BLACK BOX
by Yijia Huang
Can machines truly replicate or eventually replace human artistry? This research exlores environmental and cultural protection in the age of technological and artistic integration, and the resulting tension between humans and AI-driven automation.
Film Logline: Beginning in 2025, London launched the "Zero Landfill, Zero Incineration" initiative, aiming to revolutionise waste management. The ECI Institution experimented with the "BlackBox" in Notting Hill, a groundbreaking device capable of transforming waste into exquisite lacquer art pieces. Lacquer was chosen for its environmental sustainability and deep cultural significance. However, the BlackBox's efficiency rendered traditional artists jobless, sparking tension between technology and human creativity.
The research explores a journey from 2025 to 2050. In 2025, London launched the "Zero Landfill, Zero Incineration" initiative, aiming to revolutionise waste management. The ECI Institution experimented with the "BlackBox" in Notting Hill, a groundbreaking device capable of transforming waste into exquisite lacquer art pieces. The BlackBox's ability to transform waste into lacquer art explores the intersection of environmental sustainability and cultural preservation.The ethical dilemma of sacrificing traditional art for technological progress.
By 2032, artist Thomas led a group of craftsmen to sink the BlackBox into the Thames, symbolizing their resistance against the machine's dominance. This act ignited a fierce conflict between technologists and artists, raising questions about the ethical implications of technological advancement. In 2040, Thomas's daughter, Lily, discovered that the BlackBox had secretly stolen her father's designs, using them to create its art. The revelation of this truth ignited public outrage, forcing society to confront the moral dilemmas of artificial intelligence and intellectual property. By 2050, Thomas, now older and wiser, collaborated with the BlackBox to create ‘The Tree’.