Leila Hogarth is an interdisciplinary artist and designer based in Gateshead. She has recently completed a PhD in Design from Northumbria University, she also has a first class masters in Innovation from the same institution.
I’ve always been interested in visual culture. An early interaction with a real Andy Warhol Marilyn on display in a Byker Wall flat in the summer of 1993 made quite an impression on me. This was part of a BBC ‘art experiment’ which some of you might remember.
Despite this serendipitous meeting with pop art it has taken me 20 years to join my interests, cumulating in my recent PhD at Northumbria Design School. I feel very fortunate to have received an AHRC scholarship for my research – without which I would not have been able to make the bridge from a previous career into the art and design world proper.
I would describe my practice as interdisciplinary as I blend interests, approaches and practices. Over the past 4 years I have combined active research with visual methods, investigating how designers conceptualise ethical uses of designing with data and Artificial Intelligence [AI]. I’m interested in our constantly complex and evolving relationship with technology and its social effects on us. Since embarking on my PhD advances in AI have accelerated – combining in a heady mix of ethical tensions and possibilities for our collective futures.
As part of my doctoral research, I handcrafted a speculative object called a Data Oracle, this was an experimental process with glass and resin. I have also created a tapestry and a collage, linking tangible objects and intangible phenomena like data. This makes connections between hand crafting, weaving, and the computational power of algorithms.
In the past year I have been experimenting more with collage techniques. Being part of the friend’s group and participating in various workshops has greatly expanded my creative approaches. Being able to meet up with such a range of artists has greatly encouraged my creative confidence.
| Speculative Data Oracles, Leila Hogarth 2023 |
I’m interested in our relationship with digital technologies, specifically AI and machine driven wrangling of our data. The vast acceleration of computational power provides a rich source of possibilities for artists and designers. I’ve been experimenting and creating images using AI over the last couple of years. For me this raises some interesting questions about image provenance and the role of the human as artistic creator. We’re too often fed the narrative that the machines are intelligent. When in fact they are not really – not like a human is. I approach making and creating as a vehicle to communicate my thoughts and my research interests. I also design creative experiences for people to speculate about ethical futures. I use design fictions and speculative design approaches to encourage people to use their imaginations more.
Storytelling and narrative allows me to work with some other really interesting and talented people from different disciplinary backgrounds. At the moment I’m collaborating with colleagues across teaching, research and widening participation at Northumbria University.
I will be hosting a talk and workshop for the Friends of the Hatton in September (see later in this issue of the bulletin). I would encourage anyone with even a passing interest in technology, collage, or speculative futures to take part. The session is all about imagination – artists have very important role to play in how people view technologies and how they shape our lives.
You can see more of Leila’s work at: @leilahogarthdesigner
Friends of the Hatton 