Jeanyoon Choi

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System Art: Contextual Switch (Generatable Automatic Systems)

Updated: 2/18/2025

System Art - Structurally it can be modelled in state-based graph-like structure. Multiple-state based structure.
Multi-Device Web Artwork: INPUT Modalities → SYSTEM (Interconnection, G(V, E) Structure) → OUTPUT
Input → System → Output
At a high level, systems act as the interconnection of how input modalities can be transformed into output multi-channels. This system’s interconnections can be block-based modularised, meaning that the subsection of the system can be interchangeable - Just as how a graph can have a subsectional sub-graph which is interchangeable with another subgraph.
Theoretically, let's say there’s a System with a Graph A. If there is a subsectional Sub-Graph A → This can be substituted into a Sub-Graph B, C, D, … with a similar structure. (Graphical Decomposition)
“SUB-GRAPH SWAPPING - CONTEXTUAL CHANGE”
Refer to: Rozenberg, G. (ed.). Handbook of Graph Grammars and Computing by Graph Transformation. World Scientific, 1997
Conceptually, let’s say there’s a System Art: Automated System functioning within multi-channels. If the user can give a new context (new sub graph), and combine with the pre-defined mechanisms (the other part of the graph), a new system (new graph) is generated. This is also the mechanism of how Generative-X, Generative-Simulacra (Junk Sites, Biennales) might work. But it can also be applied & generalised in a wider application: Most generally about switching contexts. How about switching modalities? Switching spatial-temporal dimension?
Contextual switch within system art is definitely crystal clear.
This rapid contextual switch enables us to massively generate different systems: All same mechanisms, but with different context: At a high speed.
Generative - Automated System: We are generating the automated system by switching context easily. This is akin to how Andy Warhol mass-produced paintings by switching context (The flavour of the Campbell’s Soups).
All of these following examples share Input (Contextual input) → System → Output structure:
Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup cans: Flavour → Soup Can → Soup Can with a Flavour
Biennales: Context/Theme → Curatorial System → Mass-Generated Biennales
Self-Help Book: Context/Theme → Automatic Tone & manner of Self-Help Book → Mess-Generated Self-Help Book
SoTA: Different Model → Sub-Automatic Architecture Generation → New Architecture
Wall-E Advertising Scene (Culture on the Axiom): Advertising ‘Try Blue’ → Immediate Trend Application & Button-based Interaction→ All people wearing blue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xToQ4cIHkk 
Book Industry (Or Media Art, or Newspaper…): New Buzzword (AI! Quantum!) → Automatic Book Generation & Media Art Generation & Newspaper Generation & Media Generation → All contents talking about new buzzword in a surface level
1984 (George Orwell): New Political Narrative/Event/Enemy → Hidden Graph Structure (Nodes - Ministries (Truth, Love, Plenty, Peace), Media Outlets, Public Events & Edges - Flow of propaganda, memory hole processes, censorship protocols) → New “Reality”, New Newspapers, new map, new slogans
Kosuth-like System Art (Simple & Conceptual): New Word Input → Massive Recreation of Images & Videos & Designs & Visual Elements & UIs & Texts → New system which is about the new word, but which is dramatically detached from this new word (Not one and three chairs, but one and hundred, if not thousands, of ______ (Input Word)) (Memes, Hashtags, Trends? But maybe too obvious – Maybe not just independent visual elements are generated, but a whole new solid system is generated upon the new word? - Can be related to the buzz word (i.e. have more systematical detail)
(More complex society? Societal phenomenas?)
Financial Market: New External Financial Shock → People in charge (Wall St.) are not asked for responsibility, and other people get the negative effect (Obama Administration) → (In long-term) Financial Stability? Or the rich becoming richer, the poor becoming poorer?
More specifically - Financial Bubble: New Context (Tulip, Real Estate, .com, AI) → People so obsessed with the bubble → Suddenly explodes unexpectedly out of control
Educational Model: New Education Trend/Buzz → Nodes (Teachers, Curriculum, Tests) & Edges (Policies, Fundings, Incentives, Evaluation Criteria) → Change in classroom materials
Design & Aesthetics: New Design Trend → Nodes (Agencies, Clients Taste) & Edges (Flow of Design Trends (Via Instagram/Media), Information, Designers Movement, Funding) → All New Design Outputs
(ChatGPT’s old-school answers: Mainly focused on Visual states and visual outputs. My system art is not about visuals, but arguing that the system - society we’re living in can be interpreted parallelly to these visual-based systems. But still can be partially referenced to create visual outputs)
Parametric Architecture: Parameter Sliders → Node/Graph Env → Output 3D Model
Algorithmic Art: Seed Values → Algorithm → Output

Semiotically: Contextual Signifier Changes → Meets with system signified (Differ from the contextual signified) which remains constant unchanged → New output
More surface-level signifiers! Copy without originals!
Higher detachment of Signifier - Signified (The original contextual signified), new relationship with the signifier - systematic/simulacrum signified.

Interaction-wise: User switches the context (detailed interaction might differ from the topic - Junk Site Context Switch might differ from the Junk Biennale Context Switch) and a new system is generated - The new system itself has an automatic feature. So the automatic system is already out there, and users can create new automatic systems by changing context.
Users first choose these new contexts carefully - putting and interconnecting their personal meanings. But over time, they change the context fastly, randomly, just for the sake of enjoying the interaction and the will-to-power they enjoy by creating new systems → Which successfully accuses the simulacrumness/generativeness/flaws of modern systems.
Also one suggestion: Shopping cart! Shopping is beautiful, it is the most significant indicator of how signifier and signified are detached in modern society. Maybe users can shop the context signifier! User shops! The Context! The buzzwords! Which are often considered very seriously within our context – users shop them! And as they shop, new system is automatically created - as light and as serious as how the contemporary system works! SHOPPING SHOPPING SHOPPING, SIGNIFIER → SHOP THE SIGNIFIER. SHOP-LIFT THE SIGNIFIER. Especially, as shopping is the symbol of lightness, it should be & must be combined with the most heavy & serious subject as possible.


Text written by Jeanyoon Choi

Ⓒ Jeanyoon Choi, 2025