Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst
Starmirror
Still, 2024
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About the artwork
Starmirror proposes a scenario in which artificial intelligence (AI) models coordinate humans to generate intelligence for collective benefit. The work extends Herndon and Dryhurst’s long-standing practice at the intersection of art, music, machine learning, and experimental forms of organization. Their projects often propose new digital infrastructures, approaching protocols themselves as a medium, structures that can rehearse new arrangements between humans
Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst are Berlin-based artists known for their innovative use of machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and decentralized systems in art and music. Their collaborative practice spans a range of media, from AI-generated performances and installations to protocol development that challenges existing power structures in the digital space.
Their work frequently examines the intersection of human creativity and AI. One of their most prominent projects, Holly+ (2021), is an AI clone of Herndon's voice that can be used by the public, embodying a counter-narrative to AI extractivism and exploring ideas of "vocal sovereignty." This project has been presented at major venues including Sonar Festival and TED.
The duo’s musical work includes critically acclaimed albums Platform (2015) and PROTO (2019), released through 4AD, which have been performed at prestigious venues such as the Barbican in London and Volksbühne in Berlin. Their visual art practice includes groundbreaking NFT series like Infinite Images (2021/22) and the recent exhibition at the 2024 Whitney Biennial, where they showcased xhairymutantx, an AI-driven interactive installation that challenges identity in the age of generative models.
In addition to their artistic output, Herndon and Dryhurst co-founded Spawning, an organization dedicated to building ethical AI tools, and host the Interdependence podcast, which explores the intersections of AI, music, and blockchain technologies. Recognized as some of the most influential voices in AI, they were named in TIME’s 100 Most Influential Voices in AI and awarded the first Digital Human Rights Award by the Austrian government.