feel.exe
“feel.exe” is an interactive artwork in the form of an esoteric programming language in which one codes by expressing emotions, thus creating visuals. A tension between intention and interpretation arises as the code and the output hold meaning within different contexts. By blending code and feeling, it raises questions about the programmability of emotions and the cultural values embedded in algorithms, embracing subjectivity and uncertainty in programming.
The work critiques the illusion of objectivity in algorithms, highlighting how social and cultural values do not only influence and bias the data that is fed to algorithms, but influence the code itself. Like legal or moral codes, programmatic encoding is shaped within social and cultural systems and constrained by them. Programming languages often replicate dominant value systems rooted in efficiency, control, and hierarchy. feel.exe resists these logics by making space for subjectivity, uncertainty and personal expression, thus challenging what counts as a programming language.
Built on a shader-based, stack-driven architecture, feel.exe accommodates both technical and intuitive engagement. Users with programming knowledge can shape more specific visual outcomes, while those unfamiliar with coding are invited to engage lead by their emotional expression creating a tension between if the code or the visuals are the main result of expression.
The visuals respond non-deterministically: colors shift based on how much additional text is written to explain a feeling; upper- and lowercase ratios influence animation speed. Missing information is filled in with values that randomly change over time. These non-deterministic elements introduce instability and openness, foregrounding the tension between control and unpredictability, intention and interpretation.
Thus it aims to raise critical questions about the translation of human feeling into code and proposes a more human, poetic perspective on data science questioning the underlying value systems within algorithms.
