232,236,240,244,248,252,256,260,264,268,272,276,280,284,288,292,296,300,304,308,312,316,320,324],{"name":63,"clientId":64,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":66,"attributes":67},"core\u002Fparagraph","6a8e6ccea7539",null,"\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I recently premiered an image collage and supporting series at an art exhibit and thought it would be good to do a write up about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":69,"clientId":70,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":71,"attributes":72},"core\u002Fheading","6a8e6ccea763e","\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Idolatry Machine\u003C\u002Fh2>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":74,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":75,"attributes":76},"6a8e6ccea7643","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FTheory_of_forms\">Eidos\u003C\u002Fa>, Greek root word for image, idea, ideal, and idol. Idolatry Machine is a conceptual series that reflects on the ways in which our capacity for image making, and abstraction more broadly, can lead us astray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":78,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":79,"attributes":80},"6a8e6ccea7644","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I’ve been meditating the past few years on the subject of idolatry and abstraction. This is a big theme in my work, and one of the main reasons why I have been interested in neural networks as a medium for so long. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fartplusmarketing.com\u002Fhow-artists-can-use-neural-networks-to-make-art-714cdab53953\">I highlight the duality of noise and abstraction\u003C\u002Fa> in my original essay on neural style transfer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":82,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":83,"attributes":84},"6a8e6ccea7645","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generative image neural networks are literal “idolatry machines” in that they are image making machines, but more broadly all neural networks are idolatry machines in that they are a compression of reality into simpler forms that we can then manipulate using math. This compression and abstraction of reality is referred to as latent space, and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Faslanfrench.medium.com\u002Fwhat-is-latent-space-for-artists-e7d16d39db8d\">you can read my post explaining it, for an artist audience here\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":86,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":87,"attributes":88},"6a8e6ccea7646","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My first piece I created on this idolatry theme was a singular piece called “The Sin of Idolatry”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":91,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":92,"attributes":93},"core\u002Fimage","6a8e6ccea7647","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c1d8b5c7d07ea8d80c807cb3a7eff136.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-712\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":95,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":96,"attributes":97},"6a8e6ccea7648","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All images with their full information can be found on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.midjourney.com\u002Fapp\u002Fusers\u002Fc5dfa62d-93c2-4d16-a8e6-a385946ebda5\u002F\">my public Midjourney archive here\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":99,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":100,"attributes":101},"6a8e6ccea7649","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The full prompt for this was “The sin of idolatry, illuminated manuscript” plus the following still from Zoolander, used as an image prompt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":103,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":104,"attributes":105},"6a8e6ccea764a","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-c58d3ec2a974d76d2dc96a0946bbfae5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-713\"\u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Haven’t seen Zoolander in forever, but it’s a good flick!\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":107,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":108,"attributes":109},"6a8e6ccea764b","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I like tossing abstract phrases to the neural network to see what it comes up with. A lot of people try to force a specific set of outcomes with the neural network, but I take a more generative approach. This is informed by my long running interest in \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAlgorithmic_art\">Algorithmic Art\u003C\u002Fa>, and specifically the artist Yvral whose work I wrote about in undergrad over a decade ago. I got over some of my views on the generative approach in \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Faslanfrench.medium.com\u002Fan-ai-art-ethos-114c507d3b13\">my statement of ethos here\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":111,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":112,"attributes":113},"6a8e6ccea764c","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Idolatry Machine was a phrase that came to mind as a neat juxtaposition. Idolatry is abstract. Machine is concrete, but also abstract in that it is a general category. What do the two together make?\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":115,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":116,"attributes":117},"6a8e6ccea764d","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This lead to the Idolatry Machine series:\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":119,"clientId":120,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":121,"attributes":122},"core\u002Fgallery","6a8e6ccea764e","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"716\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-ced3bc5c055d8e413edc457b3d91ee59.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-716\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"714\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-fccf3549dd90318cabfcbed3d9e1bd52.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-714\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"715\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-8c00b9e7d862ace511a7444fb9d8e061.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-715\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"717\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-7f79b505b6210f67badccadf5c2c802a.