{algorithms 2.0} | Miss Bugs by New River Fine Art

Miss Bugs {algorithms 2.0} New River Fine Art

Contact: info@newriverfineart.com +1 (954) 524-2100 www.newriverfineart.com

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317 Million_p55

283 Million_p56

13 Million_p13

Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (4)_p61

Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (5)_p62

362 Million_p14

Generated Rapunzel_p67

"Nobody's Madder Than Me About the Missing Generation Part 2_p73

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Unfollowed in AI Open Water_p79

Unfollowed_p86

13 Million

"The Rest of the People Would Just Watch Television" - A New Hope_p27

362 Millio

List of Works_p91

Acknowledgements_p93

AI Spectrum (1)_p33

13 Million_p13

362 Million_p14

AI Spectrum (2)_p34 "Nobody's Madder Than Me About the

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Unfollowed in AI Landscape_p40

AI Spectr "The Rest of the People Would Just Watch Television" - A New Hope_p27

AI Spectr

Everything in its Right Place_p46

AI Spectrum (1)_p33

AI Spectrum (2)_p34

317 Million_p55

Unfollowed in AI Landscape_p40

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Everything in its Right Place_p46

317 Millio

283 Million_p56

317 Million_p55

283 Million_p56

283 Millio

Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (4)_p61 Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (4)_p61

Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (5)_p62

Driving M (4)_p60

Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (5)_p62

Generated Rapunzel_p67

Driving M (5)_p61

Missing Generation Part 2_p73

Generated Rapunzel_p67

Generate Unfollowed in AI Open Water_p79

Missing Generation Part 2_p73

Unfollowed_p86

List of Works_p91

Unfollowed in AI Open Water_p79

"Nobody's Madder Than Me About the Website Not Working"_p22

Unfollowed_p86

List of Wo

Acknowle

List of Works_p91

"The Rest of the People Would Just Watch Television" - A New Hope_p27

Acknowledgements_p93

AI Spectrum (1)_p33

AI Spectrum (2)_p34

Unfollowed in AI Landscape_p40

Everything in its Right Place_p46

317 Million_p55

Unfollowe

Acknowledgements_p93

Unfollowe

13 Million_p13

362 Million_p14

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{algorithms 2.0}

Artist Statement

Each portrait in the exhibition is assembled from a curated assortment of mass-produced objects suspended in resin, creating a kaleidoscope of interconnecting patterns, mathematical rotations and mirroring, that reflect the complex man-made social networks that we exist in today. The intricate, three-dimensional collages are inviting us to delve under the hood of popular culture, in an age of excessive information and communication. Looking closely at the work encourages us to think about the multiple layers of content that bombard, and sometimes overwhelm the modern consumer of news, entertainment, and culture during our every waking moment. The stories, products and opinions behind the headlines can become more important than the headlines themselves.

What’s the point of being famous for 15 minutes, when the average human attention span has collapsed to eight seconds? In this breathless, frenzied century we’re living through, politics has become entertainment, while film, music and TV were long ago co-opted by consumer brands, hungry for sales. Art itself is not immune, swept along in the tide of commodification that Warhol both prophesied and embraced. Everything, in our world, is content. The arbiters of this new ecosystem are the algorithms. These faceless curators and custodians, monopolise and monetise, crowning new icons while tearing down others.

This body of work encapsulates our obsessive relationship with media, celebrity and politics, in an increasingly interconnected, but polarised world.

What are these algorithms? Are they something that is created for us, or are they something we collectively create and are subsumed into ourselves? The subjects of this new body of work, Barack Obama, Beyoncé, Jackie O and Taylor Swift, need no introduction. These iconic, instantly recognisable figures are presented here, not as individuals in their own right, but as cultural touchpoints and marketable commodities; each colour-saturated portrait a brand that is echoed and amplified for millions of dollars through billions of news feeds worldwide.

Artist Biography UK artist Miss Bugs has been creating art from their studio in London since 2007. Originally from a background in photography and graphics, they developed fast, spontaneous working methods, mainly cutting and pasting archival images from magazines, films and art history; ‘remixing and sampling’ classic imagery to create new pieces with their own distinctive mark. Miss Bugs is a true mixed-media artist, creating work using a broad scope of disciplines. Recent notable projects include their Do No Harm installation work that sees pharmaceuticals encapsulated in lollies, and junk food wrappers inside medical capsules. Miss Bugs makes thousands of the small hand cast objects which have been displayed in immersive gallery installations. The Do No Harm series was exhibited at Saatchi Gallery.

