The King’s Artists programme has connected artists and academics for over a decade. The fusion of research and art allows for an environment of creativity and experimentation. The programme provides different learning environments and opportunities for students, enhancing their learning experience.

In early October 2017 a launch event was held for the 2017-18 programme in Bush House's impressive new events space The Arcade, providing an opportunity to hear from the artists and academics about their plans for their projects over the following academic year.

 Nassia Inglessis and Dr Richard Overill, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science will be asking if artificial intelligence (AI) can be disobedient and what this may look like. They will also be imagining various futures where humans and AI coexist. Nassia presented some of these questions on disobedience: ‘What could it mean, how could it manifest itself, how could we relate to it? … Disobedience allows us to challenge, learn and progress … Do we want to allow and accommodate for disobedience?’ They will produce an immersive artwork in which the audience can experience disobedient AI.

The Brooke Roberts Innovation Agency (BRIA) will be working with Dr Matthew Howard, Lecturer in Informatics (Robotics) to examine the possibilities for digital knitwear design and wearable technologies such as sensors knitted into garments for data collection. Moin Roberts-Islam explained ‘we’re big believers in tech and design working together’. The team will produce wearable technology embedded textiles.

Rebecca Lynch, creative-writer-in-residence and Dr Elizabeth Sklar, Reader in Computer Science will be reflecting on potential futures made up of human-robot societies. Rebecca showed a short film about the project which explained that ‘the stories we tell about robots tell us about ourselves’. Rebecca will be creating experimental short fiction and accompanying visual artefacts during the collaboration.

The artwork produced will be displayed at various points during the year and beyond and members of the public will be able to view the art. Cultural King’s hope to showcase the work at Bush House next summer (2018) and online.

Photo credits: Kate Anderson