Euro(re)vision, 2019, two channel video with sound, 12min 47.
Euro(re)vision is two screen moving image artwork (12min47), where Libby performs as two topical EU government leaders from March 2019 (Merkel and May in this instance) reciting absurd machine generated songs in a Eurovision song contest-like setting. The work was commissioned by the Goethe Institute London as part of their wider Europe Actually series of events for a two week solo presentation in their library. The piece is Libby’s second exploration of deepfake faceswap as both a tool and a subject.
Inspired by Dada poetry, such as Hugo Ball’s sound poem ‘o gadji beri bimba’, this piece uses multiple cutting-edge machine learning/artificial intelligence techniques to create new forms of algorithmic poetry and performance. Artist Libby Heaney performs as May and Merkel and deep fake faceswap technology alters her appearance to look more like the politicians. The poetry is composed by neural networks trained badly on English polticial debates from the House of Commons, German political debates from the Bundestag and a data set comprising both the English and German political debates.
Inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest, Euro(re)vision is partly an absurd critique of current political systems and rhetoric. The piece explores the often nefarious relationships between artificial intelligence, politics and pop culture, using new technology against itself.
As the languages join together towards the end of the song, Euro(re)vision might propose a different, more united Europe (beyond traditional politics?), where alternative messages are expressed.
The work was commissioned by the Goethe Institute London for their Europe Actually programme 2019. Camera by Echo Ru Yi, Guitar by Josh Brain.
Commissioned by the Goethe Institut London. Exhibited in The Baroness, Mimosa House, London 2022.
Installation views: ‘The Baroness’, Mimosa House, London, May 27th – September 17th, 2022. Courtesy of Mimosa House.