In this Le Random discussion we are so pleased to speak to a scholar of art history in Dr. Nancy Perloff from the Getty Research Institute. She joins Le Random's editor-in-chief Peter Bauman. Perloff recently curated Sensing the Future: Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.), showing at the Getty Center as part of PST Art.

The pair explores E.A.T.’s influential role in merging art, technology and engineering, a movement founded in 1966 by Bell Labs engineer Billy Klüver and artists like Robert Rauschenberg and John Cage.

Dr. Perloff shares insights on E.A.T.’s success, including as an early digital art network, as well as its collaborations between artists and engineers (mostly from Bell Labs). This included performances like Nine Evenings: Theatre and Engineering and immersive experiences at the 1970 Osaka World Expo’s Pepsi Pavilion. They touch on curatorial challenges, EAT’s experimental nature, its role in building interdisciplinary networks, and its lasting, yet underappreciated, impact on art and technology.

In this Le Random Generative Art Timeline Artist Discussion, hosts Peter Bauman (Monk Antony), Conrad House (Nemocake) and thefunnyguys welcome four of this decade's most prominent voices and builders: Lauren Lee McCarthy, Erick Calderon, Itzel Yard and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. The artists explore themes like the rise of AI, NFTs, and the increased institutional interest in digital art, proposing names for the decade such as the "Normalization Era" or "Digital Dramaturgy Era." McCarthy and Lozano-Hemmer discuss the dual nature of technology, highlighting both its empowering and its potentially oppressive aspects, while stressing the importance of community and critical engagement. Erick Calderon and Itzel Yard emphasize the positive communal and creative impacts of digital platforms like Art Blocks and the significance of making art accessible through modern technology. We conclude with reflections on the growing acceptance of digital art by institutions, the importance of preserving digital art, and the powerful role of art in understanding and navigating contemporary life. Chapters: [00:00:05]: Introduction to Final Chapter Release Discussion [00:02:01]: Future Timeline Discussions and Cross-Generational Plans [00:03:39]: Generative Art Timeline's Completion and Future Plans [00:05:21]: Themes of the 2020s in Digital Art [00:07:07]: Introduction of Guest Artists and Their Achievements [00:10:03]: Naming the0s Decade in Digital Art [00:17:34]: Participation’s Role in Digital Art [00:28:20]: Artists’ Perspectives on Technology and Art [00:51:51]: Positive Trends in Digital Art and Museum Engagement [01:01:42]: Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

The Le Random team of ⁠⁠⁠thefunnyguys⁠⁠⁠, Peter Bauman (⁠⁠⁠Monk Antony⁠⁠⁠) and Conrad House (⁠⁠⁠Nemo Cake⁠⁠⁠) spoke to special guest and celebrated collector ⁠⁠⁠Michael Spalter about the dense history of the 1960s in generative art⁠, the Early Digital Era.

This episode corresponds with:

• ⁠⁠⁠Generative Art Timeline: Chapter 4⁠⁠

10 Significant Early Digital Era Moments (Covered in the talk)⁠

1. 1961: New Tendencies and Fluxus Begin

2. 1963: Nake begins making computer art + 1965: Homage a Paul Klee

3. 1965: First computer art exhibits (Computergrafik (Feb), Computer-Generated Pictures, and computer grafik (Nov))

4. 1966: CTG and generative systems

5. 1966: 9 Evenings and E.A.T. Forms

6. 1967: Sol LeWitt “Paragraphs on Conceptual Art” + 1969 Wall Drawings

7. 1967: Charles Csuri’s early work 

8. 1968: Cybernetic Serendipity 

9. 1968-9: Major international art and technology exhibitions: 

1. 1968: The machine as seen… (USA)

2. 1969: Tendencies 4 (Europe)

10. 1968: Molnar’s Interruptions: her first computer art

Peter Bauman (Monk Antony) speaks to the legendary computer artist Dr A Michael Noll about his time at Bell Labs, creating arguably the first digital computer art, North America's first computer art exhibit and much more!

The Le Random team of ⁠⁠thefunnyguys⁠⁠, Peter Bauman (⁠⁠Monk Antony⁠⁠) and Conrad House (⁠⁠Nemo Cake⁠⁠) spoke to special guest and acclaimed expert Georg Bak ⁠about the foundational significance of the 1950s in generative art history: The Analog Era.

This episode corresponds with:

• ⁠⁠Generative Art Timeline: Chapter 3⁠

10 Significant Modern Era Moments (Covered in the talk)⁠

1. 1951: MIT and the US Navy First Demonstrate the Whirlwind Computer ( + 1954: Whirlwind and SAGE Initiatives by US Military Funding Spark Computing Innovations)

2. 1952: Love-Letters by Christopher Strachey + 1959: Theo Lutz produces Stochastic Texts

3. 1952: Abstronic by Mary Ellen Bute + Electronic Abstractions by Ben Laposky

4. 1952: Birth of Neo-Dada + John Cage’s Theater Piece No. 1 + 1957: Allan Kaprow Begins Making ‘Environments’ + 1950: Happenings

5. 1953: Grace Murray Hopper Invents Programming Languages

6. 1954: Victor Vasarely’s Yellow Manifesto Lays Generative Art's Conceptual Foundation

7. 1956: CYSP by Nicolas Schöffer

8. 1957: John Backus Releases FORTRAN

9. 1957: Max Mathews Develops MUSIC I

10. 1958: John Whitney Makes First Computer Animation for Film Vertigo

The Le Random team of ⁠thefunnyguys⁠, Peter Bauman (⁠Monk Antony⁠) and Conrad House (⁠Nemo Cake⁠) spoke to special guest and acclaimed gallerist Kate Vass about a whirlwind ⁠one hundred years of generative art history (1850-1949)⁠,the Modern Era.

This episode corresponds with:

• ⁠Generative Art Timeline: Chapter 2

10 Significant Modern Era Moments (Covered in the talk)⁠

1. The Great Exhibition of London Lights Early Spark of the Arts & Crafts Movement (1851)

2. Modern art Begins: Manet’s Work Rejected by Paris Salon (1863) + Cézanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire Series (1870-1906)

3. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso kicks off Cubism (1907)

4. The Ten Biggest, No 7 by Hilma af Klint (1907)

5. Tatlin and Rodchenko Found Constructivism and Malevich Stages the 0.10 Exhibition with Black Square. (1915)

6. Walter Gropius Founds Bauhaus (1919)

7. Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray Create Rotary Glass Plates (1920)

8. Gunta Stölzl Named Director of Bauhaus Weaving Workshop (1927)

9. Birth of digital computing: Konrad Zuse Completes the Z3 (1941) + ENIAC (1945)

   10. Cybernetics Is Born: Norbert Wiener's Cybernetics + Claude Shannon’s "A Mathematical Theory of Communication.” (1948)

The Le Random team of thefunnyguys, Peter Bauman (Monk Antony) and Conrad House (Nemo Cake) spoke to special guest Marius Watz about the ancient roots of generative art, the Pre-Modern Era.

