10 Questions with Yibo Yu - The Color Blocks
Born in Beijing, Yibo received a Bachelor of Arts in Film as well as International Studies from Vassar College in 2018. Yibo’s knowledge of art is primarily shaped by an inborn visual appreciation of patterns and a nurtured art historical perspective, thanks to Vassar’s well-renowned Art History education. The artist’s intellectual focus traces political philosophy, post-colonial struggles, visual and film theories, human consciousness, and spirituality. While having no previous exposure to contemporary artistic production, a recent surge of interest in the generative/computational visual paradigm has pushed Yibo to explore algorithms and their relation to contemporary culture, beauty, and consciousness. Yibo’s recent works investigate chaos theory, self-organized systems, and their relationship to paradigm-shifting understanding of both physical and social reality. Yibo also goes by the pseudonym The Color Blocks. All of Yibo’s works are released through a nascent digital artifact technology built on Bitcoin called Ordinal Theory.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“Art can be located at this liminal space between the subliminal beauty of the senses, and the rigorous construction of thought. While much of human society is constrained by thinking, in its rigid forms such as morality, preordained logics, psychosomatic regimes, and digital programs, the artist has the ability to, at least temporarily, break through this mold. Such is what works of art, in my humble opinion, shall aspire to. In other words, art is a pathway to transcendental change.
The recent technological shift, namely Artificial Intelligence, where computation reigns supreme, is a tidal wave that needs to be processed and understood. Usually, in times of seismic historical shifts, the collective human consciousness is presented with the unique opportunity also to shift its understanding of the world and reality. While our current understanding is dominated by cause and effect, linear thinking, and dualistic struggles (friend/enemy, leader/follower, etc), it needs not continue as such. My aim in making art is to somehow deliver a message of radical change. My work in chaos theory, for example, investigates the tension between chaos and discipline. While most of our scientific and political pursuits aim for immaculate order, such pursuits might also be the downfall of such order. What breeds disorder, in reality, might be our very insistence on controlling, disciplining, and predicting the world. Chaos theory is a window through which we might peek at how nature and the universe, of which we are a part, are actually stochastic, wild and therefore overthrow any attempt at discipline. My current focus on self-organized systems shares a similar view: that perceived patterns of nature are the result of the potential of individual agents, that there is no actual Law that governs phenomenon, and that the phenomenon is the Law.” — Yibo Yu
BIFURCATION ARTEFACT [-1.755, -1.75], Digital, 628x625 px, 2023 © Yibo Yu
INTERVIEW
Let's start from the basics. Please share a bit about your journey into the art world, especially considering your background in film and international studies. What led you to transition into contemporary artistic production?
I have been exposed to contemporary and video art through my undergraduate studies. Vassar College offered an incredible artistic atmosphere for experimentation and innovation. I have been involved in experimental art projects at college, such as the reconstruction of subway soundscapes in two major cities, New York and Beijing. However, the majority of my time there was spent on studying theory. Yet, being immersed in theoretical studies in film and international issues led to a realization that theory is limited, in that theory cannot deliver visceral and immediate impact like art does. Art, however, can incorporate theory yet at the same time elicit powerful and mystical sensations. And our current age is quite defined by, for better or worse, computation and algorithms. With the rise of generative systems such as neural networks and generative art, I thought it was the appropriate time to transition into artistic production, specifically focusing on the relationship between humans and machines, organic thought and inorganic computation, etc. Art acts as a conduit both for my theoretical musings, accumulated over the years through studies and deep contemplation, and for my deep appreciation of the spiritual dimension of science, art, and the search for truth.
OPULENCE, Digital, 625x625 px 2023 © Yibo Yu
Your academic background encompasses a wide range of disciplines. How do you balance these diverse influences in your artistic process? And what other influences do you have for your work?
I think there is no balance since all disciplines are an organic whole. My mind works in a way that absorbs "alien" information (information that does not fit the current overarching framework) and tries to adjust the framework to account for this information. So all the disciplines I have encountered, such as postcolonial theory, cultural studies, queer theory, chaos theory, wolfram physics, Taoism, Buddhism, as well as the thoughts of J. Krishnamurti and David R. Hawkins, just to name a few, are all part and parcel of my thought process. My overall aim in creating art is to deliver a message of change, to somehow inform the human consciousness of another possibility, one that is beyond individuation, dualistic struggles, or the will to power. My work with chaos theory, for example, is only the entry point, a visually mesmerizing point of departure for further discussions on chaos, order, predictability, and free will.
