The exhibition “Playtime” by Will Lakeman beautifully displays the theme of nostalgia as Lakeman explores his sentimental memories of the old Fort Regent using artificial intelligence. Will takes advantage of exploring all of the sense by using things such as soundscapes and smells to trap the viewer into reminiscing on old and sometimes forgotten memories – whether they were also from Fort Regent or not – which was heavily influenced by Wills Synaesthesia. Not only does this show off the latest technology but how it is already pushing the boundaries both academically and creatively.
AI is used in “Playtime” as a way to explore Wills often broken or incorrect memories, artificial intelligence was manipulated to piece together and merge how he remembered the old Fort Regent looking and not how it did look in reality. I think this is a very clever and unique approach to take, each image produce would be completely different from the last while still holding that sentimental and nostalgic touch. Another reason why I enjoy this concept so much is that AI can also produce very dream-like images, which is where Lakeman got most of his inspiration and memories from, that are just not quite right or even possible.
I really like that I can understand what Fort Regent looked like in the 70s-90s as I only remember what remains now while it still allowed the older generation to explore their memories again. The bright colours and unusual patterns show off hoe Will remembers the Fort looking, its a mixture of the unreliable dreams and the over enhanced perception of a child.
“I’m really excited for people to see this show, which I now realise I’ve been trying to make for most of my adult life. I have a really intense interest in a specific era of Fort Regent’s history – the funfair and swimming pool – but I have hardly any photos of myself there. I had to try and recreate my memories, and the more I tried the stranger the results became. The show involves photographs, reconstructions made with Artificial Intelligence, a soundscape, found objects and even some smells. Although it’s rooted in “the Fort” I tried to capture something universal in the experience of being a child, beyond excited to go to the leisure centre. I hope it says something to everybody. “
Will Lakeman – Playtime
