Creatures and Citizens of Smog City (Niceaunties and Pancakepie360)
Video, 2023
About the artwork
A surreal documentary of a casual day spent in smog city, where hybrid creatures and aunties morph, dance and go about their normal, daily lives. Inspired by fantasy and surrealism with the underlying theme of chaos, the video is the 2nd instalment in the ‘Smog city series’ a collaborative project by Niceaunties and Pancakepie360. We see many faces against a brutal city, some beautiful, some ugly, others shocking or unsettling. The sound design by Pancakepie360 was inspired by chaotic collage and conceived through a process of experimentation and improvisation.
This AI video is made with Midjourney and RunwayML Gen2.
Audio explanation
Listen to Niceaunties and Pancakepie360 discuss this work.
Niceaunties, a designer and AI artist rooted in Singapore, draws inspiration from the women in her family and the intriguing world of 'auntie culture'. Delving into themes of aging, beauty, personal freedom, and the nuances of everyday life, Niceaunties expresses her artistic vision through the mediums of generative and digital art. Her creations are marked by an amalgamation of surrealism, fantasy, and the vibrant aesthetics of kawaii culture.
Pancakepie360, born in California before the turn of the millennium, follows a distinctive artistic process. Their creative journey often commences with a concept, brought to life through the utilization of prompts and images. Alternatively, inspiration strikes during explorations of specific series on the MidJourney platform, leading to the development of captivating moving clips. The subsequent step involves curating the ideal soundtrack, either by discovering an existing song or crafting a new one. The editing process is a harmonious dance with the music, resulting in a seamless fusion of visuals and sound. Every clip imported into their project undergoes meticulous scrutiny, with multiple versions considered to select the most compelling one. As the project takes shape, Pancakepie360 diligently observes its evolution, exporting and immersing themselves in the viewing experience, iteratively refining their work.
Pancakepie360's initial encounter with AI transpired through platforms like Instagram, where they stumbled upon mind-boggling images that left them intrigued and perplexed. Timmolloyart's remarkable creations captured their attention, prompting Pancakepie360 to delve into MidJourney. They joined the platform in November 2022, embarking on an obsession that has consumed every moment of their day since.
Before venturing into the realm of AI artistry, Pancakepie360's artistic journey began in early childhood. They commenced playing music and drawing at the age of 6, and by 11, they were already exploring the world of film, filming and editing videos alongside family and friends using Adobe Premiere. This multifaceted journey persisted throughout their life, fueled by a profound love for music, writing, and drawing. In college, they pursued their passion, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in film. Post-college, music continued to be a significant aspect of their life, accompanied by a growing focus on writing and intermittent bouts of drawing. While film endeavors transitioned into found footage and experimental video editing, Pancakepie360's artistic exploration remained dynamic and diverse.