Magazine

BARRY SUTTON: "THE ONLY LIMITATION IS THE IMAGINATION"

PHOTOGRAPHY, AI, AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Barry Sutton is an American artist and educator who uses photography and AI to challenge conventional notions of beauty and truth. Over the past 30 years, his photographic work has largely focused on youth culture. Recently, Sutton has integrated creative AI into his practice, leveraging his expertise to "break the rules" of contemporary image-making. Like many photographers working with AI, he embraces visual imperfections and explores opportunities that were previously unattainable with traditional cameras. Sutton is particularly intrigued by the collective consciousness that AI provides access to, especially as it relates to the creative process. His ongoing experiments with LLMs and diffusion models deepen his exploration of what it means to make art in this new technological era. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Barry Sutton speaks about how his role in academia keeps him curious, the shortened distance between creative ideas and execution thanks to AI, and his most recent project, EVIDENCE.

MERZMENSCH: "WE CANNOT STOP TEACHING VISUAL LITERACY"

AI AND ART

For nearly a decade, Merzmensch has been exploring the creative side of generative AI. He has experimented with the most accessible models and approaches, from Google's Deep Dream in 2016 to RunwayML in 2024. As a creative member of the OpenAI Community Ambassador Group since 2020, Merzmensch's goal has always been to unleash the creativity of AI by pushing these models to their limits. His 2021 series, EVE OF DIFFUSION (MONA LISA DRINKING WINE WITH DA VINCI), tested the cultural and theoretical knowledge of DALL-E 1, to which he gained early access. In conversation with Anika Meier, Merzmensch discusses the early days of AI diffusion models, the inspiration for his series EVE OF DIFFUSION, and what it means to live in a "post-truth" society.

AARON HUEY: A NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC RENAISSANCE?

AI AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Aaron Huey transitioned from studying traditional art forms to photography, finding it to be an ideal medium for his travels to remote areas. His experiences documenting protests and communities inspired him to create more profound narratives, including work for National Geographic. When he gained access to the National Geographic Instagram account in 2012, it provided an opportunity to share more authentic and behind-the-scenes imagery without the lengthy editorial processes. This shift empowered photographers to communicate impactful stories directly to a vast audience, highlighting the potential of images to influence reality. Huey plays an integral role in the ongoing evolution of photography, particularly highlighting the rise of AI-assisted imagery and its potential for artistic innovation. He expresses skepticism about the art world’s focus on commercial success rather than genuine talent. While he is excited about the creative possibilities of new technologies, he also emphasizes the critical need for photojournalism in a society increasingly disconnected from reality. Huey acknowledges the challenges posed by misinformation and the skepticism surrounding visual evidence, reflecting on his dual role as an artist and a photojournalist concerned about data integrity and the implications of these changes. On the occasion of the exhibition REIMAGINE TOMORROW, 1954–2024, Anika Meier and Aaron Huey discuss his artistic beginnings, his photography for National Geographic and in the metaverse, image-making in the age of AI and Trump, and his predictions for the future of photography.

LEAH SCHRAGER: THE EVOLUTION OF SELFIE FEMINISM

SOCIAL MEDIA AND CENSORSHIP

Instagram has influenced Leah Schrager's artistic practice, merging photography and performance art through projects like NAKED THERAPY and her signature series, INFINITY SELFIE, which allows her to share nude images by repeating them. Despite gaining around 3 million followers, she found that her success on Instagram hindered attention for her music projects, particularly due to a predominantly male audience. This led her to collaborate on a female-friendly project called MAN HANDS, which explored celebrity culture over two years. However, the project was interrupted by COVID-19, leaving her feeling that she still has work to share to complete that narrative. Leah Schrager discusses the complexities surrounding women's images once they are published, noting that they can go viral, be censored, or provoke a range of reactions. She expresses a more accepting attitude towards these challenges, recognizing that change takes time and emphasizing her role as a voice in the conversation. In her work ALIGNED WITH THE UNIVERSE, she embraces imperfections from AI generation, seeing them as markers of time and symbols of authenticity. Living remotely in the Sonoran Desert has increased her appreciation for online connection, motivating her to engage with the community through releasing her work as NFTs. In conversation with Anika Meier, Leah Schrager discusses censorship on Instagram, the evolution of selfie feminism, and how working with AI has changed her artistic practice.

MONIKA FLEISCHMANN & WOLFGANG STRAUSS: CREATING VIRTUAL WORLDS LIKE FAIRY TALES

NEW MEDIA ART AND VIRTUAL REALITY

Monika Fleischmann and Wolfgang Strauss are Berlin-based digital art pioneers. Since the mid-1980s, they have been working at the intersection of art and technology, ranging from virtual reality and interactive environments to generative art, consistently exploring code and computers as artistic media. The artist duo broke new ground by forming interdisciplinary teams in technical and scientific environments. They approached emerging technologies as tools and sources of artistic inspiration and cultural transformation. Their pivotal role in the history of digital art was cemented in 1987 when they co-founded ART+COM, Germany's first research institute for digital media, art, and architecture.

FRANZISKA OSTERMANN: THE FUTURE OF SELFIE FEMINISM

POETRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Franziska Ostermann is a multimedia artist whose main interests are contemporary photography, video, and writing, as well as their intersection. In her work, she explores virtuality, matters of identity, and the internet. Her work has been shown internationally, including in New York City, Paris, and Berlin. Most recently, she exhibited at HEK Basel, Synthesis Gallery, and NRW Forum Düsseldorf. Ostermann received a residency grant from the Berlin Senate for young German-speaking authors at the Literary Colloquium Berlin, as well as the Liliencron Award for Emerging Poets. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Ostermann discusses the selfie as a feminist act, the aesthetic power of the color white, and the connection between visual art and poetry.