This episode corresponds with:

• Generative Art Timeline: Chapter 1
• Article: Timeline Chapter 1's Ten Top Moments

10 Significant Pre-Modern Era Moments (Covered in the talk)

1. Blombos Cave Drawing (70,000 BCE)
2. I Ching Introduces Binary Concept (1,000 BCE)
   
3. Euclid’s Elements (300 BCE) 
4. Al-Khwārizmī’s Writes Concerning the Hindu Art of Reckoning (820 CE)
5. Albrecht Dürer Creates Engraving Melencolia I (1515)
6. Gottfried Leibniz Pioneers Computational Thinking (1666)
7. Johann Philip Kirnberger’s Musical Dice game (1757)
8. Joseph-Marie Jacquard Invents the Jacquard Loom (1804)
9. Nicéphore Niépce Produces First Permanent Photograph (1826)
10. Ada Lovelace Becomes First Computer Programmer (1843)
    

Originally Aired June 28, 2023, this episode features Casey Reas, ciphrd, Anne Spalter, Anika Meier and Georg Bak. We celebrate the full-launch of Le Random's website.

This is Le Random's discussion following the release of Chapter 9 of our Generative Art Timeline, which covered the decade of the 2010s. Le Random's Peter Bauman (Monk Antony), editor in chief at Le Random is joined by co-founder thefunnyguys and Content Lead Conrad House. Our guests today are some of the artists and thinkers who lived art history in the 2010s. They are Tyler Hobbs, Helena Sarin, Rhea Myers, and Gene Kogan. Join us as we discuss digital expression in a decade of major trends such as AI's rise and the invention of NFTs.

Algorithmic and digital art founder Frieder Nake joined Peter Bauman (Monk Antony) to continue their chat after the release of "Frieder Nake on 'Machinic' Miracles" at Le Random Editorials.

Chapters:

[00:00:29]: Introduction to Frieder Nake and his contributions to digital art

[00:02:32]: Computers and the concept of quality vs quantity

[00:03:26]: Quantity turning into quality

[00:05:31]: Pattern recognition and discovery of new quality

[00:07:07]: Connection to Max Bense's Generative Aesthetics

[00:09:13]: Intuition versus machine randomness

[00:12:15]: Creativity, emotion and the role of intuition

[00:24:53]: AI and human choices in art

[00:38:23]: Alienation and creativity in artistic expression

In our chat, "Art & Code in the 2000s," from May 14, 2024, a panel of the decade's leading figures joins ⁠Peter Bauman⁠, ⁠Conrad House⁠ and thefunnyguys from Le Random. They share their diverse perspectives on the 2000s in coded and generative art, reflecting on what made the decade unique as well as what we may have lost and are searching for today.

Speakers include: ⁠Christiane Paul, Casey Reas, Christa Sommerer & Golan Levin

In our chat, "Pioneering Digital Expression in the '90s," from April 10, 2024, a panel of legends joins Le Random's ⁠Peter Bauman⁠, ⁠Conrad House and thefunnyguys⁠. They share their diverse perspectives on the 1990s as pioneers of an often overlooked decade. It's only overlooked because of its recency, as the impact the decade had can still be seen all around today, including AI and Internet-related art. The parallels between artists getting started on the Internet in the '90s and artists beginning with blockchain and AI today are stark. Enjoy one of Le Random's most enriching conversations yet.

Speakers include: Auriea Harvey, Joshua Davis, LIA, Scott Draves, Vuk Ćosić

Chapters 📖

[00:00:04]: Introduction to the Le Random discussion

[00:05:05]: Early experiences with net art in the 90s

[00:17:16]: Early programming experiences and Flash art

[00:27:27]: Creation of the Electric Sheep algorithm

[00:31:58]: Evolutionary art and machine learning influence

[00:44:02]: Personal connections and significance of local scenes

[00:49:21]: Impact of global audience on creative freedom

[00:56:56]: Use of Flash and freedom in artistic expression

[00:58:41]: Influence of avant-garde and personal creative journey

[00:59:45]: Reflections on early internet experiences and creativity

[01:01:12]: Introduction to Flash vs. Director

[01:02:42]: Transition to Flash for Design Intention

[01:04:06]: Benefits of Vector-Based Design in Flash

[01:06:38]: Evolution to Processing and Coding

[01:08:55]: Transition from Director to P5JS

[01:09:56]: Learning Different Programming Languages

[01:10:42]: Challenges of Shader Programming

[01:11:13]: Node-Based Programming Tools

[01:12:46]: Impact of Tools and Languages in Work

[01:15:16]: Reflections on the '90s Tech Community

The Le Random team met up to celebrate a year since our public launch.

thefunnyguys, Zack Taylor, Peter Bauman and Conrad House discuss:

-One year of LR: Our favorite collected pieces

• 36 Points by Sage Jensen & seeds of seeds by Entangled Others
• Polygona Nervosa by Golan Levin
• RGB Elementary Cellular Automaton #1 by ciphrd
• Mondrian by Herbert W. Franke

-One year of LR: Our favorite editorial pieces

• Demystifying Generative Aesthetics by Peter
• Demystifying Generative Art by Peter
• AGH on Glorifying the Computer by Peter
• Il(Lumina)ting Marfa by Nathaniel Stern
• Zach Lieberman on the Resonance of Generative Art by Peter

-One year of LR: Our favorite moments

-Our current thoughts on the market

-Questions from the audience

In our chat, "Pioneers of '80s Art & Innovation," from February 7, 2024, a panel of icons joins Peter Bauman and Conrad House. They share their diverse perspectives on the 1980s in digital and generative art, reflecting the decade's richness and complexity.

Speakers include: Mark Wilson, Copper Giloth, Dan Sandin, David Em, William Latham, Stephen Todd, Darcy Gerbarg + Geoff Davis

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00]: Introduction

[00:01:55]: The Decade of the 80s

[00:02:30]: Darcy Gerbarg's Experience

[00:06:36]: Copper Giloth's Pioneering Work

[00:09:04]: Mark Wilson's Journey

[00:14:53]: David Em's Early Encounters

[00:20:50]: William Latham's IBM Fellowship

[00:24:50]: Stephen Todd's Collaboration with William

[01:00:02]: Early experiences with personal computers

[01:01:13]: Transition to personal computers for artists

[01:03:01]: Evolution of personal computers in the 80s

[01:04:22]: Giloth on gender bias in the '80s art world

[01:06:21]: Giloth on computer graphics & the portrayal of women's bodies

[01:08:38]: Expansion of artist community in the '80s

[01:10:19]: Generative art and its evolution

[01:13:47]: Creativity & the Chicago video game industry

[01:17:05]: Influence of Silicon Graphics on commercial graphics

On February 1, 2024, Le Random collaborated with Joyn to host and present a community celebration of Genuary. Genuary is a generative art month, during which artists create daily pieces according to 31 carefully selected prompts.