Speaking of your work, what is your creative process like? How do you go from the first idea to the outcome?
The creative process is one of experimentation and iteration. Quite like the recursive nature of many chaotic systems, the process must iterate upon itself. This means, practically, adjusting parameters, altering the algorithm, etc. But unlike recursion, which is self-referential and repetitive, the creative process also involves sparks of inspirations that seemingly come from nowhere. These inspirations I have no way of commanding, since they come and go, and usually at the time I least expect them.
However, the artistic process usually starts with an interesting idea. For example, one recent project of mine involves Fourier transform within the signal processing paradigm. While doing research on AI, I accidentally encountered the Fourier transform (an interesting idea), which can help neural networks learn much more efficiently in the context of computer vision. This led to the interest in understanding why this is the case. I then found out that the 2D Fourier transform is used in image analysis and manipulation and that it can produce incredibly complex patterns from very simple shapes. These patterns have astounding symmetry and resemble the cymatics patterns, which I have also explored in a previous project called PLASMATICS. The next step would be to utilize these patterns to produce art, which simply involves the process of iteration through coding.
Fourier © Yibo Yu
Your recent works delve into chaos theory and self-organized systems. How do you translate these complex scientific concepts into visual art, and what do you hope viewers take away from encountering your pieces?
I think translating complex scientific concepts into visual art is not as hard as usually imagined, although there needs to be a mathematical foundation to understand how to implement a specific scientific theory into a visual model. We can take self-organized systems as an example. By the name, self-organized systems evolve because, within the system, each individual agent reacts to the neighboring agents. The murmuration of starlings is a great natural example of this. This is the reason one can see a propagation of movements, quite like the waves in the ocean. To implement a system like this algorithmically, one would code the ruleset, which each agent abides by, hit start, and let the system evolve by itself.
As I mentioned in the answer to another question, I hope the viewer could begin to pose questions as to "why" and "how" the visual patterns are formed. When these questions are asked, I believe the natural curiosity of the human mind would lead to some discoveries previously hidden by our pre-existing frameworks of understanding. Chaos theory and self-organized systems actually challenge our long-held assumptions about reality and free will. And I think, through challenging these assumptions, the mind can arrive at mental clarity and peace, which is what ultimately forms an intelligent and nonviolent society.
How do you envision the intersection of art, technology, and philosophy evolving in the coming years, and what role do you hope to play in shaping that trajectory?
I think there is a very strong force pulling our societies toward technological centrism. It is a very natural phenomenon, as we have seen how powerful electricity, the Internet, and now AI can be. My view on technology is this: in one person's mind, atomic fusion is the future of clean and sustainable energy; in another person's mind, atomic fusion is the ultimate weapon of war. In other words, technology is not inherently evil. It is the wielder of technology that decides what to do with it. Such is the importance of the human mind because whatever we hold in our minds, we tend to enact in physical reality. History has shown that we built the H Bomb before we achieved scalable fusion energy. This is just a reflection of where we have been in our consciousness. So, I see the dialogues around technology as crucial for the survival of human civilization. Art is one such way to evoke oftentimes uncomfortable but very essential dialogues about our relationship with powerful technologies.
But one of the central, yet in my personal view, misguided thesis of technological advancements is a sense of pride, being proud of human ingenuity, discovery, and accomplishments. All these are quite frankly human-centric. However, without the "Laws" of nature, these technologies would simply not function, not be discovered, and not be able to accomplish anything. I genuinely see humanity as a borrower of nature's tremendous potential, but humanity might have usually claimed ownership of this potential instead. Within the general scientific research community (to my limited knowledge), there is a deep appreciation of and respect for nature and the universe. It is this sense of humility toward nature that I wish to add to the dialogue revolving around technology, with my art as a conduit and a point of departure for that message.
PLASMATICS #3, Digital, Dynamic, 2024 © Yibo Yu
PLASMATICS #6, Digital, Dynamic, 2024 © Yibo Yu
In your statement, you mentioned a recent interest in generative and computational visual paradigms. Can you elaborate on how algorithms and technology have become central to your artistic practice and what inspired this shift?
