In the rapidly developing landscape of Artificial Intelligence, the intersection of art and AI has emerged as a compelling and controversial frontier. Technology has offered new tools, techniques, and even completely original artworks as a result of AI, though not all welcome the advancements into the art world with open arms. We spoke to two artists from the BRUSHWRK community to hear about their relationship to AI, and how it plays a role in their practice...
Collin Mercer, @artbycollinmercer:
“AI has not been something I've experimented with in my art. I feel it takes away from the true meaning of what it is to be an artist. Although AI has its positives, I don’t think merging it into art should be one of them.
I began my art journey by taking photographs. Before selfies became a thing, I experimented with self-portrait and documentary photography. Having editing software at my fingertips was fascinating, and digital mediums were generally my favorite choice.
After a while, I felt that editing my images made my art lack authenticity. Suddenly, everyone was taking selfies, and continuing as a self-portrait artist felt like following a trend. So, I switched up my portraits by experimenting with shutter speed and creating more abstract works.
Eventually, relying solely on digital tools became a chore. Everywhere I looked, someone was taking a photograph, and I realized I missed using organic tools and materials. This led me back to painting abstract works. Using plaster and paint felt like returning to art at its core.
People rely too much on technology these days, and with the rise of AI, I imagine people will use their natural creativity less and less. It's important for young artists not to let AI replace the desire to express oneself authentically.
While AI has many useful applications and can improve our lives, we also need to be careful that it does not diminish our humanity. We shouldn't become too reliant on it to the point where it replaces the beauty of human expression, individuality, and connection with others”
Next we heard from Curtis Donovan, @c.donovanartist, who gave two replies to the question of his relationship to AI - the first, written without AI, and the second, using ChatGPT…
“Every single day I use AI. Or no that's a lie. It's used on me and I access it because it's the done thing. Running around in a balaclava with no car registration and a brick phone isn't going to be the done thing for a 6ft black man in London.
Back to my practice, sorry. I paint and draw and make by hand and I generally gather and organise information up here (points at his head) I use the old photoshop that belongs to me rather than it being loaned out with a chain attached. So yeah very Independent, organic, anti tech, paranoid conspiracy type artist..
Thats also severely dyslexic and doesn't speak public sector jargon or art speak or cv language. You know where this is going, don't you?
Chat gpt has been rinsed on a few occasions and every single time. I have had to spend a similar amount of time editing and prompting as I would have done writing naturally, but at least it can help me sound like one of them.
My overarching view is that it's a tool that can hopefully enable all of us to get the best out of what we're doing and allow us to reach higher potentials.
Yet again the elephant in the room is economics. The free stuff isn't that good. Clients will use it to skimp on the chronically underpaid class of geniuses to make more sub par stuff like the willy wonka thing in Scotland..”
Curtis’s answer, using ChatGPT:
"Every day, I find myself entangled in a dance with AI. Well, not really. It's more like AI is doing the cha-cha around me while I try to keep up. In a world where blending in is expected, being a 6ft black man in London with a brick phone and no car registration is definitely not the done thing. So, reluctantly, I succumb to the norm and embrace the digital age, albeit with a touch of scepticism.
You see, I'm an artist—a painter, a drawer, a maker. I thrive on the tangible, the organic, the raw. While others are chained to their Photoshop subscriptions, I cling to my trusty old version, free to mold and shape as I see fit. Call me paranoid, call me a conspiracy theorist, but I prefer to keep my creative process in my own hands, rather than at the mercy of some faceless corporation.
Oh, and did I mention I'm severely dyslexic? Yeah, that's another layer to this already tangled web. Public sector jargon? Art speak? CV language? It might as well be Greek to me. But hey, I've managed to carve out my own path despite the odds stacked against me.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-tech by any means. I recognize the power and potential of AI as a tool to unlock new creative realms. It's just that, well, there's always an elephant in the room, isn't there? And in this case, it's economics.
The allure of free AI tools is undeniable, but let's be real—they're not all they're cracked up to be. Sure, they might save a few pennies here and there, but at what cost? Too often, they're used to cut corners, to skimp on the very people who pour their hearts and souls into their craft.
Take that Willy Wonka debacle up in Scotland, for example. A prime example of what happens when you prioritise profit over quality. It's enough to make any self-respecting artist's blood boil. But amidst all the chaos and frustration, I still hold out hope. Hope that AI can be a force for good, a catalyst for change. That it can empower us all to reach new heights of creativity and innovation.
So, here I am, standing at the crossroads of art and technology, trying to find my way in a world that's constantly evolving. It's a journey fraught with challenges and uncertainties, but it's also filled with endless possibilities. And if there's one thing I've learned, it's this: as long as we stay true to ourselves and our vision, there's no limit to what we can achieve.”
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If you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out our other blog posts including Artist Spotlight interviews and more over on https://www.brushwrk.co.uk/blog and whilst you’re there, why not have a look through all of the fantastic art we have for sale from emerging artists? Pop into the website to see what catches your eye…
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