We invited some very special artists as guests, including the organizer of the event itself, Piter Pasma. We asked the artists about their experience participating in Genuary 2024 and more. The talk is in conjunction with an article Peter Bauman (Monk Antony) wrote on Joyn.xyz, where he curated and shared his thoughts on his 10 favorite Genuary prompts.

Hosts: Aleksandra Art (Joyn), Peter Bauman⁠ (Content at Le Random), thefunnyguys (Co-Founder of Le Random), Conrad House (Nemo Cake, Collecting at Le Random) and Andrea (Crown & Palette at Joyn)

Arists: Piter Pasma, Ella, Darien Brito, Ahmad Moussa

Generative Art in the 1970s and Today

Join hosts Peter Bauman (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monk Antony⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Content at Le Random), Anika Meier (Expanded Art) and Conrad House (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nemo Cake⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Collecting at Le Random), as they welcome generative art legends Joan Truckenbrod and Hans Dehlinger to discuss the 1970s in generative art.

The episode is released to celebrate Chapter 5 of our Generative Art Timeline, covering the decade of the '70s.

In this special Le Random artist discussion—hosted by Peter Bauman (aka Monk Antony), Editor-in-Chief of Le Random—we cover the upcoming Electric Op exhibition at Buffalo AKG. Our guests include four of the most influential voices in digital expression over the past two-three decades: Cory Arcangel, Joan Heemskerk, Tali Hinkis, and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Joining Peter is co-host Conrad House (aka Nemocake), Le Random’s Collection Lead.Each artist reflects on their unique practices and contributions to the Electric Op show, which bridges op art and digital media. We explore how their art interacts with technology’s aesthetic, cultural and historical dimensions.

In this conversation, Peter Bauman (Editor-in-Chief at Le Random) interviews Douglas Dodds, a longtime Senior Digital Curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and a pivotal figure in the institutional collecting of new media art. The discussion covers the challenges of collecting digital art, including sourcing, preserving and showcasing these works in a museum context. Dodds shares particularly valuable insights into the acquisition process, from identifying valuable pieces to navigating relationships with artists and galleries. He also reflects on the unique historical significance of the V&A's collection, which spans early computer-generated works to contemporary digital media, emphasizing the importance of context in building a cohesive and enduring collection. They also discuss the role of donations, the complex value of digital art beyond financial metrics and the delicate relationship between institutions and new digital mediums like NFTs. We get a museum perspective on the concerns of our community. 📖 Chapters [00:00:03]: Introduction to Le Random Digital Curators Series [00:01:35]: Challenges in Collecting Digital Art [00:03:31]: Identifying Worthwhile Artworks and Preservation Issues [00:05:14]: Process of Identifying Digital Art to Collect [00:09:17]: V&A's Goals and Unique Collection Aspects [00:14:54]: Sourcing Digital Artworks and Building Relationships [00:20:55]: Donations vs. Purchases in Acquisitions [00:26:03]: Value of Digital Art for Museums [00:34:00]: Final Steps in the Acquisition Process [00:42:28]: Impact of Patric Prince on Digital Art Collection

In this conversation, Peter Bauman (Editor-in-Chief at Le Random) interviews Regina Harsanyi and Jon Ippolito, two digital curators and experts in digital art's preservation.

Harsanyi is the Associate Curator of Media Arts at the Museum of the Moving Image and an independent advisor on preventive conservation for variable media arts.

Ippolito is a new media artist, writer and former curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. He is also a professor of new media at the University of Maine, where he founded the Graduate Digital Curation Program.

The conversation covers the complexities of digital art preservation, especially concerning blockchain and AI-based works.

Links:

https://transfergallery.com/data-trust/

https://dweb.grayarea.org

https://DigitalCuration.UMaine.edu

Chapters

[00:00:04] Introduction to Digital Preservation [00:01:50] The Financial Reality of Digital Preservation [00:05:25] Industry-wide Challenges in Preservation [00:10:52] Variable Media: Why Preservation Matters [00:14:22] Legacy, Ethics, and Artistic Intent in Preservation [00:27:12] The Role of Museums and Institutional Standards [00:38:30] Blockchain Robustness as Storage Mechanism [00:43:15] Copyright Challenges in Blockchain-based Art [00:54:30] Strategies for Digital Preservation [01:04:02] Digital Conservation's Component Parts [01:13:40] Educational Resources for Collectors and Artists

In this special Le Random artist conversation—hosted by Peter Bauman (aka Monk Antony), Editor-in-Chief of Le Random—we turn our attention to one of the most exciting shows of the year, Tate Modern's Electric Dreams. Peter is joined by three extraordinary exhibiting artists that exemplify the aims of the show: Rebecca Allen, Analívia Cordeiro & Eduardo Kac. Conrad House, Le Random's Collection Lead, co-hosts the talk.

"One of Tate Modern’s most ambitious exhibitions to date," Electric Dreams is a major historical exhibition on the roots of new media expression celebrating "the early innovators of optical, kinetic, programmed and digital art."

The artists reflect on their pioneering contributions to the major show, while sharing firsthand their experiences with the historical challenges and overdue recognition of digital art.

Read from the show's curator, Val Ravaglia, with Peter.

In this conversation, the Le Random team reflects on a whirlwind 2024 in digital art and looks ahead to 2025. Host Peter Bauman (Editor-in-Chief at Le Random) is joined by thefunnyguys (CEO) and Conrad House (Collection Lead).

Chapters 📖

Chapter 1: Introduction

[00:00:05] - Host Peter Bauman introduces the podcast, the guests, and the agenda: reflecting on 2024 and discussing the outlook for 2025.

Chapter 2: Themes of 2024

[00:01:26] - Discussion on the major themes of 2024, focusing on digital art platforms like fxhash, Foundation, Art Blocks, and their pivots or expansions.

- The Artist Token Economy

[00:02:43] - Exploration of the fxhash artist token economy and its implications for artists and collectors.

- Platform Developments

[00:03:30] - Conrad House talks about Rodeo's onboarding process and how platforms are adapting to market conditions.

