Probabilistic Aesthetics of the Avant-Gardes: Predictive Arts

Description

An inquiry into probabilistic modes of sensing and making sense of reality developed by avant-garde artists Situates the notion of probability in the context of European and American art to reveal the anthropological and existential importance of this epistemic shift Supplements existing literature about the probabilistic revolution in sciences with a much-needed inquiry into its wider cultural resonance Connects highly abstract theoretical considerations – often considered beyond the scope of visual representation – with tangible and perceptible ways of experiencing reality Constitutes an important step toward coming to terms with the new techno-cultural reality of living amid predictive engines in the age of planetary-scale computation" Konrad Wojnowski argues that the probabilistic revolution, while recognized and investigated by historians of science, has been largely overlooked in the field of art. He shows that the idea that one can perceive and comprehend reality in terms of shifting probabilities was clearly present in the work of many avant-garde artists working in Europe and North America.Exploring the probabilistic aspects of the avant-garde allows him to establish a dialogue between scientific and artistic forms of knowledge. This is particularly important now, as we become surrounded by probabilistic AIs and while the very nature of cognition is being reinterpreted as inherently probabilistic.