Using his own savings APN201 wants to show that you can make art without grants. As long as you have brain that is producing ideas you can do anything. This page is a collection of pictures, videos and text. Describing the art work and the process around it.
Shapeways was the 3D printing service I used to order most of my stuff. The website stopped working, so I did some googling. Seems like they are bankrupt.
This is too-bad. It was my go-to 3D shop. I always said it makes no sense to own a printer, because I can order much better quality prints there. I spent thousands on different test projects and prototypes but also on some real jewelry etc. I had couple of dozen designs available in the Shapeways shop and some people even ordered them. Now all of that is gone. If I can find the models somewhere, maybe I should publish them for free in Thingiverse or somewhere.
The gallery link on my homepage points to Shapeways shop. Also that I need to fix now. Below some examples of my designs.
Virus Shooter is a fun and simple arcade game. Slide the soap to move it. Tap to shoot soap bubbles. Hit viruses and collect power-ups. Simple, fun, and educational. Wash your hands!
From Corona Killer to Virus Shooter: A Journey
During the lockdown, like many others, I found myself with a lot of free time. To make the most of it, I decided to learn a new skill. I had never tried making a mobile game before, so I thought, why not give it a shot? I stumbled upon an aptly named SDK, Corona, and decided to dive in.
I followed a tutorial on creating an Asteroids-style shooter, but instead of asteroids, I decided to use assets and game logic that would resonate more with our current times. The result? A game where you control a soap bar, shooting soap bubbles at corona viruses. Players earn points by collecting toilet paper and gain extra lives with hand sanitizer.
The Original: Corona Killer
The game turned out better than I expected. Proud of my creation, I uploaded it to the Play Store. However, my excitement was short-lived. The game was banned due to a policy violation, and I was even threatened with the deletion of my account.
A New Beginning: Corolla Killer
Not one to give up, I made some changes. I altered the game’s name and a few assets, rebranding it as Corolla Killer. This version of the game was accepted, and it remained on Google Play, allowing players to enjoy it for free. It gained modest number of downloads. Surprisingly many from Iraq.
Finally, Virus Shooter is Here!
After all these years, I am thrilled to announce that Google has finally released the game in its original form, now named Virus Shooter. It is available on the Play Store, and I am excited to share this simple yet fun and educational game with all of you.
I create many projects under the motto “Try everything.” While I mostly produce art under my moniker APN201, I sometimes use different names for special projects. One such name is R-Tyny, a virtual artist. The works published under the R-Tyny name are experimental music pieces, heavily utilizing AI, Fiverr, or both.
Make no mistake, I still consider myself the artist behind these works. From a copyright perspective, a work or creation is something where the creator’s unique influence makes the work distinct and unreplicable without their contribution. Ghostwriters have always existed; Warhol, Koons, Michelangelo, etc., did not create all their works themselves. My main discipline is filmmaking, so to me, auteurism spreads across all art forms: you don’t need to do everything yourself, as long as you are the one making the decisions. In pop music, producers like Phil Spector are also called auteurs because their style is evident in their works. However, I believe it goes beyond that. R-Tyny songs all sound different, but none would exist without me.
Most of these R-Tyny works have been published on streaming platforms to make them easily accessible. You can find them on Spotify, YouTube, and Suno. My personal favorites are a couple of songs with lyrics created by my 2-year-old daughter.
P.S. The name R-Tyny refers to the Finnish word “ärtynyt,” meaning irritated.
I updated my “god” to use model GPT-4o and did also some other improvements.
Although this is very simple experiment with large language mode, it has sparked some discussion. As usual people fire opinions without thinking too much. I mean, if god exists, wouldn’t he also speak through the AI – as there is nothing in existence not controlled by the god?
If the AI bot is not god per se, but a messenger, would he be better in the job than average priests, because he is not human? He is made by humans, and thus is biased, but not for personal gain. Is he interpreting the holy texts better or worse than humans. This god is just the divine being. He does not really represent any particular religion. Does that allow better reaction to users’ worries?
Some months ago YouTube removed my film Sleep from my other YouTube channel because of nudity. I was very upset for 2 reasons: 1. The video was picked up by the algorithm and was making thousands of views (and dozens of subscribers) every hour. When they deleted the video, all activity on the channel stopped. Almost like if I was shadow banned. 2. YouTube says nudity in context of art is allowed, so they think my video is not art.
I challenged the decision and even appealed, but no help. They said it’s deleted and I cannot ecen appeal anymore.
Meanwhile I learned that it was a subject of university master’s thesis in the University of south Florida. If I knew that earlier.. because it kinda proves it must be art. On other hand it has a page in Wikipedia and premiered in Rotterdam Film Festival and that did not convince them.