- Market Conditions vs. Institutional Acceptance

[00:06:29] - Peter Bauman discusses the dual themes of market struggles and institutional acceptance of digital art in 2024.

- Institutional Recognition of Digital Art

[00:09:45] - Thefunnyguys and Conrad House reflect on the institutional acclaim for digital art and its impact on the market.

- Maturing Market and Collectors

[00:11:06] - Discussion on the maturing digital art market and the growing sophistication of collectors.

Chapter 2: Exhibitions of the Year

[00:14:30] - We share our favorite exhibitions of 2024, including Electric Dreams and Electric Op.

Chapter 3: Projects of the Year

[00:22:55] - We discuss our favorite projects from 2024, such as The Call by Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst.

Chapter 4: Le Random acquisitions of the year

[00:35:55] - Discussion on favorite team acquisitions and commissions of 2024, highlighting Deep ASCII, Florada, and others.

Chapter 5: Artist of the Year

[00:45:45] - We nominate our artists of the year, including Holly Herndon, Mat Dryhurst, and Rafaël Rozendaal.

Chapter 6: Events of 2024

[00:54:04] - Reflection on the major events of 2024, such as the Generative Art Summit in Berlin and Bright Moments Venice.

Chapter 7: Accomplishments of 2024

[00:59:11] - We highlight personal and team accomplishments from 2024, focusing on commissions and content.

Chapter 8: Looking Ahead to 2025

[01:04:29] - We discuss the events and projects we're looking forward to in 2025, including NFT Paris and new exhibitions.

Chapter 9: Market and Regulatory Outlook for 2025

[01:10:24] - Discussion on the potential impact of political and regulatory changes on the crypto and digital art markets in 2025.

Chapter 10: Goals and Aspirations for 2025

[01:20:59] - We share our goals for 2025, including exploring new technologies, activations, and preservation efforts.

Chapter 11: Closing Thoughts

[01:28:28] - Final reflections on 2024 and excitement for the opportunities and challenges that 2025 may bring.

In this episode of the Le Random podcast, host Peter Bauman (Monk Antony), our editor-in-chief, coordinates a discussion on coordination. He is joined by very special guests Mitchell F Chan, Operator's Ania Catherine and Dejha Ti, matto from Material Protocol Arts and maltefr.The conversation explores both the contrasts and connections between these seemingly opposing emerging camps, reaching at the very heart of why artists choose to work on Ethereum—straight from the protocol's leading thinkers and practitioners.

In Part 3 of our Digital Curators Series, host Peter Bauman (Editor-in-Chief at Le Random) interviews Tate Modern's Val Ravaglia, a display specialist and the curator of Electric Dreams, Tate's major historical digital art exhibition which runs until June 1, 2025.

Ravaglia is Curator, Displays & International Art at Tate Modern. Her curatorial work has focused on display for over twelve years. In addition to curating Le Random's exhibition of the year, Electric Dreams, Ravaglia assisted on Tate’s complete collection rehang in 2016.

The conversation covers the complexities of digital art display from a major museum perspective.

Links:

Chapters 📖:

[1:46] Audience Reactions to Electric Dreams

[6:15] The Role of Display at Tate Modern

[17:00] Challenges of Collection Displays

[21:20] Displaying Digital Art: Unique Considerations

[31:38] The Complexities of Displaying Electric Dreams

[42:02] Best Practices for Exhibiting Digital Art

[46:00] Advice for Artists and Exhibitors

[50:35] Final Thoughts and Upcoming Events

In this conversation, the Le Random team reflects on a noteworthy start to 2025 in digital art. Host Peter Bauman (Editor-in-Chief at Le Random) is joined by thefunnyguys (CEO) and Conrad House (Collection Lead).

📖 Chapters

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:01:29 – AI Ethics & Artist Consent Debates

00:04:31 – Legal Uncertainty & Fair Use

00:06:55 – How Artists Are Using AI Tools

00:08:14 – Redistributing Value Through New Models

00:11:02 – Silicon Valley vs. Academic Roots of AI

00:14:11 – The Power Imbalance in AI Development

00:17:36 – Why AI Agents Fell Short This Quarter

00:21:45 – Functional AI Agents & DAO Experiments

00:27:17 – Rethinking NFTs in Digital Art

00:33:11 – Institutional Misalignment: Case of Sam Spratt

00:40:50 – Manolo’s Return to Generative Art

00:46:51 – Protocol Art & January’s Highlights

00:51:08 – Q1 Standout Exhibitions

00:55:57 – Favorite Projects, Acquisitions & Looking Ahead

This is Part I of our Deep Learning Series where Le Random's editor-in-chief Peter Bauman (Monk Antony) speaks with the most relevant figures in deep learning art. In this first installment, Peter speaks with two of the earliest artists to engage with the intersection of art and deep generative models, Tom White (dribnet) and Gene Kogan.

They explore the artistic, philosophical and cultural implications of GANs and deep generative models, drawing on the artists' early experiences and perspectives in the field . The conversation touches on the origins of their interest in GANs, the evolution of AI and its perception, critiques of AI art, the nature of machine representations, and the connection between AI and decentralization.

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:00]: Introduction and Guest Overview[00:01:50]: First Encounters with GANs and Initial Excitement[00:04:04]: Gene's Journey with Machine Learning and Art[00:08:55]: The Rise of AI Twitter and Deep Learning Culture[00:12:04]: The Mission to Make AI Tools Accessible[00:17:56]: Changing Philosophies of Computation[00:21:54]: Critiques of AI in the Art World[00:27:42]: Tom's Algorithmic Gaze, Machine Perception & The Platonic Representation Hypothesis[00:34:00]: Art by AI for AI—Tom's Machine Representation & Phil's Hypothesis[00:37:49]: Decentralized AI and its Evolution[00:40:33]: Tom's Early Work at MIT and Interactive Graphics[00:43:13]: Final Thoughts

In this conversation, the Le Random team reflects on 2025's noteworthy second quarter in digital art. Host Peter Bauman (editor in chief at Le Random) is joined by thefunnyguys (CEO) and Conrad House (Collection Lead).

📖 Chapters[00:00]: Introduction and Podcast Overview[01:38]: Discussion on Digital Art Institutions[06:18]: New York as a Hub for Digital Art[10:50]: Le Random's Second Quarter Events (4)[27:17]: Favorites of the year: Exhibitions[32:58]: Notable Artworks and Projects[42:59]: Standout Acquisitions[48:00]: Favorite Editorials[51:42]: What we're looking forward to, especially Infinite Images at Toledo Museum of Art

In this Le Random podcast, special Exhibition Discussion edition, our editor in chief Peter Bauman (Monk Antony) speaks to three exhibiting artists of Infinite Images at the Toledo Museum of Art.