ON THE SPIRALPROJEKT BY BETHA SARASIN

EARLY GENERATIVE ART AND THE BLOCKCHAIN

Betha Sarasin (1930–2016) was a Swiss artist known for her strikingly diverse oeuvre. In addition to informal and concrete paintings and figurative and concrete drawings, among others, it also includes, from 1978, computer-aided works. SPIRALPROJEKT is a generative multimedia project that dates back to 1983. Sarasin, together with musician Markus Ganz (*1961) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Freiburg, Germany, developed a software in Fortran to create three-dimensional spirals. So far, she had mainly made cuts on the cube; now she wanted to achieve an orderly spatial movement for the cube, to make it fly, so to speak, and capture infinity. In the early 1980s, however, the spiral data could not be used in real time to generate music. In 2024, the multimedia project that Betha Sarasin and Markus Ganz thought up in 1983 was finally realized. In a conversation with Anika Meier, Markus Ganz and the Foundation Betha and Teff Sarasin discuss the work on the SPIRALPROJEKT, its historical significance, and explain why Betha Sarasin is a pioneer of generative art.

SUSANNE PÄCH ON HER LIFE WITH HERBERT W. FRANKE

GENERATIVE ART, SCIENCE FICTION AND SCIENCE

Dr. Susanne Päch is a journalist and media expert. She holds a PhD in the history of science as well as communication. Her husband was Herbert W. Franke. She manages his estate and art meets science – the Foundation Herbert W. Franke. In conversation with Anika Meier, Susanne Päch reflects on her time with Herbert W. Franke and discusses what makes his life's work still so relevant today. She also shares her work for the Foundation Herbert W. Franke, including the Generative Art Summit and publication projects such as THE ORCHID CAGE, and explains how art and communication have changed in the post-digital age.

PHOTO EDITION BERLIN: DISCOVERING GENERATIVE AND CONCRETE PHOTOGRAPHY

IN CONVERSATION WITH GUNTHER DIETRICH

Gunther Dietrich is the founder of Photo Edition Berlin, which opened in 2008. One of the gallery's first exhibitions showcased works by Gottfried Jäger, the founder of "Generative Photography." The name Photo Edition Berlin has been programmatic from the beginning: "Photography" means "drawn with light," and "Edition" emphasizes photography as the reproduction medium par excellence. On the occasion of the exhibition by Gottfried Jäger and Hein Gravenhorst, presented jointly by Photo Edition Berlin and EXPANDED.ART, Anika Meier and Gunther Dietrich discuss the beginnings of Photo Edition Berlin, the history of generative photography, and how Jäger and Gravenhorst have shaped the history of photography, as well as how NFTs are changing the digital art market.

PATRICK LICHTY: ON DIGITAL MINIMALISM

Pixel Art and Plotter Drawings

Patrick Lichty is a multifaceted artist known for his work in various technological media. Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1962, Lichty's upbringing was immersed in art, technology, and science fiction. His career spans over three decades, during which he has established himself as a media artist, writer, curator, designer, and educator. Lichty is especially recognized for his contributions as a principal member of the virtual reality performance art group Second Front and as the animator for the activist group The Yes Men. His diverse skills in digital intermedia include proficiency in printmaking, kinetics, video production, generative music, and neon art. Additionally, Lichty's role as a media "reality" artist and theorist reflects his deep engagement with how media and mediation influence our understanding of the environment. In conversation with Anika Meier, Patrick Lichty discusses how he got involved in the early net art and post-Internet art scene, how Roman Verostko inspired him to create plotter drawings, digital minimalism, and taking photos with a wristcam in the early 2000s.

MUD GALLERY: GENERATIVE ART IN CHINA

IN CONVERSATION WITH WU YISHEN

MUD Gallery and EXPANDED.ART present the international group exhibition IMAGINE TODAY, 2024, at the gallery in Shanghai, on the occasion of the exhibition THE PATH TO THE PRESENT, 1954-2024, and the GENERATIVE ART SUMMIT (by Foundation Herbert W. Franke). Curated by Anika Meier, the exhibition showcases 11 artists who are working with AI today, imagining stories and exploring AI's creative potential. IMAGINE TODAY, 2024, embarks on a journey through the digital landscapes of tomorrow, crafted by the visionary minds of today's AI artists. On the occasion of the group exhibition IMAGINE TODAY, 2024, Anika Meier and Wu Yishen, the founder of MUD Gallery, discussed the past and present of generative art in China, the gallery's mission, and his thoughts on AI.

HANS DEHLINGER ON FIBO

GENERATIVE ART AND ITS HISTORY

Hans Dehlinger (*1939, Germany) began working with programming languages and computers in the early 1960s during his studies in architecture at the University of Stuttgart (Dipl.Ing.). He continued his education at the University of California, Berkeley (M.Arch., Ph.D.), where he also worked as an environmental planner and architect. In 1980, he became Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kassel, Germany, where he taught until his retirement in 2004. In conversation with Anika Meier, Hans Dehlinger discusses his first generative art long-form project titled FIBO. FIBO, derived from the name of the mathematician Fibonacci, explores the relationship between mathematical order and aesthetic beauty. The well-known Fibonacci sequence, characterized by each number being the sum of the previous two, serves as a foundation for this exploration. By incorporating the concept that order contributes to beauty in artistic creations, FIBO aims to generate aesthetic experiences akin to those envisioned by Max Bense. The program utilizes key parameters, including the Fibonacci sequence-based grid and line numbers, to experiment with the fusion of mathematical order and artistic expression.

