Fusion of Creativity
The Evolving Relationship Between Art
and Technology
Electric Dreams: Tate Modern’s Take on Artistic Tech
By Eshal Zahur
Artists have worked tirelessly to revolutionise art. They have incorporated novel methods to foster artistic acumen. The UK Tate Modern art gallery’s ‘Electric Dreams’, an upcoming exhibition, celebrates these early trailblazers of optical, kinetic, programmed, and digital art central to the genesis of a new era of automated works and sensory installations.
Visitors will witness mathematics, industrial engineering and motorised parts blending to create the psychedelic aesthetics of the 1950s and 60s. Around the 1970s and 80s, digital technology rose in popularity. Radical artists embraced the new trend by experimenting with the early prototypes of home computing systems and machine-made art.
Catherine Wood, the museum director of exhibitions, requests artists to view AI technology as an opportunity instead of a hindrance to their growth and creation. By highlighting the long-lasting relationship between artists and technology, she hopes the public will understand that these two concepts can build upon each other. New platforms could be created for artists.
‘Electric Dreams’ will formally open on November 28 and feature over 150 works by 70 artists from a variety of countries. Artists have, for a long time, grappled with philosophical questions relating to society and existence through utilising technology in art. The growth of both has been influenced by the other. Technology, by itself, does not pose a threat to visual art. With the proper regulations, art could flourish through the integration of technology.
Some works featured in the exhibition are highly contemporary. These include the paintings of Harold Cohen, who used AARON technology to create paintings of machines. AARON was regarded as one of the first tools for making AI art, using heuristic rules and algorithms to decide on shapes, forms, colours and compositions. The software converted various programming languages into abstract act, adapting it to run under different computer systems.
Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez and the German duo Monika Fleischmann and Wolfgang Strauss are some of the other notable names on the roster. They are some of the earliest pioneers of modern immersive art.
Otto Piene’s piece, ‘Light Room (Jena)’ is one of the standalone masterpieces gracing the exhibition. In this artistic project, light beams into a dimmed room, creating a type of “sculpture”. Commentators have mentioned that the art is an example of novelty within the exhibition. Art is not just about creating an image, as Wood explains, but also about an artist’s usage of technology within their art and how they can use technology as a springboard to kickstart their creative process.
One of the oldest pieces in the exhibition is Atsuko Tanaka’s ‘Electric Dress’ from 1956, widely cited as an example of artists taking risks within their art. Japan in particular has had a history of creatives willing to pave the way for new styles. These pioneers remain relevant today despite previous scepticism surrounding their work.
However, some challenges arose while assembling the ‘Electric Dreams’ exhibition. Old technology should still have been functioning. Some hardware, like Cohen’s drawing machines, had to be tested to make sure it was still operational and there could be an interactive experience. For this, Tate assembled a ‘time-based media team’.
Through this exhibition, the public gains access to an international lineup of artists who have created art fused with aspects of science, technology, novelty and innovation.
AI and Artists: Navigating a New Frontier
By Anish Paranjape
The art community was shocked to learn in January 2024 that the artificial intelligence enterprise Midjourney had trained its computers with the work of 16,000 artists without their permission. Famous painters like Warhol and van Gogh were listed alongside lesser-known and young artists. Because of this unregulated use, the AI was able to produce images that startlingly mirrored the styles of these painters to great accuracy. The AI was even able to recreate actual paintings when asked to produce images in the style of certain artists.
The pandemic and the concurrent rise of AI have accelerated a digital shift, compelling many businesses, including the art world, to move online. Such transition served to underline AI's potential while birthing opportunities and ethical concerns alike.
AI's integration into art has been remarkable, although it has exacted the cost of challenging inclusivity and fairness in the art world. Access to AI technology is uneven globally, resulting in disparities within the art world that threaten to deepen preexisting divides within the global art community.
Most significantly, however, AI's ability to replicate art presents the most existential of ethical dilemmas. Traditionally, creating a masterpiece requires extensive effort. These days, an AI may quickly imitate the style of an artist. Large libraries of previously created artwork, frequently taken from the internet, are used to train these generators. Even if certain images are in the public domain, copyrighted works are regularly utilised without authorisation, which raises serious questions regarding the theft of intellectual property.
Additionally, artists contend that their livelihoods are undermined by the exploitation of their work without just pay. "If millions of artists' works are being unintentionally and/or unwantedly used to enable (to train) AI systems, it seems to happen totally without the artists’ agreement and their benefit,” says Selwa Sweidan, a clinical assistant professor at LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts.
The infusion of artificial intelligence in art also comes at a heavy human cost. Many have expressed their discomfort over the incursion of AI into the creative sphere since art is intrinsically human and deeply personal. Furthermore, while artists have always struggled, AI has made matters worse by outperforming humans at creative tasks in terms of speed and cost. As AI capabilities advance, artists increasingly have to contend with more competition, declining wages, fewer career options, and unstable financial situations.
The evolution of technology further compels artists to consider their role in the contemporary environment. When computers can mimic or even exceed human creativity, what happens to the distinctive abilities and voice of an artist? Deeper queries concerning originality, the worth of art, and the changing position of the artist are also brought up by AI in art.
Museums, too, grapple with the challenges of utilizing AI to classify and gain insights into their collections. The potential for AI to "distance" audiences from the art and activities they seek to understand is a significant concern. The ethical and economic implications of AI in art demand careful consideration from both art institutions and artists.
Thus, while the integration of AI into the art world heralds unprecedented possibilities, it simultaneously ushers in complex ethical and economic ramifications that art institutions and artists must consider.
Illustration by Aarushi Godika