Those artists are Erick Calderon (Snowfro), founder of Art Blocks, Sofia Crespo from Entangled Others and Tyler Hobbs.

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:01:22] Exhibition Insights

[00:02:26] Artists' Perspectives on Practice and Generativity's Breadth

[00:07:45] Historical Influences

[00:10:41] Communicating with New Audiences

[00:14:13] Collaborative Dynamics and Artistic Processes

00:17:08] Figuration vs. Abstraction

[00:19:38] Generative Systems and AI Art

00:27:04] Hows Software and Art Are Evolving

[00:34:44] Institutional Interest and Market Realities

[00:38:25] Navigating Funding Cuts in US

[00:40:28] Engaging New Audiences

In this Le Random third quarter round-up, Editor-in-Chief Peter Bauman sits down with thefunnyguys (Le Random co-founder & CEO) and Conrad House (collection lead) to reflect on the biggest shifts in digital art this past quarter.

They discuss how Toledo Museum of Art’s Infinite Images exhibition signaled a new era of institutional support for digital art and how MoMA’s debut of Sasha Stiles’s A Living Poem brought art and emerging technologies into a major museum lobby. They debate the fallout from Christie’s restructuring its digital art department, share insights on the launch of Raster, thefunnyguys' new artist-profile aggregator and marketplace, and dive deep into the rise of the Solana Avant scene on VVV — from Parker Ito’s and Biscuit’s schizocollage aesthetic to the generational shift it represents.

Plus market sentiment, favorites of the quarter and much, much more.

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:00]: Introduction and agenda for Q3 2025 recap

[00:01:38]: Toledo Museum’s digital turn and Infinite Images

[00:04:15]: Sasha Stiles: A Living Poem at MoMA

[00:08:56]: Christie’s digital restructuring debate

[00:15:48]: The team on Raster

[00:23:02]: Solana avant scene spotlight

[00:40:31]: Market sentiment: Number-go-up but complicated

[00:54:18]: Le Random Q3 focus and strategy

[00:54:35]: Commission-led collecting: Juan RG and Copper Giloth

[00:56:19]: Raster and Le Random

[00:59:52]: Editorial themes and 100th article milestone

[01:01:28]: Favorites of the third quarter

[01:01:59]: Favorite group shows and releases

[01:05:42]: Favorite solo releases and shows

[01:11:12]: Favorite artists

[01:12:44]: Favorite acquisitions: Juan RG commission

[01:16:08]: Favorite editorials: Jasia's 100th, DEAFBEEF, Minne Atairu interview

[01:19:50]: Looking ahead: FEMGEN 4 and guides

[01:22:58]: Closing thoughts and thanks

In this episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) talks with Parker Ito about the multidisciplinary artist's path from late net art/post-Internet and “zombie formalism” to Solana’s artist-led avant scene. They dig into painterly, memetic, trait-rich collections, subtle “post-AI” tooling, ETH vs. Solana cultures, blind mints and scale. Plus why this moment rekindles faith in a new avant-garde.

Monday's editorial: https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/claudia-hart-on-land-of-the-dead

Friday's bonus editorial: www.lerandom.art/editorial/parker-ito-and-evil-biscuit-on-possessed-spirits

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:03]: Intro: Le Random, guests, Halloween release, Solana avant scene

[00:02:02]: Silicon Valley art scene challenges and Node?

[00:06:38]: Why Parker's internet-native work fits differently

[00:09:31]: Solana avant versus backward-looking traditions

[00:12:23]: ETH generative trends versus Solana’s post-AI approach

[00:24:50]: Market worries, Forbes attention, audience alignment

[00:30:54]: Iterations, generativity, and NFTs as raw expression

[00:39:22]: Continuous work rooted in personal viewpoint

[00:48:25]: Internet ideals, cynicism, and ambiguity

[00:50:03]: Drilady’s crassness and personal significance

[00:56:10]: ETH influx, schisms, and scene infighting

[00:59:52]: Drilady’s place; Cheeto exhibition primacy

[01:01:54]: Onboarding artists; misconceptions about NFTs

[01:03:12]: Who knows the scene? Thanks and farewell

After releasing our London Digital Art Guide, a curated guide to London's digital art and culture, our editor in chief Peter Bauman is joined by the wonderful contributors who made the piece possible: Hannah Redler-Hawes, ‍Robert Alice, ‍Clara Che Wei Peh & ‍Abigail Miller.

The panel unpacks London’s vibrant, intimate and collaborative digital art scene, from hidden gems and neighborhood walks to institutions, curators, and the city’s evolving role in global digital culture.

See the London Digital Art Guide: https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/london-digital-art-guide

See the Art Walk Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1HpxjgPXiYhjJNhkX9wUYxIzFX8ysmM4&usp=sharing

It highlights the must-see galleries, neighborhoods and artists that shape the city’s renowned scene.

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:04]: Welcome and panel introductions

[00:01:54]: Guide aims and Hannah Redler-Hawes's introduction

[00:07:16]: Clara Che Wei Peh's Trip Planning section

[00:14:20]: Robert Alice on Galleries, museums, and digital displays

[00:21:07]: Abigail Miller on London artists across generations and schools

[00:24:21]: Visitor itineraries for digital art lovers

[00:28:18]: Unexpected spot: Science Museum games

[00:30:31]: Art Date idea: Night ride under Leo Villoreal-lit bridges

[00:32:20]: Institutions and on blockchain art

[00:34:12]: Structural hurdles: conservation and mindset

[00:37:09]: Curatorial realities and institutional capacity

[00:41:43]: Closing thoughts and thanks

In this episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) and Conrad House (Le Random's Collection Lead) sit down with artist/curator Jared Madere (Yeche Lange, VVV) to trace his early Whitney break and the rise of the Solana avant scene. They unpack on-chain transparency, Drifella’s meme-native collage, and how new online collectors are shifting power and reimagining culture in real time.