OLIVIER BODINI: THE ART OF CODING

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ALGORITHMS

Olivier Bodini, a distinguished professor of computer science, currently holds a professorial position at Sorbonne Paris Nord University. Since 2020, he has been leading a digital art team situated at the MSN (Maison des Sciences Numériques), an innovative center located at the core of the university. Under his guidance, the team is engaged in the MunstrA project, which seeks to establish connections between mathematics, computer science, and digital art. In a discussion with Anika Meier, Olivier Bodini explores the art of coding, elaborates on why art is grounded in rules, and delves into the concepts of creativity, context, and complexity and their significance in art creation.

HARTO: DISCUSSING IMMUTABLE MEMORIES

PLOTTER DRAWINGS AND ORDINALS

Born in Spain in 1993, Harto embodies the convergence of different disciplines in his role as an artist and designer, weaving elements of the natural world, theatrical representation, and digital innovation into his work. His academic background in industrial design and prototyping, from which he graduated in 2016, provided a solid foundation for his artistic career. In conversation with Anika Meier, Harto discusses his beginnings as an artist, working with code as a medium, plotter drawings and ordinals.

PATRICK TRESSET: ROBOTS AS STYLIZED ACTORS

AI AND DRAWING

Patrick Tresset is a contemporary French artist known for his performative installations, drawings, paintings, and digital works. Born in France in 1967, Tresset studied at Goldsmiths College in London from 2004 onwards, where he earned a master’s degree and an MPhil in Arts and Technology. He explores the representation of human presence and experience using computational systems, AI, robotics, and traditional media. In conversation with Anika Meier, Patrick Tresset discusses the role of the artist in the age of AI, working with robots as "stylized actors," and the present and future of art and technology

WUBBUSHI: LEFTOVERISM

AI AND POST-PHOTOGRAPHY

Born in Yakima, Washington, and raised in Seattle, Jon Wubbushi transitioned from a serial tech entrepreneur to a dedicated AI artist. His work blends the immediacy of street photography with the power of figurative and abstract painting, resulting in a new visual language native to AI-based Post Photography. In conversation with Anika Meier, Wubbushi discusses the flexibility of AI art aesthetics and the freedom to experiment with different styles to find authentic resonance. Wubbushi introduces the concept of Leftoverism, which repurposes discarded cultural artifacts to challenge the ephemerality of modern life, drawing inspiration from artists such as Murakami, Koons, Warhol, Baldessari, and Duchamp.

SASHA KATZ: ECHOES OF THE PAST

AI AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Sasha Katz's artistic journey revolves around the exploration of female sensuality and body poetry. Her work challenges and redefines conventional beauty standards, celebrating diversity and the unconventional. In her 3D heroines, Katz is searching for the essence of digital tenderness and fragility, harnessing these elements as expressions of her profound admiration for women. In conversation with Anika Meier, Sasha Katz discusses her artistic journey from 3D to Web3, growing up on the Internet and the so-called Selfie Feminism, photography and AI.

VIKKI BARDOT: BETWEEN HUMAN INTUITION AND MACHINE PRECISION

AI AND THE TIMELESSNESS OF ART HISTORY

Vikki Bardot is a multi-faceted AI artist, formerly a professional in the film industry, a musician, and a painter. Her style is influenced by the aesthetics of early photography and avant-garde movements. Often incorporating intertextual references, her art explores themes of time, femininity, the body, and transformation. In conversation with Anika Meier, Vikki Bardot discusses her background in film and music, her thoughts on AI and the timelessness of art history, and the importance of storytelling for her work as an artist.

AGOSTON NAGY: THE AURA OF THE MACHINE

PLOTTER DRAWINGS AND SOCIAL COMPUTING

Agoston Nagy specializes in algorithmic art, creating code-based artistic visualizations, physical installations, and real-time sonification using code. In addition to his artistic endeavors, he conducts research exploring grassroots communities, decentralized networks, autonomy, and resilience both within and beyond the liminal web.

BETHA SARASIN: "WHY SHOULD I TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT NATURE CAN DO MUCH BETTER?"

EARLY GENERATIVE ART

Betha Sarasin (1930-2016) was a Swiss artist known for her strikingly diverse oeuvre. In addition to informal and concrete paintings, figurative and concrete drawings, sculptures, church windows, trompe-l'œil drawings and polemical objects, it also includes unusually early spray paintings and, from 1978, computer-aided works. The starting point for many of Betha Sarasin's works is the cube, which she has manipulated and expanded in a variety of ways: from the "biangle" to the animated three-dimensional cube spiral.