I noticed that X (Twitter) user TeamYoutube was very helpful in helping people to fix their channels, so I decided to try one more time.
@TeamYouTube I'm sad that my movie was removed. Not so, because the channel was skyrocketing, and now it died, but because it means it was deemed not being art, although it was even a subject of a master's thesis in the University of South Florida. (channel @apn201movies)
These guys rock! To my amazement they answered and fixed it. Super!
update: after a thorough review from our policy team, your video has been reinstated but we have age-restricted the content per our Nudity & Sexual Content Policy: https://t.co/MzhzFO2f5u appreciate your understanding of our need to make this tough call
Juha Lilja Unveils “Sleep” Sequel: A Captivating Dive into Digital Wakefulness
In a bold exploration of our digital age, acclaimed filmmaker Juha Lilja returns with the highly anticipated sequel to his avant-garde masterpiece, “Sleep.” A decade after the groundbreaking original, Lilja’s “Sleep” (2023) takes audiences on an unprecedented 5-hour and 21-minute journey, challenging the pervasive influence of mobile phones in our lives.
Synopsis: “Sleep” (2023) marks a radical departure from its predecessor. Instead of the vulnerability of sleep, Lilja confronts the wakeful grip of modern technology. Armed with his mobile phone, he immerses himself for over 5 hours, disconnected from reality. Shot with a Canon EOS M, the unfiltered footage captures Lilja’s digital odyssey—no embellishments, no lights, just raw and thought-provoking reality.
Critique and Aesthetics of Cohabitation: In the spirit of Christopher Costabile’s master’s thesis, Lilja’s “Sleep” serves as both a critique and exemplar of the aesthetics of cohabitation. The unyielding gaze into Lilja’s digital world mirrors our collective obsession with mobile devices. It’s a cinematic reflection, devoid of external lights or effects, exposing the intimate dance between human consciousness and the omnipresent mobile phone.
YouTube Premiere and Concept Art: Celebrating a decade of innovation, “Sleep” (2023) will premiere on Lilja’s YouTube channel APN 201 Movies on January 15th at 16:00 CET. Embracing the aesthetics of cohabitation, the film takes the form of concept art, aligning with Costabile’s thesis, ensuring its availability to the masses at their own homes. The film might later be screened at selected festivals, events, or galleries.
Availability: “Sleep” (2023) promises a YouTube debut, offering a global audience the chance to witness Lilja’s digital wakefulness. Subsequent screenings at festivals, events, or galleries will be announced in due course.
To understand the significance of the new film, it is useful to first learn about the previous one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_(2013_film)
For press inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact: info@apn201.com
About Juha Lilja: Juha Lilja is an award-winning filmmaker renowned for his avant-garde approach to cinema. With an illustrious career spanning decades, his films continue to provoke thought and redefine the boundaries of cinematic storytelling.
My film, Sleep has been subject of a Master’s Thesis at University of South Florida. Let’s unpack some highlights:
Cohabitation Aesthetics: Chris delves into what he calls “aesthetics of cohabitation,” breaking down how my film challenges norms around space and time. Imagine cozying up with art in your own space – that’s the vibe!
Digital Magic: I’m stoked Chris noticed the digital magic behind “Sleep.” We’re talking YouTube accessibility, eight-hour visual experiences – all the good stuff! Taking Warhol’s vision and giving it a 21st-century twist.
Home Sweet Aura: Chris chats about how my film brings the aura right into your living room. It’s like having your own art party at home – how cool is that?
Jamming with Experimental Beats: He draws connections to experimental music legends like Lucier and Young. I guess my film’s got some groovy parallels with those beats – a fusion of visuals and vibes.
COVID Siesta: In this crazy COVID world, Chris wonders if snoozing through my film is a legit form of art appreciation. Well, why not? A cozy movie nap might just be the cure for digital overload!
So, big thanks to Chris for shining a spotlight on “Sleep” in his thesis. Check it out and join the conversation!
I’m still exploring the possibilities of AI. In this experiment I asked GPT-4 to act as a Zork-style text adventure game. I added a memory of 8 previous inputs/outputs (limited to keep cost low) and embedded in a retro-style web page.
The result is strange. This antigame basically has unlimited world and unlimited library of commands. You can wonder around the world to learn about its secrets, and it just keeps going forever. The only limit is my quota for OpenAI API, to limit me going bankrupt if people start to use this.
APN201 is a lifeform. It's an art project and a person. A normal IT-guy who wants to become artist. A guy who takes Nike slogan "Just Do It" seriously.
