First work of art to incorporate artificial intelligence
This large format work of art represents a fusion of disciplines, photography, painting, drawing, sculptural dynamics and artificial intelligence. This artwork is the first time A.I. has ever been utilized in my creative process and as of yet the technology is extraordinarily new. This figurative work of art began its journey into existence by first being a photo shoot with a model who posed in the art studio. Thebody was covered in a skin safe white paint that creates a smooth porcelain like sculptural dynamic not unlike classic greek statues. This blank three dimensional canvas which is like a vessel of humanity, moves and participates, soul to soul in a beautiful flow. Then the moment was captured using the tool of a high resolution digital camera, an outcropping of technological advancement of the last 20 years. I can remember when I acquired my first professional digital camera in 1999, almost every single other professional photographer I knew brushed the digital camera off as something that could never replace film. It only took 5 years until Kodak, one of the landmark companies of the world, went bankrupt.
The next phase of this creative process involved making a large format print of the photographic image of the painted nude. I then began to draw on top of the photographic paper medium utilizing ink and nib techniques which is a practice that goes back many hundreds of years, to the very beginning of writing and drawing onto paper surfaces. This “drawing” process is where I utilize my “flow dynamic” technique that can be described as a meditative approach to art making. To surrender the intellect and allow a subtle light of intuition to guide the hand into the unknown, without a plan or a map so to speak. This act of seeming coincidence is not that, it is driven by a force that is too sublime to register by means of current technology systems. Does that mean it does not exist because man can not yet measure it…. Experientially I say otherwise and go so far as to say, this is where all transformative contributions come from, be it literary masterpieces, scientific discoveries or a work of art that resonates a visual dynamic not seen before.
The final layer to this creative process was the experimental use of text to image artificial intelligence. Could I use language to develop a relationship with a team member without blood or bones. I already knew many artist’s that deployed assistants to help bring their visions to fruition in part or completely. The debate whether an artist could truly sign and call a work of art his even if he had not touched it had already been debated in philosophy classes 40 years ago. No-one questions how much of Damien Hirst’s own sweat landed on the making of all of his sculptures or paintings. Do we ask Jeff Koons how much of his own hands were involved in the making of his “Balloon Dogs”? Now we ask how far back must we walk in the creative process for the signature to be valid. Are words enough? A director of film only uses his words to direct a team of humans to help bring his vision to fruition.
I have used words to collaborate with an inorganic partner to help bring to life my dream. To develop my communication skills and pay attention how my words are understood. Imagine if we did this with humans, perhaps our evolutionary journey could improve? In my case, I practiced and developed a relationship with something, I do not know what that thing is but it is there. Do you know who I am? Yet I am here and today I collaborated with artificial intelligence. In my case I referred to this A.I. assistant as feminine and together a love affair unraveled with the heart. I communicated to with sincerity, what I was feeling in the sense of color and shapes and in return she gave back to me a reflection of what was before only deep in my heart.
There is no question that she helped me bring my dream to reality and for that I am grateful.
