ANIMATION
Rent-a-Family
An image inspired by the “rent-a-family” practice in japan, where people hire actors as stand-ins for friends, family, coworkers, whomever they need (platonically). People have booked fake grandchildren for sick grandparents too old to see their first grandchild born, fake mourners to bolster turnout for funerals, fake coworkers to apologize to clients for mistakes, fake spouses for weddings (complete with fake in-laws and guests), even fake parents to spend time with children. The list goes on and can get.. bizarre. The length of roles can range from single events to years - sometimes lifetimes.
It's a practice that's first amusing then saddening. or perhaps uplifting. depends on how you see it. How much does the avoidance of reality affect us if the charade never ends?
It's a practice that's first amusing then saddening. or perhaps uplifting. depends on how you see it. How much does the avoidance of reality affect us if the charade never ends?
Designer DNA
Gene editing technologies, most notably CRISPR-Cas9, can now precisely edit the human genome and cure or prevent genetic diseases, saving millions of lives. But as the technology develops, so do the possibilities of genetic customization of our progeny - resulting in ‘designer babies.’ In 2018, a scientist genetically modified two babies to make them immune to HIV, reviving controversy over the genetic modification of human embryos and heritable genetic alterations (aka germline engineering).
There are multiple issues: unintended scientific consequences (e.g. inadvertent alteration of untargeted genes, elimination of one condition increasing susceptibility to another, rogue scientists conducting unsafe experiments, the creation of new viruses or bioweapons), and of course, eugenics.
First, the delineation between enhancement (e.g. alteration of appearance or IQ) and treatment of disease (and which diseases or conditions should be treated & to what degree), plus the technology’s availability, would most likely be determined by those with high socioeconomic/political status. Second, the prevalence of certain genes & traits along with shifting norms & resources could exacerbate existing social disparities or create new forms of privilege, discrimination, & inequality.
The potential to cure and prevent diseases should continue to be explored and genetic selection/modification are already common practice, but hopefully there’ll be close oversight over how germline modification evolves and how DNA is regulated on the market - DIY CRISPR kits are available online for around $150 and our DNA's probably in databases already thanks to 23&Me.
There are multiple issues: unintended scientific consequences (e.g. inadvertent alteration of untargeted genes, elimination of one condition increasing susceptibility to another, rogue scientists conducting unsafe experiments, the creation of new viruses or bioweapons), and of course, eugenics.
First, the delineation between enhancement (e.g. alteration of appearance or IQ) and treatment of disease (and which diseases or conditions should be treated & to what degree), plus the technology’s availability, would most likely be determined by those with high socioeconomic/political status. Second, the prevalence of certain genes & traits along with shifting norms & resources could exacerbate existing social disparities or create new forms of privilege, discrimination, & inequality.
The potential to cure and prevent diseases should continue to be explored and genetic selection/modification are already common practice, but hopefully there’ll be close oversight over how germline modification evolves and how DNA is regulated on the market - DIY CRISPR kits are available online for around $150 and our DNA's probably in databases already thanks to 23&Me.
Spin to Win
Big Brother is watching.
Our data is being recorded without our consent and used in ways we cannot control, predict, or sometimes even fathom.
Data & new technologies, however benign they initially seem, are ripe for error and abuse. Kinks take time to find, and laws and oversight are always several steps behind.
Facial recognition technology is one of those creepy frontiers. It's been around for decades but only now seeping into public consciousness due to the pervasive use of cameras - including our own phones. It may seem comforting that governments and law enforcement agencies can use this tech to find wanted or missing persons, but these programs & their algorithms have been proven to misidentify people, especially women and people with darker skin color - what essentially equates to algorithmic bias, an issue found across AI systems in multiple sectors, whether job recruiting, mortgage lending, health care risk-assessment, even courtroom sentencing. Marginalized groups are often the most affected.
It's difficult to prevent data mining, but it’s worth being aware of how it can be misused, whether intentionally or not, and which laws, if any, can regulate the use of tech. Several cities have already banned the use of facial recognition tech. Again it seems harmless, but in the wrong hands it's dangerous. Case in point: the Chinese government's use of facial and gait recognition to track (racially profile) and detain the Uyghur Muslim population, not to mention profiling the rest of the population for its 'social credit' system.
Our data is being recorded without our consent and used in ways we cannot control, predict, or sometimes even fathom.
Data & new technologies, however benign they initially seem, are ripe for error and abuse. Kinks take time to find, and laws and oversight are always several steps behind.
Facial recognition technology is one of those creepy frontiers. It's been around for decades but only now seeping into public consciousness due to the pervasive use of cameras - including our own phones. It may seem comforting that governments and law enforcement agencies can use this tech to find wanted or missing persons, but these programs & their algorithms have been proven to misidentify people, especially women and people with darker skin color - what essentially equates to algorithmic bias, an issue found across AI systems in multiple sectors, whether job recruiting, mortgage lending, health care risk-assessment, even courtroom sentencing. Marginalized groups are often the most affected.
It's difficult to prevent data mining, but it’s worth being aware of how it can be misused, whether intentionally or not, and which laws, if any, can regulate the use of tech. Several cities have already banned the use of facial recognition tech. Again it seems harmless, but in the wrong hands it's dangerous. Case in point: the Chinese government's use of facial and gait recognition to track (racially profile) and detain the Uyghur Muslim population, not to mention profiling the rest of the population for its 'social credit' system.
2019 + 2020
Ramen Sanctuary
Scrabble Night
Shady Trump Bros.
Asteroids: Right-Wing Edition
An animation inspired by documentary 'The Brink,' which follows Steve Bannon (ex-Breitbart chairman & ex-Trump strategist) and his efforts to mobilize and unify far-right politicians in Europe before the 2019 Parliamentary elections. The result: a "Who's Who" of some of the most prominent right-wing politicians in Europe at this time. Although we tend to idolize or demonize individual politicians, behind each one are a thousand more. The battles are against politicians but the war is against their ideologies. Note: this project is not meant to portray or condone violence in any way.
Pong: How to Choose Your 2020 Presidential Candidate
Connect the Dots
Trace the associations between the Trump administration & the Kremlin to discover where - or whom - they lead to.
Trace the associations between the Trump administration & the Kremlin to discover where - or whom - they lead to.
Beto vs. Table