Chapters 📖

[00:00:03]: Introduction

[00:01:46]: On failure, transparency, and NFTs vs trad

[00:03:47]: Early career, DIY spaces, Bed Stuy Love Affair

[00:10:13]: Smithson’s influence and Glue Pour revelation

[00:14:10]: Building immersive digital galleries beyond white cubes

[00:17:24]: Post-COVID decentralization and culture sophistication

[00:19:04]: Collage, hyper-politicized media, and online literacy

[00:22:50]: Censorship, messaging, and bridging two worlds

[00:29:35]: Daria controversy, hate speech, and context

[00:34:52]: Gallery sterility vs messy online culture

[00:35:58]: Why Yeche shows Biscuit and Drifella

[00:37:36]: Nonfigurative shifts and VVV’s influence

[00:40:43]: NFTs as portraiture and PFP structures

[00:42:15]: Solana’s degenerate perversion vs ETH minimalism

[00:44:15]: Communicating significance of Drifella

[00:46:34]: Wretched Worm videos and hyper-online lives

[00:49:11]: Fragmented politics and culture controllers

[00:52:22]: Galleries closing, collectors shrinking, reshuffling

[00:56:16]: Explaining avant appeal beyond irony

[00:59:45]: Hashlips misuse and Drifella’s structural genius[01:05:30]: Galleries’ structural challenges and Yeche’s model

[01:11:25]: Ambassadors, press, and new audiences

[01:12:50]: Future collectors

[01:13:38]: Building cool enough to attract attention

[01:15:26]: Procedural art parallels in Drifella

[01:16:08]: Yeche origins with 1/1s[01:22:29]: Miles Peyton collaboration and bespoke builds

[01:24:15]: VVV’s purpose

[01:26:30]: Yeche’s curation vs VVV’s permissionless culture (how they support one another)

[01:28:46]: Crypto spending inversions and cultural demand

[01:31:41]: Conflict, digital natives, and online-born culture

[01:32:43]: Silicon Valley palates and palatable crypto art

[01:42:32]: New political lenses and classed perspectives

[01:44:20]: Art reflecting seismic cultural-technological shifts

[01:45:06]: Thanks and closing remarks

In this end-of-year episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random’s Editor-in-Chief) is joined by thefunnyguys (Le Random CEO) and Collection Lead Conrad House to look back on 2025: its biggest storylines, their favorites of the year and what they’re watching in 2026.

They unpack a defining tension of the year: as crypto-native attention and prices stayed weak, institutional and traditional-art adoption of digital art kept accelerating. The conversation moves through platform and ecosystem shifts (VVV’s rise, Verse as gallery infrastructure, Art Blocks nearing the end of AB 500, Fxhash’s next chapter). Next is a discussion of “worlds”—protocol stacks getting richer, more modular, and increasingly entangled with AI, physical spaces and simulation.

They close with Le Random highlights (including Raster and a more nimble publishing rhythm), personal favorites of the year, and a forward look at Node Foundation in Palo Alto, Canyon in New York, Colección Solo in Madrid, and Zero 10’s next iteration in Hong Kong.

Mentioned:

1. "Ian Goodfellow on Inventing GANs"
2. "THE PEOPLE ARE IN THE COMPUTER—PART I" on Alec Radford (most popular piece of 2025)
3. "The Ultraintelligent Machine and Gaberbocchus Common Room" by Jasia Reichardt and Our 100th article
4. "Drifella III: Room for Complexity" - 4,000+ word deep dive on Evil Biscuit's classic
5. "Parker Ito and Evil Biscuit on Possessed Spirits"
6. "Standout Artwork of 2025"

Chapters 📖:

00:00 Intro + agenda

01:29 Big takeaway: digital art’s institutionalization

04:23 NFTs fade in crypto, rise in trad art (two camps)

07:12 Capitulation vs institutional growth (NFT categories)

09:53 Macro check: S&P vs ETH/BTC/XTZ

13:30 What brings collectors back? (liquidity + catalysts)

23:08 Fairs & infra: Art Basel, minting tech, new spaces

26:00 Platforms reposition: Art Blocks + fxhash

30:08 “Worlds” as the frame (protocol stacks + world models)

42:07 AI art maturity: from hype to diffusion

44:23 Le Random focus: Raster + collecting strategy

49:30 Q4 editorial shift: Friday pods + agility

50:45 Favorites of 2025: kickoff

50:56 Favorite group shows

58:56 Favorite releases: Claude/Gemini/Marble → vibe coding

1:07:54 Favorite solo works

1:17:46 Favorite artist picks

1:27:23 Looking ahead to 2026

1:38:11 Outro

In this special episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with Paul Seidler and Paul Kolling from art collective terra0 about their project Autonomous Forest (2025)⁠. They cover the nearly decade-long journey from ⁠white paper (2016)⁠ as university students to the project's NFT launch in December 2025.

The collective shares how the original idea in the white paper mutated with projects like Flowertokens, Premna Deamon and now Autonomous Forest.

They also cover why working through German law and smart contracts creates better frameworks than pure speculation, how the project evolved from startup pitches to nonprofit governance, and what it means to build living systems that exist outside economic (and human) exploitation.

Monday's Le Random Editorial on "Standout Artwork of 2025"

Thursday's Le Random Editorial: "Zero 10 Part 1: Beeple Casts a Spell" by Kevin Buist

Chapters: 📖

00:00:00 Intro: terra0 + “Autonomous Forest” (what it is)

00:10:01 The long arc: Flower Tokens, Premna Daemon, and the road to Autonomous Forest

00:17:02 The pivot: from “forest as economic agent” to removing ecosystems from the market

00:22:00 Why blockchain matters: voting, trust, governance, and accountability

00:26:03 Repeatability + policy experiment vibes — and where AI fits (and doesn’t)

00:29:01 Legal fictions: “corporations as slow AIs” and the problem of intention

00:32:04 Personhood for nature: who can speak for rivers/forests/nonhuman interests?

00:38:04 Protocol art roots: relational aesthetics, software art, and law as medium

00:41:01 World-building + generative art lineage (instructions → systems → protocols)

00:49:00 Guattari’s “Three Ecologies,” land art links, and closing reflections

In this episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random’s editor in chief) speaks with transdisciplinary artist Stephanie Dinkins about AI as a container for preserving oral history, tradition, and the kinds of community knowledge that rarely make it onto the internet.

Dinkins shares how a chance encounter with Bina48 in 2014 reshaped her practice. They discuss how this connects to her push for small, community-driven data that protects nuance and self-definition, especially for Black and Brown communities, against the homogenizing pull of large corporate models.

They also cover Not the Only One as a “living archive” of family memory, the politics of access, privacy, and consent, and why Dinkins treats imagination (and hyperstition) as a practical method for building the AI futures we actually want.

Monday's editorial (Beeple on Robot Dogs as Canvas): https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/beeple-on-robot-dogs-as-canvas

Chapters 📖:
[00:00:03]: Intro: Le Random podcast, Beeple, Stephanie Dinkins

[00:03:40]: Play, exploration, and academic freedom

[00:07:02]: Meeting Bina48 changes everything

[00:12:31]: Small data versus homogenizing big data

[00:18:35]: Worldbuilding, autonomy, and Not The Only One

[00:24:57]: Using AI to preserve family ethos

[00:31:53]: Prompting against algorithmic whitening

[00:39:05]: Beyond fear: engagement and agency

[00:45:42]: Students’ use, negotiation, and deep work

[00:50:27]: Surfing change and lifelong learning

In this very special episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with artist Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) about a busy year of institutional shows, studio experiments, and what it means for digital art to edge closer to the canon.

