This new piece is part of Brian Eno’s exploration of patterns and the possibilities of combining them to create unexpected works of art. In this particular installation, Eno used a small set of still photographs of people’s faces which are gradually transformed, almost imperceptibly, pixel by pixel, into new faces using specially created software. Through this process, a long chain of ‘new humans’ is formed between every real human, resulting in individuals who have never actually existed, intermediate humans, 25 new faces every second. In this version, a total of 170 thousand new faces have been generated.
In a video released by UNAM Cultural Diffusion, Eno explained that the genesis of this installation dates back a quarter of a century, sparked by his fascination with transformations seen in pop music videos, superhero movies, and toys like Transformers. His work often involves using familiar gadgets in unconventional ways, subverting technology to create something unexpected. The slow change and evolution of the faces in “Face to Face for México” brings Eno great joy, as it allows viewers to see a universe of people who never truly existed but could have.
Eno first created a version of this work in 2003, driven by the idea of “creating” new human beings. His goal was to showcase a world of people who look like real individuals but have never actually existed, exploring the concept of potential alternate realities. This project reflects Eno’s interest in technology and his desire to push its boundaries to create innovative and thought-provoking art.