A Choreography of Cameras: “Hibi No Neiro”

I discovered the “cover song” web podcast site, Coverville, earlier today, and was musing over the way in which one band’s version of another band’s overly familiar song can chime the chords of the uncanny. But then I saw this video for Sour’s “Hibi No Neiro” — which I don’t think is a cover song… Continue reading A Choreography of Cameras: “Hibi No Neiro”

TRON, Gaming and the Death Drive Crash

Software designer Daniel Wellman writes about an uncanny experience where a game he was programming seemed to come to life with a will all its own in his essay, “Real Life Tron on Apple IIgs”: One day, when Marco and I were playing against two computer opponents, we forced one of the AI cycles to… Continue reading TRON, Gaming and the Death Drive Crash

Enjoy Uncertainty: Randomization and the Uncanny iPod

Although the iPod shuffle is now an mp3 player that is the size of a postage stamp, the advertising campaign for the device — back in 2006 when it was the size of a stick of gum — asked consumers to “Enjoy Uncertainty.” I can think of no better mascot for the popular uncanny.  Typically, uncertainty… Continue reading Enjoy Uncertainty: Randomization and the Uncanny iPod

Autonomous Improv and the Player Piano Effect

  Wade Marynowsky’s weblog, Autonomous Mutations, highlights current uncanny art projects and other manifestations of das Unheimliche and is full of fantastic and unique examples of the aesthetic (like Karakuri ningyo), links to Machine art, and also references to uncanny theory. I say he features the “aesthetic” of the uncanny because his blog is an offshoot… Continue reading Autonomous Improv and the Player Piano Effect