The artist traces how works like Human One, Diffuse Control, and Transient Bloom at institutions like LACMA, The Shed, Mori Art Museum and Toledo Museum of Art have shifted his sense of digital art’s inevitability. They also discuss why he thinks IRL encounters with screens, robots and installations are “higher fidelity” than years of online discourse. They then cover how his Charleston studio has become a public lab by hosting CryptoPunks nights, video game tournaments, and a Synthetic Theater event.

The second part of the conversation mostly covers REGULAR ANIMALS, Beeple's robotic, AI-mediated dog pack for Art Basel’s new Zero 10 digital section. They look at the work as a prototype for long-form generative systems that sense and interpret the world in real time, plus much more!

A written version of the conversation now available on our Editorials: https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/beeple-on-robot-dogs-as-canvas

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:04]: Introduction and context

[00:01:47]: Year in review and institutional milestones

[00:03:11]: Embracing digital art as its own medium

[00:06:19]: Studio as public outreach platform

[00:10:05]: IRL experiences versus online discourse

[00:11:28]: Market vibes versus institutional progress

[00:15:37]: Conceiving the Art Basel presentation

[00:19:58]: Rethinking generative art with new systems

[00:23:16]: Running the studio like a gallery

[00:27:37]: Robots as living, intelligent sculptures

[00:31:29]: Are technologists artists and curators?

[00:33:50]: Why we are not prepared for the future

[00:39:30]: Nuance of AI within artworks

[00:41:30]: Human intention amid AI-assisted processes

[00:45:02]: Closing thanks and sign-off

In this episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with pioneering artist duo Anna Ridler and Sofia Crespo about their long-running collaboration bringing machine learning into dialogue with natural history.

They trace their early encounters with deep learning—from memes, browser histories, and speech-to-text to data visualization, encyclopedias, and NeurIPS Creativity Workshops—and how both arrived at AI through questions of classification and what it means to “understand” the world.

They also discuss fusing natural history and machine learning across their five collaborative projects (including Anna Atkins–inspired cyanotypes, Argentine “artificial memories” and the rain-marked Clematis tiles), working only with their own datasets in the middle of AI copyright debates, rethinking collage and photography in an era of generative models, and what might come next after winning Arab Bank Switzerland’s Artist of the Year prize.

Monday's Editorial:

Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst on Artificial Psychedelia: https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/holly-herndon-mat-dryhurst-on-artificial-psychedelia

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:03]: Introduction and episode overview

[00:02:23]: Anna’s path to deep learning

[00:03:32]: Sofia’s early AI explorations

[00:07:36]: Natural history and machine learning parallels

[00:10:30]: Posthuman ideas emerging in practice

[00:12:34]: NeurIPS Creativity Workshop beginnings

[00:13:34]: Artist versus technologist mindset

[00:15:44]: Sofia’s nontraditional art journey

[00:21:01]: Speaking to researchers during COVID

[00:22:05]: Meeting and first encounters

[00:26:11]: First Collaboration: Various and Casual Occursions

[00:34:52]: Second project: 83 Seeds from a Vanishing Mountain

[00:38:06]: Third project: Snapshots: Orchids

[00:42:46]: Fourth project: Long Short Term Memories

[00:47:15]: Fifth project: 3.31424e+126 : clematis armandii

[00:52:05]: Looking ahead together

[00:53:41]: Closing thanks and goodbyes

In this episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with one of the most impactful forces in contemporary art, gallerist and curator Dr. Mimi Nguyen.

They discuss Nguyen's path from statistics and design engineering into art and NFTs, opening galleries in London and New York, and a whirlwind year across Paris Photo, Art Basel Miami Beach’s new Zero 10 digital section, and the global fair circuit.

They also cover the gap between crypto prices and on-the-ground energy, liquidity and taste, museums as signals, the technical realities of showing digital art, and what sustainable, future-ready gallery models might look like.

Monday's Editorial with Karl Sims & Alexander Mordvintsev: https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/karl-sims-alexander-mordvintsev-on-merging-technology-and-biology

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:03]: Introduction and episode context

[00:01:40]: Mimi’s background and career pivot question

[00:06:11]: Sentiment versus reality in digital art

[00:10:19]: Bridging to traditional art; audience and taste[

00:10:35]: Sustainability of the current ecosystem

[00:14:03]: Economic realities and institutions’ signaling role

[00:15:11]: Big year recap and name pronunciation

[00:16:50]: Lessons from a busy year; longer shows

[00:21:30]: Plans and selectivity for next year

[00:21:52]: Role of the gallery and collector relationships

[00:23:00]: Technical realities of presenting digital art

[00:27:30]: Adapting to new tech and outreach lessons

[00:30:30]: Curating and choosing artists to represent

[00:32:55]: Digital energy versus traditional market downturn

[00:33:57]: Rethinking gallery models and cost structures

[00:37:14]: Closing thanks and farewell

In this long-anticipated episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with one of the most exciting duos in contemporary digital culture, Ann Hirsch and Maya Man. They cover their collaborative projects, Ugly Bitches and Little Darlings, which explore online gender performativity.

We discuss the works in relation to the so-called "vibe shift" of the 2020s. The artists also discuss how their work, often using GANs and other AI technologies, counteracts the "girl boss" rhetoric of early 2020s NFT projects by presenting a more flawed, nuanced, and sincere depiction of both femininity and masculinity.

They detail how UB uses intentionally distorted AI dolls to comment on female failure, while LD employs shinier AI imagery to critique the "hustle grind gain success" male influencer culture. Finally, the conversation touches upon their admiration for, and points of departure from, the "Gay NFT" or Avant Schizocollage scene, with the artists expressing an interest in "ironic sincerity" in their work.

Monday's Editorial with Jess Tucker: https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/jess-tucker-on-longing-for-a-face

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:03]: Intro and episode overview

[00:01:48]: How Ann and Maya met

[00:01:57]: Ugly Bitches spark and concept

[00:02:43]: Overlapping interests and prior work

[00:04:37]: Critique of women-centric NFT projects

[00:06:08]: Realism over idealization[00:06:56]: Vibe shift and gender extremes online

[00:18:03]: Problem with “all women are beautiful”[00:19:32]: Training GANs and diffusion for concepts

[00:25:12]: On the Solana “gay NFT” scene[00:30:37]: Code versus curation; hashlips pipelines

[00:31:35]: Software choices: canvas, DOM, possibilities[00:33:24]: Sincerity versus irony in online scenes

[00:34:34]: Heart: earnest, feminine internet culture

[00:37:27]: Annie and ironic sincerity[00:41:17]: Parallels, coming-of-age, and what’s next

[00:42:49]: Expanding the Ugly Bitches universe

[00:43:36]: Maya’s StarQuest: dance, AI, autobiography

[00:47:06]: Hints at darker future work

[00:47:12]: Closing thanks and future reunion[00:48:25]: Final goodbye

In this extra special episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with prominent AI researcher Ian Goodfellow about the legendary origins of GANs, their unexpected success and indelible impact on both twenty-first-century image making and AI research.

