ARTIST: Peter Gabriel

CREATOR: Vnderworld

SONG: Panoticom (Dark-Side Mix) FROM i/o

Video info :

I was thrilled with the opportunity to create visuals for ‘Panopticom’ and at the possibility of creating a music video for Peter Gabriel. I created this video in 1 week with the use of Stable Diffusion Deforum via the open-source WebUI, Automatic1111, after months of deep-dive learning and creating 2D and 3D motion parameters within the tool.

From its very inception, the video presents a profound allegory of modern existence, skillfully embodied by the imagery of sunflowers—unyielding in their devotion to the Sun, analogous to our own subservient connection to a higher power, or perhaps a technological regime. Throughout the narrative, the omnipresence of eyeballs and security cameras serves as an allusion to the ever-watchful gaze of surveillance, inviting contemplation on the concept of the panopticon, where the line between observer and observed blurs into an unsettling symmetry.

The segue into the post-WWII Berlin, a historical reference to the aftermath of conflict and societal restructuring, is a masterstroke that merges the video's thematic essence with visual ingenuity. The psychedelic interlude, accompanied by lyrics that allude to drowning sorrows in ""medicine,"" metamorphoses into an aquatic dreamscape. This transition underscores the notion of escape through self-induced numbness while highlighting the entangling grip of distractions.

The aquatic metaphor then expands into a profound introspection on human insignificance, as the fish tank frames the perspective of existence as a transient journey within an expansive, indifferent cosmos. Yet, the fish tank soon transforms into a chilling prison, where individuals metamorphose from prisoners to mere observers, confined within the walls of their own living rooms, serving as captives to the very technology that shapes their reality.

The juxtaposition of historical and futuristic scenes deepens the thematic currents, as the dismantling of Berlin's wall evokes a liberation of the mind, tearing down the confinements of conventional thought. The progression to aliens and cosmic vistas elevates the inquiry into the nature of existence, expanding the horizon of possibilities beyond human comprehension.

In a crescendo of imagery, the video navigates a spectrum of symbolic transformations, from skeletons to sunflowers, embracing a journey of awakening. The scene of a liberated figure soaring above a dystopian cityscape of surveillance cameras, is an epitome of liberation and the pursuit of truth. The visceral imagery of mushroom clouds from nuclear bombs and literal mushrooms adds a layer of poignant subtext, reminding viewers of the dualities of creation and destruction, and the cyclical nature of life itself. The closing tableau of an oak tree, symbolic of reincarnation, encapsulates a profound meditation on the afterlife and the quest for transcendence.

This artful creation accompanying Peter Gabriel's ""Panopticom"", pays homage to the boundless possibilities that emerge from the fusion of human creativity and AI. The conscious decision to present the unaltered output of AI-generated imagery, free from post-production embellishments, is a bold choice that underscores the raw energy of creative exploration. In capturing the essence of the song's thematic depth, this video encapsulates the very essence of artistic expression—an embodiment of the artist's journey into self-discovery and a resonating challenge to question the fabric of our reality. By resonating deeply with the song's intricate themes, the video becomes a testament to the essence of artistic expression—a visual voyage mirroring the artist's own journey of self-discovery. It's a compelling invitation to question the very nature of our perceived reality, which aligns strikingly with the essence of ""Panopticon.

Video created with Stable Diffusion by Steve Grzanowski AKA Vnderworld // Vnderworld.com

-Vnderworld

Song info:

Panopticom is a track taken from Peter Gabriel's album i/o, released on 1 December 2023. This is the Dark-Side Mix, by Tchad Blake.

Words and music by Peter Gabriel. Produced by Peter Gabriel.

Published by Real World Music Ltd. / Sony Music Publishing.

This song is based on an idea I have been working on to initiate the creation of an infinitely expandable accessible data globe: The Panopticom. We are beginning to connect a like-minded group of people who might be able to bring this to life, to allow the world to see itself better and understand more of what’s really going on.

Some of the ideas came from talking to Witness, Forensic Architecture and reading the Bellingcat book. They are all organisations that try and assemble what has happened from all sorts of clues and all sorts of data and put it all together.

-pg