Max Jala is a Malaysian visual artist and programmer based in London. Using technology and computation as a medium, his work spans interactive installations, game simulations, audio-reactive visuals, and live performance.
A sense of liveness is central to Max’s work, whether that be through an audience’s real-time interaction with a piece, the interplay between sound and visual, emergent behaviours arising from a system of AIs, or a combination of the above.
His recent work with interactive game simulations subverts the trend of hyper-advanced AI art systems (such as DALL·E and Midjourney) by taking a regressed approach using primitive game AIs within a chaotic system to create bizarre and emergent worlds.
While many contemporary AI Art generators conceal their slick and immensely intelligent processes, Max’s recent piece, p.A.I.n, unashamedly highlights its own obtuse and inefficient process, placing it front and centre, transforming it into a visceral spectacle of toil and physical might.
Exhibitions:
2022 - Creative Machine, Goldsmiths, London (2022)
2022 - (sub)systems, Computational Arts MA/MFA Degree Show, Goldsmiths, London, UK
2021 - Shivers, Computational Arts MA/MFA Degree Show, Goldsmiths, London, UK
2019 - ReconnectKL, Urbanscapes, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2019 - SH/FT Cendana, Black Box, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2018 - REXKL Flower Market, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Audiovisual Shows & Live Performances
2021 - Vantablack EP Audiovisual Show, LUST [Online AV Set]
2020 - From The Comfort Of Ur Home 6, safehousekl [Online AV Set]
2019 - WeComeInPeace, TransitKL, Ipoh, Malaysia [Live AV Set]
2019 - As We Go Along, Urbanscapes, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Live Group Performance]
2019 - Lucid Show, Urbanscapes, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Live AV Set]
2019 - SPIRIT Concert, Alena Murang, Kuching, Malaysia [VJ]
2019 - SENI TIGA: As We Go Along, KongsiKL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Live Group Performance]
2019 - Guzheng Recital, Sara Heng, DPAC KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [VJ]
2019 - UFOnight, TransitKl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Live AV Set]
2019 - ELLA Unplugged in KL, Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [VJ]
Music Videos
2020 - Alena Murang - Gitu’an [Official Lyric Video]
Media Features
2021 - Process Magazine Volume 2 [Magazine Feature]
2020 - It’s Nice That [Article]