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-717\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":124,"parentClientId":120,"renderedHtml":125,"attributes":126},"6a8e6ccea764f","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-ced3bc5c055d8e413edc457b3d91ee59.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-716\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":128,"parentClientId":120,"renderedHtml":129,"attributes":130},"6a8e6ccea7650","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-fccf3549dd90318cabfcbed3d9e1bd52.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-714\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":132,"parentClientId":120,"renderedHtml":133,"attributes":134},"6a8e6ccea7651","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-8c00b9e7d862ace511a7444fb9d8e061.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-715\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":136,"parentClientId":120,"renderedHtml":137,"attributes":138},"6a8e6ccea7652","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-7f79b505b6210f67badccadf5c2c802a.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-717\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":140,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":141,"attributes":142},"6a8e6ccea7653","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are vanilla outputs, just the text prompt “Idolatry Machine, illuminated manuscript”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":144,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":145,"attributes":146},"6a8e6ccea7654","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The phrase is evocative and ripe for variation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":148,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":149,"attributes":150},"6a8e6ccea7655","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throw in the term “risograph”, a specific brand of digital duplicators manufactured by the Riso Kagku Corporation in the 80s, and you get this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":152,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":153,"attributes":154},"6a8e6ccea7656","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-5feb42133866ead74473f97d8a56898f.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-718\" style=\"width:412px;height:auto\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":156,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":157,"attributes":158},"6a8e6ccea7657","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Machine, not computer, and yet it’s interesting how computer-like so many of these images end up being. Is the neural network picking up on the image etymology of the word “idolatry” and giving a screen? Or is that an emergent property of idolatry and machines generally speaking? Can’t really tell, it’s a bit of a mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":160,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":161,"attributes":162},"6a8e6ccea7658","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’s something creepy and alien about these neural network images, especially with the earlier models. This semantically porous abstraction is part of what I find compelling about neural networks as image making tools. To quote that one famous Brian Eno bit:\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":164,"clientId":165,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":166,"attributes":167},"core\u002Fquote","6a8e6ccea7659","\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit — all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">-- Brian Eno \u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>A Year With Swollen Appendices\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":169,"parentClientId":165,"renderedHtml":170,"attributes":171},"6a8e6ccea765a","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit — all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":173,"parentClientId":165,"renderedHtml":174,"attributes":175},"6a8e6ccea765b","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">-- Brian Eno \u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>A Year With Swollen Appendices\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":177,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":178,"attributes":179},"6a8e6ccea765c","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This alien quality plays into the ambiguity of the idolatry theme. It brings attention to the fact that these images are not “real”, they are dreamlike, inhuman, or post-human, products of collected subjectivities into an inscrutable \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FIntersubjectivity\">intersubjective\u003C\u002Fa> artifice. They are the product of human belief, shared constructions that offer a window into our culture. They are made in our image, and are reflections of us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":119,"clientId":181,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":182,"attributes":183},"6a8e6ccea765d","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"719\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-b58c39fddea59d36aa8f2acbb73e9612.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-719\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"720\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-0676a2e8d19498c93df138bd67a8d8e6.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-720\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":185,"parentClientId":181,"renderedHtml":186,"attributes":187},"6a8e6ccea765e","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-b58c39fddea59d36aa8f2acbb73e9612.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-719\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":189,"parentClientId":181,"renderedHtml":190,"attributes":191},"6a8e6ccea765f","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-0676a2e8d19498c93df138bd67a8d8e6.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-720\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":193,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":194,"attributes":195},"6a8e6ccea7660","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our capacity for abstraction is powerful. Without it language would be impossible. Subjectivity would not be possible. The totality of the world is too large for any single mind to hold. We necessarily reduce the totality of reality to simpler forms in order to manipulate it and put it to our own uses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":197,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":198,"attributes":199},"6a8e6ccea7661","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Latent space is a mathematical way to reduce vast information into relevant features. Who defines relevance? If you are a human then \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPareidolia\">you might see faces where there are none\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":119,"clientId":201,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":202,"attributes":203},"6a8e6ccea7662","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"721\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-70ba77d6cd3d144887201a21fd170e55.