BARD IONSON: AI AND THE UNCANNY VALLEY

EARLY GAN AND AI

Influenced by a background in software programming and various tech roles, as well as a lifelong interest in the arts, particularly literature and philosophy, Bård Ionson discovered a deep connection to art during college. An encounter with Nam June Paik's sculpture INTERNET DWELLER in 2012 sparked a significant shift in perception. Inspired by Paik's approach of creating art from pre-made objects and ideas, Bård Ionson, previously considering himself more of a writer and coder than a visual artist, began exploring art creation through code, electronics, and eventually artificial intelligence. The experience with INTERNET DWELLER served as an epiphany, prompting a decision to embrace the identity of an artist and marking a transformative moment in their artistic journey. In a conversation with Anika Meier, Bård Ionson discusses early GAN art and the current status of AI art, training models, working with prompts, and shares how he transitioned from a software programmer to an artist.

JOHN F SIMON, JR: "CREATING AN AI TO INNOVATE LIKE ME"

DRAWING DAILY AND AI

John F Simon, Jr. is a multimedia artist and Software Art pioneer whose works are found in the permanent collections of The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, among others. In conversation with Anika Meier, John F Simon, Jr speaks about how drawing daily has changed his life, how to get paid working full-time as an artist, and the differences between working with code and AI.

BORIS ELDAGSEN: "THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE FUTURE IS WHAT AI LEAVES BEHIND"

AI AND PROMPTOGRAPHY

Boris Eldagsen is the artist who made headlines by turning down the prestigious Sony Photography World Award in 2023. In a world where AI sparks debates between haters and worshippers, Eldagsen offers a unique perspective that transcends the binary narrative. Rejecting the notion that AI is solely a threat to creativity, Eldagsen emphasizes the importance of human agency and expertise in harnessing AI as a tool for artistic expression.

ALEJANDRO CARTAGENA: WHAT AI IS CAPABLE OF

PHOTOGRAPHY AND AI ON THE BLOCKCHAIN

Alejandro Cartagena is a renowned photographer known for his captivating series CARPOOLERS and his pioneering role as the co-founder of Fellowship, a platform that champions historical and contemporary artists at the forefront of photography, generative art, AI, and video.

WILLIAM LATHAM: THE ARTIST AS A GARDENER

EVOLUTIONARY ART AND MUTATOR AI

William Latham gained recognition as a pioneering figure in generative art with his MUTATOR evolutionary art, developed at IBM during the late 1980s and early 1990s. His creations, characterized by organic, frequently serpentine shapes, are generated using his unique "alternative evolutionary software system" (created in collaboration with Stephen Todd and their team). This software allows Latham to select and crossbreed 3D forms that transcend the boundaries of human imagination. In conversation with Anika Meier and Noah Bolanowski, William Latham discusses his concept of the artist as a gardener and the influence of gardening on his art, organic and evolutionary art, and the past, present, and future of digital art and AI.

SCERBO: THE BIRTH OF UNREALIZED PROJECTS

AI AND THE VALUE OF IDEAS

Born in 1984, Scerbo is an Italian multidisciplinary artist who delves into the convergence of photography, AI, and digital painting, particularly emphasizing non-generative glitch art. His most recent collection, UNREALIZED PROJECT, comprises 69 artworks produced with AI, showcasing the significance of concepts and ideas. This series originated from the artist's desire to preserve concepts for installations and performances that are unfeasible in reality. In conversation with Anika Meier, Scerbo discusses AI as a tool to create art and the value of ideas, unrealized projects and an imaginary museum.

MARK SABB: PRESS ESCAPE. THE INTERVIEW

VIDEO GAMES AND AI

Mark Sabb, the versatile creator behind FeltZine, is involved in various roles. He not only produces installations, curates shows, and manages a platform but also develops video games and creates art. Sabb and FeltZine have been actively engaging in discussions surrounding online culture for years, emerging as prominent voices in examining and presenting cultural shifts facilitated by new technologies. In a dialogue with Anika Meier, Sabb reflects on the inception of FeltZine, the transition from Web 2 to Web3 in the realm of the Internet, the evolving role of artists in the AI era, and the influence of video games on his artistic endeavors.

ELEMENT LEE: "A SENSE OF BELONGING"

VIDEO GAMES AND PIXEL DRAWINGS

EXPANDED.ART is committed to supporting emerging digital artists with the program EXPANDED DISCOVERIES. The digital artworks of the selected artists will be presented in a one-week-long solo exhibition at the Showroom in Berlin and released on EXPANDED.ART. The aim is to collaborate with art schools and universities to find talents and introduce them to working with a gallery. The artists will be individually mentored on topics such as storytelling and communication. The first EXPANDED DISCOVERIES artist is Element Lee, a Chinese digital artist based in Vienna. He studied art theory at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and is now a M.A. student in digital arts at the University of Applied Arts Vienna (die angewandte) in the class of UBERMORGEN. Element Lee explores the relationship between humans, technology, and nature. He creates pixel drawings with mobile phones and expands them to physical media like laser, robotic drawing, and 3D printing. In conversation with Anika Meier he discusses video games and Chinese culture, and pixel drawings and digital art.

KEVIN ESHERICK: "WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE AN AI?"

AI AND THE LATENT SPACE

Kevin Esherick is an American conceptual artist and writer based in New York. A wide-ranging curiosity guides his work, which touches on subject matter from consciousness to consumerism to the philosophy of aesthetics, and mediums from denim to dynamic NFTs to generative AI. His practice is informed by his background in philosophy, psychology, and technology. In June 2024, his debut solo exhibition, titled IN UTERO, will premiere at EXPANDED.ART in Berlin. Prior to the exhibition's launch, Anika Meier and Kevin Esherick engaged in a conversation about post-Internet art and the transformation of art in the digital realm amidst the influence of social media, AI and latent space, as well as life art and manglecore.

