In the age of digital art, tools like generative software and facial recognition programs are almost as common artistic tools as paintbrushes and molding clay.
Take, for example, the impressive work of the Seoul-based art collective, Shinseungback Kimyonghun. Famous for its tedious "Cloud Face" project, the group has recently turned its attention (and high-powered computing abilities) to film.
Using face-detecting algorithms, SK attempted to identify the "average face" of popular movies like "The Matrix" and "Taxi Driver." The results are haunting.
Black Swan, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
Titled "Portrait," the project identifies faces from every 24 frames of a movie, compiling them together in one final image that represents the average of all found faces. "The composite image reflects the centric figure(s) and the visual mood of a movie," SK states on its website.
Beyond appearing like ghostly figures you may encounter in the mirror of a horror film, the portraits resemble paintings more than digital renderings. With blurred lines, dreamy backdrops and a heavy dose of creepiness, they wouldn't seem out of place amongst a collection of Francis Bacon figures.
What do you think? Do you recognize the memorable characters within?
Avatar, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
Amélie, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
Mission: Impossible, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
The Matrix, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
The Bourne Identity, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
Oldboy, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
Taxi Driver, Portrait, Pigment Inkjet Print, 2013, Variable dimensions.
If you're interested in just how the facial recognition software works, you can check out the video below, which takes you step by step through the process of identifying "Avatar"s average face.