I have been exploring the AI world in a small way and have uncovered some interesting contributions as well as limitations that AI may have in the art world. There does seem to be fear and misunderstanding even out right rejection of AI. However, I would suggest that it maybe the intersection of AI and ethics in the art world, especially concerning the originality of AI-generated art, raises important questions for visual artists.
The human experience as a theme, narratives that draw attention to the human condition, our stories and emotions, the experiences we have had are not going to be an AI strength.
But how about meeting half way and engage in a collaborative project with AI? Human creativity working with AI can result in unique artworks that neither could produce independently. Take my concerns and consequential willing collaboration with the Saltmarsh project as an example.
The concept can be discussed with AI and the data gathered could then be analysed in a way that lends it self to visual storytelling. We could create generative visual elements that represent the data in abstract forms or patterns. These could serve as backgrounds, textures, or integral parts of a work or series of pieces. with AI scanning all the data and research to seek patterns that could be used visually.
We shall take this further next time and look at interactive artworks and AI powered art creation tools. So if you would like to know more contact me via the website or alternatively come back to the blog next time.
I picked up two books this week to browse and inspire ….one of which is a tiny Phoenix paperback on Walt Whitman (1819-1892) who many will know was an American poet best known for his work Leaves of Grass. His poetry is democratic, socially inclusive, sexually and emotionally daring. What I really want to look at here is the link between the free form verse that he used so effortlessly. (Well the other book..on Anselm Kieffer is a visual inspiration really and a wonderful book to roam through.)
In the free form of Walt Whitman traditional metre and strict structures are eschewed in favour of a more natural rhythm and form. This mirrors the unbounded, exploratory nature of human experience and nature Whitman tends to depict. In visual arts, works that might align with the spirit of Whitman's free verse can be characterized by an emphasis on spontaneity, emotional expressiveness, and a breaking away from traditional forms and conventions.
This by Walt Whitman
I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. Walt Whitman's “Song of Myself” is a classic example of a free verse poem.
Artistic movements and examples that could be seen as visual parallels to Whitman's free verse style might include; Abstract Expressionism, Impressionism as well as Modern Sculpture.
The works of the Abstract Expressionists the mid-20th-century movement that is characterized by gestural brush-strokes or mark-making, and the impression of spontaneity. Artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning spring to mind. They favoured a more instinctual, personal expression which could be seen as akin to Whitman's style of writing. I looked at the Mural by Pollock and found this quote to be insightful.
In the New Yorker, the July 29th 2019 edition Louis Menand said in his article entitled. “ A Clear Look at Jackson Pollock’s Breakthrough Painting, “Mural”
“There are drips in “Mural,” and many places where the paint seems slashed or stabbed on. Pollock attributed some of these effects to his excitement, but they obviously point the way forward for his art. What “Mural” seems to have most in common with the drip works is the biomorphism. When Pollock took his canvas off the easel, he changed the locus of painterly concentration from the eye to the body. The drip paintings are records of a person in motion. The painting literally represents the gestures used to make it: thrown paint looks like thrown paint. In a way, as later artists appreciated, the dance is the work of art, the painting its residue.”
The last sentance rings true for me in particular with this piece of work “Torn” that I made eight years ago, having said goodbye to mother.
The piece “June” made during the same period was more about piecing together or rebuilding and it is painted over a collage of repetitive shopping lists that I had collected. This is an article that explains more on the shopping lists…(below is the collaged lists that are the basis for the blue forms of June.
The impressionists such as Degas or Monet for example moved away from detailed releastic representational work to capture fleeting moments…yes impressions of the changing light, using bold strokes of colour. The emphasis on capturing fleeting moments of light and feeling can parallel Whitman's fluid, dynamic verses.
I find myself drawn to this space too particularly in the recent drawings form Bristol for the forth coming series of paintings. In both of these examples Templemeads 530 as well as Roof and Pots I have found this to be how I have been drawing.
(Top Templemeads 530 and below Roof and Pots)
Artists such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth both of whom could be desribed Modern Sculptors created works in the 20th century that, while not devoid of structure, emphasize organic forms and often evoke more of a feeling or essence rather than a literal representation. This focus on the intrinsic, emotional impact over precise, realistic detail can be seen as similar to Whitman's approach in poetry.
I see that when I doodle digitally (above) or collage a landscape this is a something that I can identify with.
(Above; Longmarsh across to Sharpham. Mixed media collage)
Maybe inside there is a mindset similar to Whitman’s free verse—focusing on expression, emotion, and a departure from traditional forms.
My work embodies these characteristics—perhaps through abstract forms, the emphasis on emotive or organic structures, or the clear departure from traditional visual narrative techniques. I feel that my art resonates with the same spirit of freedom and expressiveness found in Whitman's poetry. As an artist I enjoy a free, exploratory approach in my work, allowing the medium and subject matter to guide me rather than adhering strictly to pre-established forms. So maybe I should consider myself as a visual counterpart to Whitman's literary style?
So as ever thank you for reading and do get in touch to ask about the blog, work or collaborate on something. As said at the top, much more to come with cross over of tech and art in the next blog.
