Ken Feingold was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1952 and moved to New York City with his family in 1956. He studied at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, making experimental 16mm films and film installations and working at The Film-Makers' Cooperative in New York.
Ken Feingold was an artist that incorporated artificial intelligence and speech programs into his art works. He created mechanized heads that was programed to answer to people speaking to it or each other. His mechanized heads are voiced by the text-to-speech program that most people have heard of.
Self-Portrait as the Center of the Universe (1998-2001)
This piece is a self-portrait not as a 2d but 3d form, being the center of the Universe. The center head is modeled after the artist's own surrounded by dummies. The center head talks to a projected virtual counterpart on the wall. These conversations are between the real and virtual spaces.
If/Then (2001)
This piece has two identical heads. That speaks to each other, doubting the reality of their own existence. The conversation of the two heads in a box full of Styrofoam. It makes it seem like robot parts that was sent out but accidentally turned on. They have conversions with each other determining if they really exist or not, if they are the same person or not, and if they will ever know. This piece gives the viewers the idea of self-awareness. The, "do you really know who you are?" question.
Sinking Feeling (2001)
A single head, modeled after himself. This time this character knows it alive and doesn't question its own existence but questions why he does not look like you or me. Questions like "why don't I have a body like everyone else?" or "how did I get here?" The viewer can communicate with this piece by talking into the mike which you can see both their own words as they are heard by this head. the head formulates a reply on what the viewer has said simulating a real conversation filled with misunderstandings and sometimes randomness. This work shows the head growing out a flower pot suggesting organic. Questioning what makes you, you?
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