The current exhibition AI & Technology Influence on Contemporary Art poses some pertinent questions about the generative power of artificial intelligence and its seemingly limitless potential for creative disruption– asking to what degree it can truly be helmed as a tool for expression, while simultaneously displaying the manifold ways in which it might utterly de-stabilise hitherto accepted notions of authorship. Curated by Virginia Damtsa, the show features fashion sphere favourite Von Wolfe alongside painters Jonathan Yeo and Henry Hudson – three artists boldly integrating machine-learning technologies into their respective practices in order to forward a re-evaluation of art's future. The group exhibition is the first collaboration between the aforementioned dealer, gallerist and curator Damtsa and contemporary designer Gabriel Scott who has invited the renowned curator to transform his Mayfair space into a dynamic hub for unconventional artistic collaborations that explore philosophical cultural themes. Here, the seasoned art-world maven gives provides House Collective Journal with a unique insight into the show, and tells us why AI might just be the forbear of a far more fluid experience of being in the age of multiple virtual realities.
Tell us a little about your background as a curator, and how you first became involved in the art world?
At the age of sixteen, my great-uncle sent me to an auction to purchase a work of art for him, which I sold for double the price the same day. He was furious with me at the beginning, but when he received the cheque, he gave me one pound as a reward. His passion for the arts, my family's constant trips to museums and galleries around the world, and my childhood game of recording every image that I had seen during the day gave me the thirst for art. Today, his collection is held at the Museum of Alekos K. Damtsa, in The Art Centre Giorgio de Chirico. Then, during my MA studies, I decided to turn my apartment into a gallery. I blocked the kitchen with an exhibiting wall, turned my bedroom into another exhibiting space, and opened DamtsaHaberz gallery. Due to its success, I moved to a bigger commercial space in Soho and founded Riflemaker gallery (2003-2017) with composer Tot Taylor in 2003. Since 2018, I have changed my model of exhibition from permanent gallery to temporary spaces, collaborations with other galleries and institutions to art fairs. I feel this model brings better results in terms of novelty and engagement. I always think you need to keep your audience surprised and intrigued.
What drives you to want to platform artists, and what are your aesthetic or conceptual criteria when choosing artists?
I see curators as kindred spirits to artists, driven by a desire to understand and explore the world through art. Artists, in my opinion, are among the most fascinating individuals, uniquely destined to tell the stories of the world like no one else can. When selecting artists for exhibitions, my criteria are that they must truly captivate me. True fascination stems from their ability to explore something original, to open my eyes to new perspectives, to push boundaries, and to evoke a sense of activism or contemplation. It's about creating intellectual and physical goosebumps. Organizing exhibitions is complex. Every time I mount a show, I tell myself it will be my last. The process, from choosing themes to selecting artists, coordinating everything, and getting the public to attend and collectors to purchase, can be quite draining. But once I see the public's response, I'm ready for the next one. What drives me is culture itself. How can we exist in a world devoid of art, music, literature, and film—the very entities that educate, raise awareness, provoke innovative ideas, and stimulate questions? My drive stems from an incessant quest to discover new realities and to continually push intellectual and artistic boundaries. I thrive on questioning and intellectual challenges; they keep me engaged and energised. Without them, I feel restless. My mind naturally gravitates towards questioning life, initiating dialogues, and engaging in intellectual pursuits and exploring uncharted territories.
How did this current show come together? Where did the idea to work with Gabriel Scott come from, and why did you settle on the subject of AI for the inaugural exhibition?
I was drawn to the aesthetic of the building and its strategic position in Cork Street, as well as the potential for an intriguing mix and dialogue between Art, Design, and Technology. My exhibitions always begin with engaging conversations. The idea originated with the artist Von Wolfe, whose paintings have undergone significant transformations since incorporating AI into his process, training it into his own data and style before creating his paintings and light boxes. His new light box titled "Euphoria Embrace" is uncanny, blurring the lines between perception and reality, prompting questions about what we see; is it a sculpture, a porcelain object, AI-generated, a drawing, or painted? For our mention in The New York Times, we had to explain the complex process in detail.
How does this show represent an evolution of the relationship between AI and modern art?
I wanted to open the discussion on AI and art and make the AI division less polarized. AI is a contentious topic among artists, and I aimed to initiate the conversation in a more nuanced manner. The questions are subtle, and negating something doesn’t bring progress. I sought to explore its impact on art and artists and also address its moral and ethical implications. When used technically and responsibly, AI can be a very useful tool. However, the problem arises from the fact that AI-generated art can be generic, soulless, and artists can end up copying other artists' work rather than relying on their own style and identity. AI has become a huge business with involvement from major corporations; therefore, I hope that ethics and the evolution of technology remain at the core of capitalism. The role of AI now is to collect it all and create some kind of collective culture, like a huge encyclopedia, which could benefit education, research, innovation, and thrive harmoniously if done ethically, considering copyright issues. With technological advances, it needs to go hand in hand with our fundamental rights and democratic values. It's there to assist us, after all, so I hope any regulations put in place will help as much with AI development as with moral conduct and transparency. Fair use of imagery also requires fair acknowledgment and credit to the creator. Overall, I think it is a powerful tool that will become more and more sophisticated with time and will help assist creativity. What I find most exciting is that some artists don't merely use the tool at face value for what it can do; instead, they subvert it, reverse it, and use it in unconventional ways. The role of artists is to push boundaries and experiment with new tools and technology.
Can you explain the specific concepts that lie behind the works in the show, and tell us why they interest you?
I was particularly interested in looking at how painters use AI and their completely different response or use of it. Von Wolfe trains AI to cultivate intense psychological narratives, skillfully arranging and crafting his protagonists within it. Von Wolfe's process embodies the seamless interplay between the artist's practice as an oil painter and the forefront of technological innovation. Striking a balance between intuitive human discernment and a cutting-edge, node-based system using diffusion models, the resulting works showcase astounding precision. Von Wolfe navigates the boundary between digital and tactile realms, both through his oil paintings and more recently with his innovative large-scale light boxes. Jonathan Yeo's exploration of the power dynamics between humanity and technology evokes a strategic chess game, where the outcome remains uncertain. Known for his radical approach to portraiture, Yeo presents a captivating series that transcends conventional identity. By employing 3D scanning technology and AI algorithms to reimagine self-portraiture, Yeo's "Paradox of Progress" blurs the boundaries between the tangible and the virtual and questions the evolution of technology. This invites the viewers to question the very nature of progress in the digital age. For Henry Hudson, the notion of AI evokes a sense of hysteria, questioning its limits, our control over it, and whether it ultimately controls us. Henry Hudson melds technology seamlessly into this new series, transcending physical and digital boundaries. His creations serve as a metaphor for the fluidity of existence in the digital age, prompting contemplation on the influence of AI on our lives.
Please find more info at www.virginiavisualarts.com