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-721\"\u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPareidolia#\u002Fmedia\u002FFile:107-2-D1_-_Danish_electrical_plugs_-_Studio_2011_(cropped).jpg\">Pareidolia on Wikipedia\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"722\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-e05440510ce04b628101d2ff6a63a5e2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-722\"\u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fold.reddit.com\u002Fr\u002FPareidolia\u002Fcomments\u002F1ztnxl\u002Fcloud_face_video_in_comments\u002F\">Pareidolia on Reddit\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":205,"parentClientId":201,"renderedHtml":206,"attributes":207},"6a8e6ccea7663","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-70ba77d6cd3d144887201a21fd170e55.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-721\"\u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPareidolia#\u002Fmedia\u002FFile:107-2-D1_-_Danish_electrical_plugs_-_Studio_2011_(cropped).jpg\">Pareidolia on Wikipedia\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":209,"parentClientId":201,"renderedHtml":210,"attributes":211},"6a8e6ccea7664","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-e05440510ce04b628101d2ff6a63a5e2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-722\"\u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fold.reddit.com\u002Fr\u002FPareidolia\u002Fcomments\u002F1ztnxl\u002Fcloud_face_video_in_comments\u002F\">Pareidolia on Reddit\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":213,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":214,"attributes":215},"6a8e6ccea7665","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Humans project our humanity into the world around us. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FWhat_Is_It_Like_to_Be_a_Bat%3F\">If I were a bat\u003C\u002Fa>, I would experience the world completely differently. All sheep look the same to humans, but sheep know other sheep quite well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":119,"clientId":217,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":218,"attributes":219},"6a8e6ccea7666","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"723\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-ff05a6820f12e1ad05fa194772c35181.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-723\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"724\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-ecb4fbd3a63c35e23fbf5bedb6d1015d.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-724\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":221,"parentClientId":217,"renderedHtml":222,"attributes":223},"6a8e6ccea7667","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-ff05a6820f12e1ad05fa194772c35181.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-723\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":225,"parentClientId":217,"renderedHtml":226,"attributes":227},"6a8e6ccea7668","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-ecb4fbd3a63c35e23fbf5bedb6d1015d.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-724\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":229,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":230,"attributes":231},"6a8e6ccea7669","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abstraction is a valuable tool but it is also deceptive and can leave us astray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":233,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":234,"attributes":235},"6a8e6ccea766a","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Moses said to God, “If I go to the Israelites and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ — what should I say to them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":237,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":238,"attributes":239},"6a8e6ccea766b","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">God said to Moses, “I am that I am.” ” — excerpt from Exodus 3, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnetbible.org\u002Fbible\u002FExodus+3#\">NET translation\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":241,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":242,"attributes":243},"6a8e6ccea766c","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later Moses finds the Israelites worshiping a golden calf of their own making. When confronted, Aaron, brother of Moses says “So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.” — excerpt Exodus 32, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnetbible.org\u002Fbible\u002FExodus+32\">NET translation\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":245,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":246,"attributes":247},"6a8e6ccea766d","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That’s a “dog ate my homework” level excuse. It just came out of the fire, all on its own! We threw a bunch of data in and look what came out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":249,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":250,"attributes":251},"6a8e6ccea766e","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The calf didn’t appear from nowhere. It’s a human creation, and so are these neural network models.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":119,"clientId":253,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":254,"attributes":255},"6a8e6ccea766f","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery alignwide has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"725\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-a05525b8ecf0670c00c30d836e871e54.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-725\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"727\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-edc27eaff7df9bd3ea7a8c8f7da9dbc9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-727\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg data-id=\"726\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-6f54ea42c91121faa8a3692fda7e6234.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-726\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":257,"parentClientId":253,"renderedHtml":258,"attributes":259},"6a8e6ccea7670","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-a05525b8ecf0670c00c30d836e871e54.