This episode contains Peter and Ian's full conversation and serves as a companion to Monday's written interview, which covered the first half of the discussion only.

Monday's editorial: https://www.lerandom.art/editorial/ian-goodfellow-on-inventing-gans

Chapters 📖:

[00:00:03]: Introduction and cultural impact of GANs

[00:03:30]: Ian explains GANs and game theory

[00:06:12]: The Montreal origin story begins

[00:10:51]: The first GAN and MNIST success

[00:19:36]: Early reception and longevity surprises

[00:21:22]: LAPGAN and DCGAN mark takeoff

[00:23:54]: Is generative modeling deep learning’s culmination?

[00:26:11]: Can GANs be creative or just mimic?

[00:29:30]: GANs as tools; human creativity’s role

[00:37:14]: On autonomous AI artists and personhood

[00:41:50]: GANs’ role in text-to-image’s emergence

[00:42:20]: Story from probabilistic graphs to media generation

[00:51:30]: Key GAN advances: LAPGAN to StyleGAN and beyond

[00:57:52]: Are engineers artists?

[01:02:26]: Expected uses, misuse risks, and simulations

[01:06:50]: Scale’s legacy, spending, and scaling laws

[01:11:31]: AGI timelines and being wrong both ways

[01:19:14]: Platonic representations across modalities

[01:23:49]: Closing thanks and farewells

In this special episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with Kayvon Tehranian (CEO and co-founder of Foundation and Rodeo) and Sebastian Sanchez (formerly Christie's Manager of Digital Art Sales, now independent advisor and curator) about the structural challenges of the digital art market following the 2021 NFT boom.

They discuss Foundation's recent sale to Blackdove and how Christie's, Sotheby's, and Rodeo have had to dissolve departments or shut down entirely because growth models built on crypto speculation proved unsustainable. The conversation explores where growth actually stalled and why none of the business models worked. Tehranian and Sanchez discuss what their organizations achieved, what can endure, and the need to rebuild from scratch.

In the end, this conversation moves into the lofty topics of digital art becoming independent of volatile crypto cycles, moving into physical displays, and developing self-sufficient institutions built through slow, intentional work by committed participants.

Chapters 📖

00:01:40 - Are These Isolated Incidents or Symptoms?

00:09:52 - The Business Model Problem

00:14:13 - Crypto Speculation vs. Art Collecting

00:19:13 - Why Are Auction Houses Pulling Away?

00:25:45 - The Role of Institutions

00:30:56 - Anti-Establishment Energy and What Endures

00:36:00 - The Physical Display Problem

00:38:40 - What Will Endure: Rooted Practices

00:43:55 - How Close Was It to Being Sustainable?

00:48:02 - Leaner Models and the Future

In this special podcast episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random’s editor in chief) speaks with artist and filmmaker Lawrence Lek about NOX Pavilion at The Bass Museum of Art in Miami, an immersive installation centered on a self-driving car in a “therapy” program for malfunctioning AIs.

They unpack Lek’s long-running NOX universe: a speculative rehab center where care can slide into control, and where machine interiority is treated as a technical defect. The conversation moves from the politics of nonhuman rights and legal gray zones (“it depends”) to Lek’s recurring fascination with autonomous creative agency and what it would mean for an AI to make art as a choice that conflicts with its intended function.

In the second half, Lek and Bauman widen the lens to world-building: why a world isn’t one thing but multiple entry points, how ideas like Umwelt and worldview shape what any intelligence can perceive, and why Lek increasingly thinks of his simulations as “superficial models”—interfaces to reality rather than claims to foundational truth.

Monday’s Le Random Editorial: "Embodying AI at NeurIPS 2025: Creative AI Track" by Luba Elliott

and "Ian Cheng on Composing with Systems" by Peter Bauman

Chapters: 📖

00:00:03 — Intro + Monday editorial highlights (NeurIPS / Luba Elliott)

07:06:06 — From ecology to AI: nonhuman agency, rights, and “mature” discourse

13:39:01 — Repairing AI interiority: Enigma’s “Revery” and malfunction-as-psychology

19:58:05 — Legal personhood + Empty Rider: blame, responsibility, and the “it depends” machine

27:35:09 — The crash test dummy: guide character, onboarding, and corporate voice

32:11:06 — The empathy transition: why people resist empathizing with machines (for now)

38:25:00 — Narratives vs “living code”: simulation stories and instantiated lifeforms

44:21:06 — What counts as a world? Umwelt, worldview, and multiple entry points

53:23:08 — Where immersive worlds may head: metaverse hangover, AI’s role, and formats shifting

01:00:50 — Outro + goodbye

In this podcast episode, host Peter Bauman (Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with artist and writer James Bridle about what we actually mean when we say "intelligence." They discuss whether building our most powerful technologies around such a narrow version of it is a fundamental mistake.

They also unpack author Bridle's argument from Ways of Being that intelligence has always been a political construct, and that contemporary AI represents a reduction of a reduction. The conversation moves through the three effects Bridle sees AI concretely producing right now: consolidation of power, environmental destruction, and a spreading ontological crisis.

They end by widening to consciousness, ecological thinking, and what a genuinely non-human intelligence might actually require.

It is one of the more skeptical conversations Le Random has hosted on AI, and one of the most clarifying. Enjoy!

Monday's Editorial: Keiken on the Worldbuilding Lens

Chapters 📖:

00:00:04 — Introduction: What Is Intelligence?

00:02:01 — The Human Bias in How We Define Intelligence

00:08:03 — Boosterism vs. Doomerism: Bridle's Dual Critique

00:15:10 — Can Agentic AI Produce Ecological Intelligence?

00:20:07 — Citizens' Assemblies and the Power of Diversity

00:24:37 — Symbionts: A Third Way to Engage with AI?

00:29:55 — AI Coding, Relationships, and What Actually Changes Us

00:36:16— Three Real Effects of AI: Power, Environment, Uncertainty

00:41:00 — Art, Ethics, and the Glitch Residency

00:45:10 — Consciousness Beyond Language: Mountains, Machines, and Standing Waves