Samson Young in Conversation with Indre Viskontas

Explore the intersection of memory, music, and artificial intelligence in this conversation between artist Samson Young and neuroscientist Indre Viskontas. Using Young’s current exhibition at SFMOMA as a point of departure, they will explore how memories are formed and recalled by the brain, and how AI can mimic or alter this process, particularly in the realm of music composition. They will examine the differences between human and AI-generated music, and how our understanding of memory influences how we experience and react to these creations. The conversation will also delve into the qualities of memory that are hard to articulate, such as love and personal connections, and how music can serve as a bridge through time.

About the Speakers

Samson Young works in sound, performance, video, and installation. Solo projects include presentations at De Appel, Amsterdam; Kunsthalle Düsseldorf; SMART Museum, Chicago; Centre for Contemporary Chinese Art, Manchester; the Hong Kong Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale, Venice; and Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Selected group exhibitions include Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Gropius Bau, Berlin; Biennale of Sydney; Shanghai Biennale; and documenta 14: documenta radio. Young holds a B.A. in music, philosophy, and gender studies from the University of Sydney, an M.Phil. in music composition from the University of Hong Kong, and a Ph.D. in music composition from Princeton University. He is the founder of the sound art and experimental music group CMHK, and a member of the Tomato Grey artist collective.

Dr. Indre Viskontas is a neuroscientist, musician, and science communicator across all mediums. She is an associate professor of psychology and director of the Creative Brain Lab at the University of San Francisco and has published more than 50 papers and chapters related to the neural basis of memory and creativity. She is currently the president of the Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity, chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the NeuroArts Blueprint, and director of communications for the Sound Health Network, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts. Her first book How Music Can Make You Better, was published by Chronicle Books.