NICEAUNTIES: "ANYONE CAN BE AN AUNTIE"

AI AND STORYTELLING

On the occasion of Gallery Weekend Berlin, EXPANDED.ART and Fellowship present Niceaunties first solo exhibition in Germany. In conversation with Anika Meier, Niceaunties discuss AI and storytelling, auntie culture and beauty treatments, and criticism of AI and how to deal with it. (Spoiler: don't deal with it!)

EMI KUSANO: FICTIONAL FUTURES AND COGNITIVE CHAOS

AI AND NOSTALGIA

Emi Kusano’s first job was taking fashion photos in the streets of Tokyo. She has always known that she was meant to be an artist, but she didn’t think she could make a living from it. Besides photography, she found other ways to be creative, such as playing in the band Satellite Young. Emi dressed up as an 80s idol and sang about technology. When Emi started working with AI, she understood that knowledge and taste are reflected in art more profoundly than ever before. She imagines fictional pasts and futures inspired by Japanese Futurism and subcultures, advocating for a mindful engagement with the world around us. In conversation with Anika Meier, Emi Kusano discusses retrofuturism and nostalgia, street photography and AI, mass media and social media, feminism, and the digital art market.

DANNY FRANZREB: THE EARLY DAYS OF FLASH, PROCESSING, AND THE BLOCKCHAIN

GENERATIVE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Danny Franzreb's interest in computers and technology led him to blockchain and NFTs. Understanding technology and its impact on society, art, and culture weren’t enough for him. He wanted to meet and understand the people building the infrastructure; he wanted to make blockchain and crypto mining tangible. The result is PROOF OF WORK, a photo book and exhibitions around it that capture the unique individuals and diverse locales of the crypto mining scene, ranging from small-scale basement prospectors and industrial mining farms in Russia to high-tech, sustainable factories in Sweden. In conversation with Anika Meier, Franzreb discusses his career, from the early days of Flash and Processing to his photo book PROOF OF WORK, which documents mining and miners.

DANILO XHEMA: "ART HAS TO CONVEY A MESSAGE"

IRONY AND NOSTALGIA

In the vibrant intersection of traditional and digital, Danilo Xhema has forged a unique path, blending the world of painting with the realm of digital art. His exploration of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic became a gateway to a new frontier, encompassing NFTs, tokenization, and an innovative fusion of mediums.

NATHANIEL STERN & SCOTT KILDALL IN CONVERSATION: DATA-DRIVEN ECOLOGICAL AESTHETICS

PERFORMANCE ART AND BLOCKCHAIN

The artistic collaborations between Scott Kildall, who transforms data into tangible art, and Nathaniel Stern, an artist deeply engaged in a multidisciplinary approach to technology, combining digital and analog practices, invite viewers to step into the transformative power of words, ecological aesthetics, and data. In conversation with Anika Meier, Stern and Kildall explore data and words, performance art and interactive art, and delve into the broader realm of blockchain and generative art.

CHRIS COLEMAN AND DEV HARLAN IN CONVERSATION: "NATURE IS A CONSTRUCT"

NATURE AND TECHNOLOGY

Embark on a journey with Dev Harlan and Chris Coleman as they venture into the realms of 3D scanning and rendering. Ever wondered how real objects find their representation in the digital world or what happens when the ephemeral nature of digital media meets enduring physical artifacts? In conversation with Anika Meier, artists Chris Coleman and Dev Harlan delve into the depths of their collaborative creation, THIN NATURES. In this insightful dialogue, they unravel the complex dynamics intertwining technology, nature, and human perception, providing significant perspectives on our digital realities.

UBERMORGEN: FREE FLOATING RADICALS

NET.ART AND VIDEO GAMES

lizvlx and Luzius Bernhard found each other in a basement in Vienna in 1994 and have started working together as an artist duo without clear responsibilities. They call themselves 'free floating radicals'. They are neither scared of being held responsible for their actions that challenge institutions and authorities, nor do they fear not being accepted by the art world. UBERMORGEN keep creating work for future audiences while the Internet around them changes at rapid speed. The Internet is changing, so their art is changing. From websites to NFTs, from cats to dicks. In conversation with Anika Meier, UBERMORGEN discuss the beginning of their career, early net.art, fishers and rods, and the commodification of digital assets.

PAUL PRUDENCE: THINKING LIKE AN ALGORITHM

HAND-PLOTTING AND TYPEWRITINGS

ANNE SPALTER: "CAN ART EXIST WITHOUT AN ARTIST?"

AI AND VALUES

Anne Spalter knows how to help herself. When she was looking for a book about the pioneers of early computer art, she couldn't find an in-depth publication, so she wrote it herself. It took her six years to finish the book. Spalter took the time to speak with artists like Herbert W. Franke, Frieder Nake, and Manfred Mohr. When she first heard about artists working with technology, she wasn't convinced; she thought computers were for science. Her initial reaction helps her understand the sometimes negative responses to artists working with the latest technologies. Spalters herself became an artist interested in creating art with new technologies; she is a pioneer in the field of AI and, together with Michael Spalter, stewards one of the world's largest private collections of early computer art.

