Stephanie Potter Corwin

  1. Murmurations
  2. Simulacra
  3. Future / Potential
  4. autocomplete.us
  5. Weather Patterns
  6. Circadian Echoes
  7. Year X (Emoji)
  8. Mode Metonym
  9. In[Between]Images
  10. 39 Steps Until Disappearance
  11. Turn Around
  12. &otherData
  13. One Week of Emails in July


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©2024

P.02
Simulacra (California)
2024



Lycaena hermes (“Hermes copper butterfly”); San Diego County, California; < 20 colonies (2014)
Desmocerus californicus dimorphus (“Valley elderberry longhorn beetle”); Sacramento Valley, California; Population unknown (2024)
Cyprinodon nevadensis calidae (“Tecopa pupfish”); Mojave Desert, Inyo County; California 0 (1979)
Pelecanus occidentalis californicus (“California brown pelican”) California, Mexico; ≈ 140,000 (2018)
Agelaius tricolor (“Tricolored blackbird”); Coastal California; ≈ 145,000 (2014)
Pacifastacus fortis (“Shasta crayfish”); Shasta County, California; < 300 (2013)
Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia (“San Francisco gartersnake”); San Mateo County, California; < 2,000
Apodemia mormo langei (“Lange’s metalmark butterfly”); Antioch Dunes, California; < 50 (2022)
Icaricia icarioides missionensis (“Mission blue butterfly”); San Francisco Bay Area, California; < 25,000 (2024)

Simulacra (California) explores hypothetical memories of the future.

As AI-generated content increasingly fills the internet, it contaminates 'real' content, much like how our natural environment becomes polluted with intrusive elements. In response to this, AI-generated images of endangered animals from California were systematically deconstructed and reassembled based on the hues of their component pixels. Through this process, the artificiality is stripped away, revealing a more authentic image in its place.

Each image, entirely artificial, was generated using text prompts that included the taxon, common name, and habitat of these threatened species. Significant gaps in the AI models quickly became evident, particularly in generating nuanced subspecies. For instance, every generated butterfly shared similar coloring and pattern characteristics, despite being much more distinct in reality. This raises challenging questions about what will be remembered if these species disappear entirely.
These artificial images were then deconstructed and reassembled through a bespoke generative algorithm. A 55-minute companion video was also created, documenting both the initial generated images, as well as the first phase of pixel deconstruction. 

The result is an entirely unique arrangement of pixel forms—an abstract digital painting that stands as a reflection on the fragility of memory in the face of loss. 


Simulacra (California) — excerpt from longer video

Bombus franklini (“Franklin’s bumble bee”)
Northern California, Southern Oregon
1 (2006)
Actinemys marmorata (“Northwestern pond turtle”)
Pacific Northwest, California, Mexico
> 1,000 (2020)
Euproserpinus euterpe ( “Kern primrose sphinx moth”)
Kern County, California
Population unknown (2024)
Balaenoptera borealis (“Sei whale”)
North Pacific population
< 519 (2016)

Video: Digital (color), 53:40
Images:32x18in ea.