I see a tidal wave of technological shifts happening on the horizon. Many who aren't informed of the latest developments in AI might not appreciate just how fast we are advancing. This speed is a double-edged sword. It can dramatically increase our productivity and bring about a golden age of prosperity. It can also lead to the misuse of this technology, i.e., automated warfare, targeted/personalized subliminal conditioning, AI-assisted manufactured consent, and the like. I'd like to be part of this conversation, and for me, the most appropriate way is through art inspired by generative and computational paradigms. As computation takes on a much more primary role in our lives, I think it is helpful for us to understand its deep implications.
At the same time, can you discuss the significance of releasing your works through Ordinal Theory? How does this platform enhance or influence the presentation and reception of your art?
Ordinal Theory is a very nascent digital artifact protocol built on top of Bitcoin. When I think about digital art, there is always the problem of establishing the provenance of originality. If a file can be copied, tampered with, or manipulated, how do we establish the original? Cryptography offers a solution to use the interesting qualities of large prime numbers to secure this claim of originality. This has been accomplished by NFTs, but I feel that Ordinal Theory, being built on the most secure, immutable, and egalitarian blockchain, is the best possible place to release provenanced digital art thus far.
However, as with any blockchain, many associate Ordinal Theory with speculative endeavors. It is indeed the case that within the Ordinals ecosystem, there are not many art collectors compared to speculative traders. My hope is to connect with more collectors who appreciate the thoughts behind the artworks, and that is slowly happening. I also hope to advocate for a serious art scene within the Ordinals ecosystem and to help provenanced digital art be more widely accepted in mainstream art circles.
As you mention, you are also interested in AI and its implications for society. How do you perceive the role of artificial intelligence in contemporary art making? Do you see AI as a tool for artists to enhance their creativity, or do you believe it poses challenges to traditional artistic practices?
I think AI can both enhance the artistic process and challenge traditional art practices. When photography was invented, and the mass distribution of exact copies of physical reality became possible, the artistic paradigm shifted toward more subjective realms, such as impressionism, cubism, surrealism, and currently contemporary and conceptual art. I think new technology necessarily impacts artistic practice. AI will do the same, and I see AI overtaking the subjective paradigm in art as well, as I see neural networks becoming better at imitating the human brain, even emotional and subjective states of mind. However, as AI makes certain artistic practices obsolete, art will find other unexplored avenues to express itself. Basically, what can we create that the AI cannot? I think this is actually a tremendous opportunity to explore within our consciousness what cannot be born of training and data and what is unrelated to memory and neuronal firings. I believe the result of this exploration will be something astoundingly beautiful.
STRANGE IDEOGRAPH #1110, Digital, 2400x2400 px, 2024 © Yibo Yu
STRANGE IDEOGRAPH #1748, Digital, 2400x2400 px, 2024 © Yibo Yu
What future projects or themes are you excited to explore in your artistic practice? Are there any new technologies or concepts you're eager to incorporate into your work?
One idea is time. There is something that the rules of General Relativity will lead to, which is called singularity. These are "points" beyond which time no longer exists. Another term for this is "geodesic incompleteness". I want to explore the idea of time since it is so fundamental to science as a whole, and almost the entire scientific enterprise has been about studying patterns and predicting trajectories, i.e., time-bound. I want to explore whether time and consequently space, is as fundamental as we believe it to be.
A project that I am exploring now also has to do with time, but more so in frequencies and nodal vibration patterns. This is a project I've mentioned in a previous question, one that is related to fourier transform of 2D image data. I very much enjoy the resulting visual pattern, and synchronizing the pattern with periodic or non-periodic signals could be a very interesting combination.
Another project I have been exploring for quite a while is self-organized systems and active matter. I have explored a generalized version of the Ising model. It is a square lattice of individual dipoles, adjusting their own directions based on their nearest neighbors. This is a novel way of assembling and experimenting with matter, as the rules of matter formation and evolution are purely mathematical (sum, mean, logarithmic, etc.). This project will probably be released in the near future.
Lastly, where do you see yourself and your work in five years? What is your biggest goal, and how do you plan to achieve it?
I really cannot foresee it, but I'd like to see the artworks tapping into new scientific, artistic, and philosophical territories continuously, rather than repeating what I have already explored. I think the biggest goal is to get to a wider audience and spark contemplative dialogues. The plan is to get the artworks exhibited in diverse locations around the world (which is already happening in small galleries in London, New York, and Paris this year), to apply to fellowships related to the intersection of art and science, and ultimately to be able to discuss these ideas on platforms that could reach more people.
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.
