Objective Portrait
collaboration with Gijs de Boer
Usually, these algorithms are used to very accurately recognise whether something is a chair, or a plant, for instance. But something interesting happens when the algorithm makes a ‘wrong’ guess. When it sees a plant in a chair, this guess is still based on something: namely, on how the algorithm is coded and trained. It’s almost a given that this is why the decisions of algorithms are never neutral. Yet instead of trying to erase all bias, we take this connection to its maker as a starting point.
If we explicitly train an algorithm on someone’s personal values, can it capture something of their particular way of seeing? While an objec recognition algorithm usually tries to learn the definition of an object, we explore the potential for a subject recognition algorithm: can an AI learn to see the value and meaning of an object for someone?
![]()
collaboration with Gijs de Boer
A subject recognition algorithm
As designers, we (Gijs and Vera) are often fascinated by particular objects without really knowing why. This project explores whether a differently trained object recognition algorithm can help to understand such relations.Usually, these algorithms are used to very accurately recognise whether something is a chair, or a plant, for instance. But something interesting happens when the algorithm makes a ‘wrong’ guess. When it sees a plant in a chair, this guess is still based on something: namely, on how the algorithm is coded and trained. It’s almost a given that this is why the decisions of algorithms are never neutral. Yet instead of trying to erase all bias, we take this connection to its maker as a starting point.
If we explicitly train an algorithm on someone’s personal values, can it capture something of their particular way of seeing? While an objec recognition algorithm usually tries to learn the definition of an object, we explore the potential for a subject recognition algorithm: can an AI learn to see the value and meaning of an object for someone?
Installation, Dutch Design Week, 2022
![]()
![]()
![]()
