For Strange Rules, Simon Denny presents an installation in dialogue with the theories of Venkatesh Rao—a pivotal figure for artists and technologists alike. Known for his reflections on emerging technology, Rao developed the Protocol Institute, an independent research organization dedicated to the study of protocols. Drawing from the concept of the “Gramsci Gap,” elliptically referred to in the title of the work, the installation explores a transitional phase where the old world dissolves while the new struggles to emerge. This friction gives rise to “monsters,” manifested here through artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, and digital platforms.

The project utilizes generative visual systems and processes derived from computational painting programs. Denny applies his own AI protocols to Rao’s series of clip-art style motifs, resulting in machine-assisted pictorial experiments. Produced using experimental printing techniques, the works cross-reference Futurism with a military aesthetic used for defense communications. These pictorial experiments are presented within a setting that intertwines modernist design like Franco Albini with high-tech trade fair displays. Finally, a work by pioneer Harold Cohen provides a vital historical counterpoint, offering a comparison with the earliest experiments in art and AI.