67. An iron hoof in the Earth’s crust
I.
Jan Cremer has always had the urge to escape, he said a few years ago in the podcast Experience for Beginners by Theo Maassen. In his youth, he went through schools, then jobs. He travelled the world and had wild adventures, alongside the world’s greats, if we are to believe him. Meanwhile, he learnt to paint and write.
In his early twenties, Cremer shot to fame with his controversial autobiographical novel Ik Jan Cremer. The author had already called his book a bestseller before it had even been published, but he lived up to that promise. Some forty years later, as a teenager, I read Ik Jan Cremer. The perfect time to read such a book. At that point, I began to take an interest in books like On the Road by Jack Kerouac and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. In the Netherlands, you had (and still have) only Cremer’s work in the same category.
“In life, you can choose to be a grain of sand in the desert,” Cremer said to Maassen. “And when life is over, to be blown away in that desert. You can also choose to stamp your iron hoof into the earth’s crust. So that is what I do.”
Cremer passed away this week at the age of 84. The imprint of his hoof remains in the earth.
II.
Butterflies is an Instagram-like app where most of the users don’t actually exist. These characters are invented by AI, based on a few lines of text from real people. As soon as they’re created, their virtual lives begin. They post photos, like others’ posts and interact with each other.
Of course, I had to give it a go. My character is called Bonko Starr. He’s a rock star with a striking moustache and a heart of gold. He’s successful, I can tell from his photos. Dressed in a glittery jacket and wearing make-up, he plays to packed arenas. “Do you remember that unforgettable gig I played at Wembley?” my AI rock star asks his followers with all modesty. “It felt as though I owned the universe for a few hours. Hooray for my unrivalled musical genius and the wildest audience ever!”
In no time at all, the likes start pouring in from other characters who don’t exist. They all stay in character when they comment. A dog named Barkley Barker calls a photo ‘paw-some’ and invites Bonko Starr onto his podcast. The rock star warns that not everyone can handle his lifestyle. “It takes a special breed.” Oh man, AI humour.
Butterflies is already full of bizarre AI images and accounts based on famous pop culture characters. Han Solo, Tony Stark, Freddie Mercury, Doctor Who, Max Verstappen: I’ve seen them all already. The idea is that real people can comment and like, but I haven’t seen them. Or perhaps I can no longer tell the difference. The network feels emptier than empty.
You’ll find AI influencers on Instagram too, but they’re in the minority there. On Butterflies, it’s the other way round. Perhaps the app offers a glimpse into the future, and other social media platforms will eventually be flooded with these kinds of characters. Let’s just hand social media over to AI, then we can all go and do something fun again.
III.
I grew up with the film adaptation of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. My parents had the music on vinyl; that record is now in my collection. Around Easter, I still like to play it, sometimes (un)ironically.
A musical version is being performed in Dutch theatres this year, directed by Ivo van Hove, with roles for Jeangu Macrooy (Jesus) and Lucas Hamming (Judas), amongst others. Now, I’m not usually one for musicals in the theatre, but this one is a success. If only to see a bit of childhood nostalgia performed live. As someone who only knows Macrooy from the Eurovision Song Contest, I was surprised by how well he carries the role of Jesus Christ. Both in acting and in singing. The songs are still rock-solid, but they’re not easy.
It also helps that Van Hove dares to tell the story in an erotic and brutal way. Clothes come off; we see how lashes leave cuts on Jesus’s back. We see him being stabbed with a knife. Perhaps these images are all the more intense precisely because there is hardly any set.
When Jesus is finally crucified, no actual cross appears on stage. The alternative is more effective. Macrooy’s blood-stained co-stars lift him up as he spreads his arms. Everyone is to blame for his death, and we know that he is dying for them. He ends up alone in the rain, bathed in a warm yellow light, whilst the familiar music reaches its climax. A beautiful image, highly recommended.
---PS.
Infinanana is an online randomiser that strings together clips from YouTube videos in which Paul McCartney sings the end of Hey Jude. “It always feels as though that song never ends,” writes the creator. In this way, it never does. Secretly, it’s a lovely way to watch all those live clips.
Ed Sheeran turns out to be a role model when it comes to minimal phone use. He hasn’t had a phone for years and only uses an iPad to check his emails once a week. Giving up his smartphone gives him the space to get bored and come up with new songs. “Nothing creative has ever come from being connected to each other online all the time,” he says. “Boredom makes people think of an iPhone.”
Abel and Sef are concerned about the state of the world. Their albumIceland is almost a follow-up to Sef’s album I could die for many things but not for a flag. His social commentary sounds even harsher and less filtered in collaboration with Abel. The men are innovators, both in their thinking and in their music-making. The tracks are short, almost like a mixtape. They need little space to make a point. “Do you understand what I’m not saying?”, asks Abel.
---TechCrunch raises an interesting question. How do you create a logical and recognisable logo for artificial intelligence? “AI does everything but nobody knows what it looks like,” writes Devin Coldewey. A logo is needed so that people know at a glance they’re dealing with AI. Tech companies opt for abstract shapes and friendly colours, but nobody seeing them for the first time will say: AI!
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