The work is also embedded in the aesthetic of Pop Art with its sharp graphic edges, brash colours and glossy surfaces. The influence of collage artists like Hannah Höch and Tom Wesselmann can clearly be seen. The layering and placing of colour and pattern is also intrinsic to the work and is very much a hands-on element for Miss Bugs in the construction of the final pieces. Miss Bugs has exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris and London, and their artwork is in a number of significant private collections around the world.

Their current large scale resin collages are time consuming and precise, a long way from the quickly constructed art pieces of the early days. Using techniques from screen printing onto aluminium sheets to resin casting, Miss Bugs’ mashups of iconic portraits, products and brands explore themes of popular culture, addiction and unchecked consumerism. Through depicting the human form, Miss Bugs’ interest lies in developing ‘characters’ which tell a story.

Catalog Foreword In Algorithms 2.0, Miss Bugs delivers a profound exploration of the forces reshaping human identity and influence in the digital age. Hosted by New River Fine Art, this exhibition examines the omnipresent algorithms that define the ways we interact, consume, and even perceive reality. Through striking works that combine portraiture with cutting-edge mixed media, Miss Bugs challenges us to consider the dual-edged nature of these systems: their capacity to connect and amplify, but also to distort and commodify. Miss Bugs deftly explores the dual nature of algorithms: their capacity to optimize and elevate, and their potential to distort and control. By integrating mixed media, bold color palettes, and digital imagery, the works in Algorithms 2.0 reflect both the promise and peril of an algorithm-driven world. The artworks mirror the algorithm’s ability to curate beauty and innovation while exposing its darker side—amplifying biases, fueling surveillance, and enabling manipulation. Central to this discourse are three portraits that anchor the collection: 283 Million (Taylor Swift), 317 Million (Beyoncé), and 13 Million (Queen Elizabeth). The titles reference the staggering number of Instagram followers each figure commands, transforming these works into meditations on influence in the age of social media. Taylor Swift’s 283 Million reflects the pop star's ability to cultivate a personal brand that wields immense cultural power, yet it raises questions about the authenticity of connection in a curated digital sphere. Similarly, Beyoncé’s 317 Million celebrates her global impact as an artist and cultural icon, while subtly critiquing the algorithmic echo chamber that perpetuates celebrity worship. In stark contrast, 13 Million, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth, underscores the monarchy’s enduring, yet comparatively muted, digital

presence—highlighting the tension between traditional forms of influence and the algorithm-driven dynamics of contemporary relevance. Miss Bugs’ works compel us to grapple with the mechanisms that determine not just who gains prominence, but how that prominence is quantified and valued in the algorithmic age. These portraits become visual data points, presenting their subjects as both beneficiaries and victims of a system that equates worth with visibility. As Algorithms 2.0 unfolds, it challenges us to confront the power we have ceded to these invisible systems, asking whether they can truly serve as tools for good—or if they merely mirror our collective biases and ambitions. This collection serves as both a celebration of human ingenuity and a warning against its unintended consequences, challenging us to question who writes the code, who reaps the benefits, and who bears the costs. As the lines between the real and the digital continue to blur, Miss Bugs offers a visual manifesto that is as urgent as it is evocative—a reminder that humanity’s agency must not be lost amid the rise of the machine. -

Lisa Burgess

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13 Million

362 Million

Hand cast, optically clear PU resin prisms on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness)

w111 x h151cm

"Nobody's Madder Than Me About the Website Not Working" Hand painted 3D printed pills and pharmaceutical capsules, cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w128 x h165cm

"The Rest of the People Would Just Watch Television" - A New Hope Lego figures cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w128 x h159cm

{previous left}

{previous right}

AI Spectrum (1)

AI Spectrum (2)

Match Box cars, silkscreen, acrylic paint, wood and resin blocks on aluminium Series of 6 (each a unique likeness)

w82 x h118cm

Unfollowed in AI Landscape Acrylic paint, papercuts and optically clear PU resin cast clouds, on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w117 x h148cm

Everything in its Right Place 3500 hand cast pharmaceutical lollipops with positioning bracket and line Edition of 1 Sphere: w220 x h220cm

{previous left} 317 Million Printed paper cuts and mirrored foil, cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w111 x h152cm

