Confidential Records: Dual Metropolitans (2016-2018)
機密錄：雙城 (2016-2018)
Confidential Records: Dual Metropolitans (2016-2018)
機密錄：雙城 (2016-2018)
Vvzela Kook (China)
曲倩雯 (中國)
Scientist Ray Kurzweil defined the acceleration of development of technology as Law of Accelerating Returns. He reckons that technology is growing exponentially that human could make the progress of the entire 20th century with only 20 years in 21 century, and we are here right before the “explosion”, what will happen decades later might threat all human being.
Throughout the past hundred years, Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong mostly worked as a community that with military and political function, it maximized the ability of improvisation and compatibility, and finally developed into a huge and comprehensive urban system. The issue of governance of the site which had permitted the unfettered development of these few hectares was finally resolved and the decades of growth ended in 1990s.
Confidential Records is a series of sci-fi work in revealing of a big secret that Kowloon Walled City was never gone, it is just hidden under the ground. The city governed by artificial intelligence, and the underground Kowloon Walled City becomes the last defence of human being — huge data flows between these two gigantic memory systems, how the future world would become? What will be the functions of the Underground Kowloon Walled City, what progress will it have made? What kind of role will it play between artificial intelligence and human being?
科學家雷蒙德．庫茨魏爾提出加速回報定律（Law of Accelerating Returns）。他認為科技按照指數方式增長，人類可以在21世紀僅20年的時間裡取得整個20世紀所取得的科技成就。現在的我們就正處在「科技爆炸」的邊緣，幾十年後發生的事情可能會威脅到整個人類。
在過去的數百年，香港的九龍城寨主要作為一個具有軍事和政治職能的社區存在。它最大限度地發揮了即興和兼容的能力，最終發展成為一個巨大而全面的城市系統。曾稱三不管之地，直至九十年代初結束其無政府狀態並分為兩期完全清拆。
《機密錄》是一系列科幻作品, 揭示了九龍寨城並未完全消失，只是掩藏於地下的秘密。由人工智能接管的城市，與變為人類最終防線的地下九龍寨城 —— 數據遊走於兩個巨大的城市記憶體之中， 地下的九龍城寨又會有何演變？在人工智能與人類之間，九龍城寨又會發揮什麼樣的作用？
Vvzela Kook (China)
曲倩雯 (中國)
(B. 1990, Lives and works in Hong Kong) Vvzela Kook is a new media artist who mainly works with audiovisual mediums, formats including performance, theatre, generative video and drawing. Her audiovisual works combine media with performance; they explore the possibility of coexistence between contemporary performance types, like dance or choreography, and computer-generated new media.
Kook’s video works combine technology with her artistic practice to reproduce and convert urban cityscapes into an integrated virtual experience, guiding the audience on a cybernetic journey. The condensed textures in her works connect with multiple sensual levels in our perception and reintroduce the unexplored potential of video as a medium.
Kook has participated and shown her works in PuSh Performing Art Festival in Vancouver (2017), Mill6 Foundation (2017), Microwave International Media Festival in Hong Kong (2016), K11 Shanghai (2016), Hong Kong Arts Festival (2015), Sound Art China Exhibition (2013), Frischzelle Festival and Dusseldorf Festival (2012), and “89+”program (2012) co-curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Simon Castets.
(b.1990, 生活工作於香港) 新媒體藝術家曲倩雯，主要以聲音視覺作為創作媒介，包括聲音視覺現場演出、劇場、衍生藝術（generative art）與繪畫。她的聲音視覺作品結合現場演出，探索與當代表演類型，如舞蹈、編舞等與計算機生成藝術之間共存的可能性。
她的視覺作品結合了技術與藝術實踐，以再現和轉換城市景觀為一個集成的虛擬體驗，引導觀眾在符控流域中旅行。她的作品當中的多重紋理與人們的多個感官感知相連，揭示視頻作為一種媒介未被開發的一面。
她曾經多次受各國單位邀請參展/參演，包括溫哥華的PuSh Performing Art Festival (2017)，香港的Mill6 Foundation (2017)，香港微波國際藝術節(2016)，香港藝術節(2015)，中國聲音藝術大展(2013)，德國Friszchelle藝術節，德國的杜塞爾多夫藝術節(2012)與 Hans Ulrich Obrist 與 Simon Castets 共同策劃的「89+」計劃(2012)。
Record 1
I was very surprised when Dr.Hades asked me “Who are you?” in front of Lazarus Salvation Army.
His voice made me shut all the terminal connections at once, not because I was browsing one of the archive servers in Ghost Army, but it was the first time I was asked “Who are you?” instead of “What model are you?”
But what surprised me more, was after I said my model, Dr.Hades replied, I’ve been waiting for you. On hearing that, I quickly checked my system and as many archives and records from the server. I was not hacked. There is no clue why I was expected - at least in the records I checked. The feeling of not-knowing, is fresh and strange.
I followed him to his office in Hades Biological Research Centre, then he handed a brochure to me - an actual book, in paper, printed, but very old, seems the front page was stained with water, perhaps it was dropped on a wet floor. It was written The Pure Blood Human’s Guide to Underground Kowloon Walled City on the cover. Beside the word “Human”, someone wrote a slash, followed by “Artificial Intelligence” in black ink.
I always think I am a bad code. There are 65 Sky Walkers searching for me in the sky, 78 SHIELD field agents trying to locate my position, while I was expected by a pure blood human.
I open the brochure, on the title page it prints:
Congratulations on successfully making your way to Underground Kowloon Walled City. We could say for now you are safe from the surveillance and jurisdiction of Third Polar Cosmo Corporation. We strongly require each residency of Underground Kowloon Walled City should be responsible for the security of the city. Any practise or attempts of revealing the existence or location of any entrance, department, facilities of Underground Kowloon Walled City will be taken as First Class Criminal, offender will be sentenced with a death penalty without any excuses.
All pure blood human have to register in Pure Blood Human Registration Bureau. You will be soon assigned to one of the refugee camps for maximum 6 months. You will be able to move out until a proper job is assigned. This brochure will guide you through the basic life, facilities and most importantly, security defence systems. Enjoy your life in Underground Kowloon Walled City.
“You could save that for later,” Dr.Hades suddenly interrupted: “now we have a lot to do.” He opened a door to a chamber, I then realised it is a secret passage to Ghost Army.