DEV HARLAN: "A RECORD OF US IN THE WORLD AFTER US"

Technostalgia and the Metaverse

The New York-based artist Dev Harlan believes that technostalgia is a coping mechanism for the rapid and unrelenting acceleration of technology and social change. In his work, the depiction of computers or devices from the past is not intended as sentimentalism. Harlan is interested in flattening the timescale between technological artifacts, past and present, and considering them all as future fossils, literally flattened into the geological strata. A record of us in the world after us. In conversation with Anika Meier, Harlan discusses technostalgia and retrofuturism, art and technology, and nature in the age of the metaverse.

VICTOR ACEVEDO: "THE WORLD BEGAN TO CHANGE"

DESKTOP COMPUTER ART AND GEOMETRY

Los Angeles-based artist Victor Acevedo is known as a desktop computer art pioneer. While life without computers is unimaginable for digital natives, life with computers was unimaginable and unfamiliar for past generations. The term computer art lasted until the 1990s, when it was replaced by the term digital art. Acevedo first encountered computer graphics in the 1980s. Before that, he was a painter. He wanted to be an oil painter like Van Gogh and Salvador Dalí. But it quickly became clear to him that he wanted to create pictures with digital tools and that this would become the new form of painting. In conversation with Anika Meier, Acevedo remembers how he came to computer art from painting, how computers changed the world and art, and how he brought cubism and photography together in his art.

AURÈCE VETTIER: HAVE WE ALREADY INVENTED EVERYTHING?

NATURE AND AI

In 2019 aurèce vettier has visited the Venice Biennale and came to the "brutal realization" that the role of the artist will have to change. He was irritated to see that the majority of the artworks were mere documentations of the status of the world today. That was not enough for him. So he chose an alias and has started working as an artist called aurèce vettier. Art is about storytelling, so this decision marked the beginning of the portrait of the artist as an AI pioneer. In conversation with Anika Meier, aurèce vettier discusses art and storytelling, AI and nature, and the new role of the artist in the age of AI.

KALEN IWAMOTO: BRINGING THE PAGE INTO THE LITERARY ARTWORK

AI AND POETRY ON THE BLOCKCHAIN

Kalen Iwamoto is one of the co-founders of theVERSEverse, a poetry NFT gallery where poem = work of art. Together with Ana Maria Caballero and Sasha Stiles, she empowers writers creatively and financially, celebrates the rise of crypto-native poetry, and onboards acclaimed writers to Web3. As an artist and poet, she explores the intersection of art and language on the blockchain. Her work takes blockchain technology and crypto culture as its point of departure and focuses on playfulness, exploration, and experimentation to push the boundaries of the NFT medium and of conceptual writing and art. In conversation with Anika Meier, Iwamoto discusses writing and poetry, blockchain and AI, and the dialogue between art and language.

QUBIBI: BEAUTY AND WORMS

VIDEO GAMES AND GENERATIVE ART

The Japanese artist qubibi is known on the Internet for his artwork of worms. That probably sounds strange. Just as astonishing is the life of qubibi, who actually didn't want to become an artist. He finally came to digital art through his circle of friends and video games. He is now one of the best-known and most successful artists in the field of generative art. In conversation with Anika Meier, qubibi talks about his path to art, about beauty and worms, generative art, and exhibitions.

CHRIS COLEMAN: "THE DIGITAL IS AS EPHEMERAL AS FLOWERS"

Digital Art and 3D Scanning

What can contemporary art be in the digital age? Artist, curator, and collector Chris Coleman has been asking this question for almost 30 years. He is Professor of Emergent Digital Practices at the University of Denver, where he teaches code to students, among other things. Until the 2021 hype surrounding NFTs, digital art was niche. Has that actually changed in the long run? In conversation with Anika Meier, Chris Coleman tells how he got into digital art and coding at an early age, how collecting digital art has changed, and why he captures the world around him using 3D scanning.

DAVID HENRY NOBODY JR.: HOW DO YOU TURN YOUR LIFE INTO A PERFORMANCE?

ART AND LIFE

David Henry Nobody Jr. speaks to Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, about performance art and NFTs, the "Fantastic Nobody," and his ability to predict the future.

MARGARET MURPHY: PHOTOGRAPHY IN A POST-SOCIAL MEDIA ERA

IDENTITY AND AI

Having grown up on the Internet and everything that comes with it, Margaret Murphy’s art speaks the language of online culture. Her brightly colored and aesthetically accentuated photographs and AI works encourage dialogues that are mostly led on social media: Murphy creates images questioning gender and the male gaze, beauty standards, and self-perception, while also exploring deeper recesses of memory and identity. In conversation with Nora Partl, Online Editor, and Anika Meier, Murphy discusses self-portraiture and identity, image-making and AI, memory, and nostalgia.

EMILY EDELMAN: MEANING BEYOND THE MESSAGE

Typography and Generative Art

Graphic designer turned generative artist, Emily Edelman, compels us to question the meaning of written text beyond its overt layer — the message. Having explored themes related to typography, communication, scale, colour, and the contrasts between physical & digital design theories, she now presents works in the form of systems of text, the understanding of which requires not a dictionary, but instead an open heart and soul. Experimenting with the concept of Asemic writing, leads her to the praxis of generating text that conveys meaning, which is predominantly aesthetic, rather than semantic in nature.

GEOFF DAVIS: "THINGS MOVE FAST IN THE COMPUTER WORLD"

MICRO ARTS AND EARLY COMPUTER ART

Generative artist Geoff Davis was inspired to create art at a young age. Instead of art in traditional forms, he found the computer to be the medium that excited him the most. The advent of personal computers and software, specifically in color, allowed him to marry his passion for creative writing and digital art. In 1984, he established the Micro Arts Group with the intention of enabling young artists who previously felt ostracized from the academic slant of digital art. Now, his innovative and community-minded vision remains through blockchain technology, NFTs, and Web3.