{previous right} 283 Million Printed paper cuts and mirrored foil, cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w111 x h152cm

{previous left}

{previous right}

Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (4)

Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (5)

Micro Machine cars cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness)

w98 x h136cm

Generated Rapunzel Acrylic paint and papercuts cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w101 x h141cm

Missing Generation Part 2 Lego figures and optically clear PU resin cast shards on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w126 x h176cm

{previous page} Unfollowed in AI Open Water Acrylic paint, papercuts, surgical blades and optically clear PU resin cast clouds on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w151 x h97cm

Unfollowed Acrylic paint, papercuts and optically clear PU resin cast clouds on wood and aluminium Edition of 40 (blue) + 15 (pink) w61 x h80cm

Erection Interference Printed paper cast in neon pigmented resin on wood w98 x h120cm

Algorithms - Drawing 1 / 2 / 3 Pencil And Cut Paper. Series of 5 (each unique) w44 x h30cm

Generated Rapunzel (edition print) Archival print + 6col screen print / UV varnish + embossed gold leaf. Edition of 55 w73 x h99cm

01 (p.13) 13 Million Hand cast, optically clear PU resin prisms on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w111 x h151cm 02 (p.14) 362 Million Hand cast, optically clear PU resin prisms on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w111 x h151cm 03 (p.22)

08 (p.46) Everything in its Right Place 3500 hand cast pharmaceutical lollipops with positioning bracket and line Edition of 1

Acrylic paint, papercuts, surgical blades and optically clear PU resin cast clouds on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness)

Sphere: w220 x h220cm

w151 x h97cm

09 (p.55) 317 Million Printed paper cuts and mirrored foil, cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness)

16 (p.84)

w111 x h152cm 10 (p.56)

Hand painted 3D printed pills and pharmaceutical capsules, cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness)

Printed paper cuts and mirrored foil, cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness)

04 (p.27) "The Rest of the People Would Just Watch Television" - A New Hope Lego figures cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w128 x h159cm 05 (p.33) AI Spectrum (1) Match Box cars, silkscreen, acrylic paint, wood and resin blocks on aluminium Series of 6 (each a unique likeness) w82 x h118cm 06 (p.34) AI Spectrum (2) Match Box cars, silkscreen, acrylic paint, wood and resin blocks on aluminium Series of 6 (each a unique likeness) w82 x h118cm 07 (p.40) Unfollowed in AI Landscape Acrylic paint, papercuts and optically clear PU resin cast clouds, on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness)

Unfollowed in AI Open Water

Unfollowed Acrylic paint, papercuts and optically clear PU resin cast clouds on wood and aluminium Edition of 40 (blue) + 15 (pink) w61 x h80cm

"Nobody's Madder Than Me About the Website Not Working"

w128 x h165cm

15 (p.79)

283 Million

w111 x h152cm 11 (p.61) Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (4) Micro Machine cars cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w98 x h136cm 12 (p.62) Driving Miss Crazy - Algorithms (5) Micro Machine cars cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w98 x h136cm 13 (p.67) Generated Rapunzel Acrylic paint and papercuts cast in resin on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w101 x h141cm 14 (p.73) Missing Generation Part 2 Lego figures and optically clear PU resin cast shards on wood and aluminium Series of 3 (each a unique likeness) w126 x h176cm

w117 x h148cm

Miss Bugs {algorithms 2.0} All works Copyright © Miss Bugs 2024 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any storage or retrieval system without the prior permission in writing from the copyright holders and publisher.

Photography: Anna Arca Catalogue Design: Peter Roden for Leighton Space Additional Photography: Peter Roden

Massive thank you to the studio team for their help and hard work: Hazal Demirel and Sue Lee – it wouldn’t have happened without the hours and dedication you both put in. Thanks to Andreia Romaniuc and Divya Scialo. Also Spike Taylor Manson and Onni Aho for helping to bring the hanging sculpture to life. To Peter Roden for being across all projects and everyone at JB PR. And thanks to Ba (Fidel Fernandez) for his guidance. Extra special thanks to Diego Martínez and Daniela Martínez, Alejandro Guzman for believing in us. Thanks to Duncan Forbes, Leigh Borg, Daniel Brain and Lisa Burgess for all their support. And to Rach – she’s been part of this from the start and is always looking out for Miss Bugs.

Printed by Taylor Brothers in Bristol.

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