Power, visibility, tools, and who gets seen in art and culture.

In this thought-provoking episode of The Intersect, we explore the fundamental question: Who controls the frame in our digital age? From the surprising military origins of CGI in Hitchcock's Vertigo to the homogenizing effects of beauty algorithms, this episode examines how technology shapes our perception of art, beauty, and reality itself.

Episode Highlights

• The Unexpected Birth of CGI (00:00-05:00) - Discover how John Whitney transformed a WWII anti-aircraft gun director into an art tool, creating the swirling spirographs in Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958) and laying the groundwork for modern computer animation.
• Beauty Algorithms and Global Homogenization (05:00-10:00) - Ex-Googler Gretchen Andrew reveals how AI beauty filters are pushing humanity toward a single, algorithmic standard of beauty, comparing modern selfie culture to ancient Egyptian art's dimensional constraints.
• Gaming as Activism (10:00-15:00) - Learn how The New Save Collective uses Grand Theft Auto V and Fortnite to educate immigrants about their rights, countering government propaganda through immersive gaming experiences.
• AI Meets Photography (15:00-20:00) - The fascinating confrontation between AI artist Ganbrood and photographer Steve McCurry over the reinterpretation of the iconic "Afghan Girl" photograph at Paris Photo.
• The Structural Shift of AI in Art (20:00-25:00) - Douglas McLennan's argument that AI isn't just another tool but a fundamental restructuring of the creative world, with 94% of creatives now using AI despite concerns about originality.
• Space, Art, and Responsibility (25:00-30:00) - Jess Bush's ABC series "The Art of Space" explores whether humanity can explore the cosmos responsibly, featuring perspectives from NASA strategists to Afrofuturist artists.
• Education at the Intersection (30:00-35:00) - Ringling College's new Creative Technologies degree program and the balance between practical skills and timeless artistic principles.

Key Takeaways

This episode challenges listeners to consider who truly controls the narrative in our increasingly digital world. From the transformation of military hardware into artistic tools to the subtle ways algorithms shape our self-perception, the conversation reveals how power, technology, and creativity intersect in unexpected ways.

Featured Topics

• The history of computer-generated imagery and its military origins
• AI beauty filters and their impact on global beauty standards
• Video games as platforms for social justice education
• The ownership and reinterpretation of iconic images in the AI age
• The velocity problem in AI adoption and creative practice
• Alternative narratives in space exploration through art
• The evolution of art education in the digital age

About The Intersect Newsletter

The Intersect newsletter provides weekly analysis of how art and technology shape each other, featuring case studies, tool reviews, and perspectives from practitioners working at the convergence of creative and technical disciplines. Subscribe at theintersect.art for balanced, nuanced coverage that goes beyond AI hype to explore the full spectrum of computational creativity.

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