JURGEN OSTARHILD: "CODE IS CONTEMPORARY TEXT"

Blockchain and Post-Photography

Photographer Jurgen Ostarhild’s 40-year career boasts an impressive resume of noteworthy gallery shows and portraits of cultural figures, fashion brands, and celebrities. Despite his roots in fashion photography, Ostarhild’s motivation for creating goes far beyond the lens of a camera. The artist has delved deep into dissecting the 0s and 1s that comprise a digital image. Through the reimagination of his imagery be it with Photoshop manipulation or hex codes, Ostarhild pushes the boundaries of what exactly a photograph is. NFTs, blockchain technology, and the Web3 community have driven his pursuit of digital art even further and it seems that he has only just begun.

BENJAMIN HEIDERSBERGER: THE TRANSITION FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL

GENERATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY AND ALGORITHMIC ART

Benjamin Heidersberger has devoted a big part of his life to carrying on his father's legacy. As a pioneer in generative photography and algorithmic art, Heinrich Heidersberger left behind an extensive oeuvre consisting of his distinctive RHYTHMOGRAMS as well as, among others, photographs of architecture, macro shots, and experiments with lightning in nature. His explorations in the fields of generative photography and algorithmic art have gained international recognition. His RHYTHMOGRAMS are part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

CLAUDIA HART: ON VISION AND THE VISIONARY, CONVERSATION WITH ANIKA MEIER PART III

UNCANNY IMAGES AND SIMULATIONS

With a background in architecture and writing, Claudia Hart came into the spotlight in the 1990s as a multimedia artist interested in investigating themes of representation and identity. Hart integrates subjects from art history, philosophy, and cultural studies to examine themes of feminism, embodiment, and temporality through symbolic poetics that embroider onto real-world politics. She does this by drawing on computing, virtual imaging, and 3D animation technologies. No matter the medium, Hart has made a name for herself by creating uncanny, mesmerising images. In the third and final of three conversations with Anika Meier for EXPANDED.ART, Hart speaks about her journey from painting to animation, virtual reality, and NFTs; her background in architecture and its influence on her practise of creating uncanny images; and how Hart, as an artist of our time, sees the present.

LOVID: THE NATURE OF EXPERIMENTATION

Digital Ownership and Video Art

Tali Hinkis and Kyle Lapidus began collaborating as LoVid in 2001. What strated as a synergy of individual interests in technologies has evolved into a shared artistic vision for more than 20 years. With an ever-strong affection for analogue media and a pioneering spirit for new technologies, LoVid's works are at the cusp of analogue and digital. Immersive installations, sculptural synthesizers, single-channel videos, and textile art evolve from the duo's hand-built instruments, which are as much part of the process as they are of the artwork. In conversation with Anika Meier, Tali Hinkis and Kyle Lapidus speak about the evolution of LoVid, from the early stages of making noise music to eventually bringing their media art on the blockchain, the benefits and challenges of creating art as a couple, bridging the gap between the traditional and digital art worlds, and the future of NFTs.

CLAUDIA HART: MIND AND BODY, CONVERSATION WITH ANIKA MEIER PART II

CULTURE WARS AND ANIMATIONS

Claudia Hart wrote her way into visual art. Leveraging her positions at ID and later at ARTFORUM, Hart took the opportunity to explore the obscure corners of design and contemporary art and became obsessed. Her obsession led to her curating an exhibition in 1984 about art and design crossover, an impulse that then swept the art scene. It was called HOUSE ON THE BORDERLINE, and was staged at White Columns, New York's oldest alternative non-profit space. The artists, curators, and writers she met—from the gallerist Holly Solomon to artists Dan Graham and Ericka Beckman—guided her. Hart's explorations led her to rediscover herself as an artist using multiple mediums, from the decorative arts to painting and animation.  In the mid-1990s, Hart saw the movie TOY STORY at the Berlin Film Festival. It inspired her to animate A CHILD’S MACHIAVELLI (Penguin Edition, 1996), her most well-known illustrated book. This piece has lasting relevance. First because of its profound human theme—political strategy and the will to power—but also because the artist translated her version of Niccolò Machiavelli's Renaissance treatise THE PRINCE from one new technology into the next over the course of thirty years. 

CLAUDIA HART: "I AM NOT A FUTURIST", CONVERSATION WITH ANIKA MEIER PART I

DIGITAL ART HISTORY AND POST-PHOTOGRAPHY

Claudia Hart is one of the most well-known female pioneers of digital art, with a career that began in the early 1990s. Starting by defining all that photography was not, the New York-based artist reimagined image-making in the early days of virtual reality. She pioneered what are now ubiquitous technologies: 3D rendering, printed sculptures, and virtual and augmented realities. Hart’s influence on contemporary digital art is substantial. Her work is in prestigious collections and exhibitions such as, among others, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the THOMA Foundation, and is the cover image of Christiane Paul’s fourth edition of DIGITAL ART, published in May 2023. The book is considered to be the canon of digital art history.

