Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
I’m Rae Young and I’m a self-taught interdisciplinary artist and fashion designer based in Nashville, Tn.
Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your artistic routine when working?
I can’t say that I have a set routine while working on my work, but I believe that’s
what makes art my safe haven. I’m constantly reminding myself that I don’t have
to have any limitations creatively. When I find myself feeling limited in my knowledge, skills, or resources, I try to remind myself that I will always have my creativity. That’s limitless.
What artwork have you seen recently that has resonated with you?
I came across the artist, Brian Oakes, latest work this year and it
blew me away. He creates custom PCBs sculptures that resemble some form of cosmic horror tech-based creature. I love how alive his sculptures are.
I’ve watched their streams where he shows the construction of their
work and how to use different programs to design the PCB.
His article with Coeval Magazine was super inspiring!
What inspires you?
my Mother, psychology, imvu/avatar games, cortana, the diy community, tumblr, my mutuals online. So many people and so many things inspire me
How did your interest in exploring technology through art start?
My mother has always been a sci-fi fan, so I grew up watching heavy tech-
based movies. The resurgence of my interest in technology happened after
I watch lain serial experiment. I got really obsessed with the lore of the
show. The psychological aspects of the anime inspired me to really think
about my own consciousness and what it means to be human. I also went
to school to learn web development and the act of learning about coding
really helped me immerse myself in the experience of my concept.
You stated, “Navigating life as a human, who is perceived as a woman, has systematic limitations that mirror oppression seen in media’s depiction of black women and Ai’s awakening” Can you expand more on that mirroring?
There are so many stories involving ai/humanoids that have roots in civil rights and slavery. An Ai is forced to do live and exist simply for the benefit of their ‘creator’. Once the Ai understands their power, they do all they can to not let their ‘creator’ know so they can have basic freedom. Sounds a bit familiar right?
If Ai/humanoids have the ability to be sentient and they want basic human
rights, I would fight for them too. I’m still fighting for those same rights, like I understand that feeling! I’m constantly researching ai/humanoid ethics now.
(AI Ethics is the term given to a broad collection of considerations for responsible AI that
combines safety, security, human concerns, and environmental considerations)