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-725\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":261,"parentClientId":253,"renderedHtml":262,"attributes":263},"6a8e6ccea7671","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-edc27eaff7df9bd3ea7a8c8f7da9dbc9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-727\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":265,"parentClientId":253,"renderedHtml":266,"attributes":267},"6a8e6ccea7672","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-6f54ea42c91121faa8a3692fda7e6234.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-726\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":269,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":270,"attributes":271},"6a8e6ccea7673","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Idolatry Machine is an ongoing series, but when I was recently asked to exhibit at a show I decided to push things further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":273,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":274,"attributes":275},"6a8e6ccea7674","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All these above images were created using Midjourney, text to image, with no editing other than upscaling for print. I decided to also make a special piece for this exhibit which leads to the Idolatry Machine: Altarpiece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":277,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":278,"attributes":279},"6a8e6ccea7675","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I’ve wanted to experiment with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.artlex.com\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-is-photobashing\u002F\">photobashing\u003C\u002Fa> techniques and neural networks for a while. I created layered “\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fartplusmarketing.com\u002Fhow-artists-can-use-neural-networks-to-make-art-714cdab53953\">fusion\u003C\u002Fa>” paintings with style transfer models in the past. This was a different thing though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":281,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":282,"attributes":283},"6a8e6ccea7676","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2026\u002F05\u002F0uBmTUjnYtpHoNWTL.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-619\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":285,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":286,"attributes":287},"6a8e6ccea7677","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Control over surface quality, lighting, general color scheme etc is looser, and prone to strange unexpected outcomes (this is part of their appeal to me). But getting that to mesh harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":289,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":290,"attributes":291},"6a8e6ccea7678","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAltarpiece\">altarpiece\u003C\u002Fa> is a formal medium that arose in western Christian Medieval Churches. These were functional works of art that served a non-commercial religious and cultural purpose. Craftspeople who painted altarpieces were regarded in the same fashion as the carpenters who built the altar itself. This lack of distinction between “fine” and “low”, or “mechanical”, or “commercial” art\u002Fcraft is expounded on in more detail by Larry Shiner in his art history book “\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FThe_Invention_of_Art\">The Invention of Art\u003C\u002Fa>”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":293,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":294,"attributes":295},"6a8e6ccea7679","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My primary reason for choosing an altarpiece as the subject of this collage was practical. It lent itself to the form of the medium. Altarpieces are paneled, and often compositions of multiple smaller semi-self-contained elements together. This works well with the Idolatry Machine themes, but also works well with the intended formal mission of collaging multiple text-to-image generated outputs together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":297,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":298,"attributes":299},"6a8e6ccea767a","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2023\u002F04\u002Fmedium-60eb9d96001d3a7615ca749db6f9543a.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-728\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":69,"clientId":301,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":302,"attributes":303},"6a8e6ccea767b","\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ALL IMAGES ARE FREE\u003C\u002Fh2>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":305,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":306,"attributes":307},"6a8e6ccea767c","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2026\u002F05\u002F1JQ9xDdPC0mcUfIj9VbRWhw.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-620\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":309,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":310,"attributes":311},"6a8e6ccea767d","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2026\u002F05\u002F1KepG34oNsj0AYOlxMQS70Q.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-621\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":313,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":314,"attributes":315},"6a8e6ccea767e","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2026\u002F05\u002F1LUHoc82WzkeaxnxuD8Mh_Q.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-622\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":90,"clientId":317,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":318,"attributes":319},"6a8e6ccea767f","\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aslanfrench.work\u002Fmedia\u002F2026\u002F05\u002F1UNg3gkvep9kmAtSMdoeV9A.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-623\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":321,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":322,"attributes":323},"6a8e6ccea7680","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All images are free. As stated in my ethos statement, I do not sell images\u002Fidols. You can download all the images in this article at full resolution here: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.aslanfrench.work\u002Fs\u002Ffree-images\">https:\u002F\u002Fcloud.aslanfrench.work\u002Fs\u002Ffree-images\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},{"name":63,"clientId":325,"parentClientId":65,"renderedHtml":326,"attributes":327},"6a8e6ccea7681","\n\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It cost me about 70 bucks to get the altar piece printed at Office Depot, 2 24x36 inches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{},1787718861263]