ANA MARÍA CABALLERO: "POEMS ARE WORKS OF ART"

POETRY ON THE BLOCKCHAIN

Colombian-American artist Ana María Caballero believes that “poetry = work of art”. As the co-founder and curator of theVERSEVerse, a digital poetry gallery, her efforts to bring poetry to a new and engaging audience by way of NFTs have made her one of the most notable and respected poets in all of Web3. Her internationally exhibited work pushes boundaries on the subjects of motherhood, societal and cultural rites, and the concept of sacrifice as a virtue. In conversation with Anika Meier, Caballero speaks about the difference between writing a poem to mint as NFT or publish in a book, finding inspiration for her writing through her life experiences, and her optimism for the future of poets in Web3.

OONA: QUESTIONING THE VALUE OF WOMEN'S ARTWORK

Performance Art and Feminism

OONA, the anonymous performance artist, is a mirror. Born from the rich history of feminist video and performance art, OONA's work centers on topics all of us know but often are too fearful to broach. She is a rising figure in the NFT space engaging in performances virtually on her Twitter feed and physically in the form of live auctions at museums like The Metropolitan Museum of Art and art fairs such as Art Basel Miami. OONA's presence is commanding yet enticing. She exists behind her signature sunglasses and curtain face mask, obscuring any recognizable features that could distract you from her often bare breastplate (a wearable performance in itself) intended to pose a multitude of questions surrounding the financial value of both art and artist, especially in contrast to any who do not identify as white, cisgender men. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, OONA discusses the blockchain as a medium for performance art, the equity (or inequity) of the new online art world, and existing as a female artist under the male gaze.

TALI HINKIS: THE GENDERED SPACE OF TECHNOLOGY

FEMALE PIONEERS AND POWER STRUCTURES

When Tali Hinkis started creating digital art during her studies in Paris in the 1990s, it was almost forbidden. She was drawn toward video art and has been bringing the element of technology into her practice ever since. Hinkis has evolved her practice from experimenting with audio-visuals to generative art and NFTs. Together with her partner Kyle Lapidus, Hinkis builds the artist duo LoVid, whose interdisciplinary works explore the often invisible or intangible aspects of contemporary society. In conversation with Anika Meier, the artist speaks about the early stages of her practice, female pioneers of digital art and power structures, the evolving the online art world, and advice she would give emerging female artists.

HANS DEHLINGER: HOW CAN ONE DEFINE ART?

Plotter Drawings and Generative Art

83-year-old Hans Dehlinger has lived a life with many chapters. Early on, there was the chapter when Dehlinger studied under German philosopher and logician Max Bense and alongside Frieder Nake, today one of the most well-known pioneers of computer art. Then, Dehlinger entered the Berkeley chapter, where he studied and later worked as an environmental planner and architect, before entering a chapter experimenting with plotter drawings and generative art. With a broad approach to art and an ever-curious mind, Dehlinger combined the previous chapters and knowledge and has become a pioneer of generative art. With a focus on algorithmically generated line drawings, Dehlinger bases his generative artworks on computer code executed on pen plotters, forming delicate structures, dense textures, or even evoking an unsharp impression from sharp lines. In conversation with Anika Meier, Hans Dehlinger discusses his career and early computer art, the past and present of generative art and the connection between science and art.

SASHA STILES: THE NEVER-ENDING CYCLE OF TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS

AI AND POETRY ON THE BLOCKCHAIN

The idea of writing a poem is, for many, quintessentially human and deeply expressive, and it stands in stark contrast to sterile and emotionless technology. Sasha Stiles, however, has always seen these two halves as a whole and finds the blockchain to be the perfect home for her writing. The Kalmyk American poet uses technology as a lens through which to understand the importance of poetry to humans and explores the technological side of lyrical writing—how poetic language has always been a data storage system. In conversation with Anika Meier, Sasha Stiles discusses the possibilities of poetry on the blockchain and the role AI plays.

OLGA FEDOROVA: CONTEMPORARY SURREALISM

NOSTALGIA AND AI

Olga Fedorova's digital photographs of the human species in absurd situations capture moments in time. The Russian artist uses three-dimensional computer rendering software to create characters and then sets them in surreal-looking settings. Even though the events and actions are familiar to us, her creatures remain distant and otherworldly, conveying a certain feeling of nostalgia and mysticism. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, Fedorova discusses her artistic practice and her journey to working with AI, the absence of men in her work, and the importance of humor in her practice.

LEONIE SPECHT: THE CUTE AND UNCANNY

Self Optimization and Pop Culture

For Leonie Specht, the face presents a playground with an array of seemingly endless opportunities to enhance, distort, and deform. With her oil paintings and works on paper, the artist puts the face and facial expressions center stage, exploring everything from plastic surgery on celebrities to the anthropomorphization of animals and toy dolls. Blurring the line between humans and animals, exploring the topic of self-optimization, and creating a microcosm between reality and fantasy, Specht's paintings present a place where the commonplace and the strange can coexist. In conversation with Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, Leonie Specht discusses her journey as an artist, the magic that painting radiates, the balancing act between the beautiful and uncanny, and self-optimization in the age of social media.

10 UNEXPECTED FACTS ABOUT ANDY KASSIER

CONCEPTUAL ART & PERFORMANCE

Andy Kassier has everything one needs to celebrate the art of the good life on social media: a smartphone and a mobile network. They allow him to always be at the right place at the right time. “I hate to spend money. Nothing is mine, but everything could be,” he says. “I don’t care about possession, I care about possibilities,” he explains. “What can you do without spending money?” Andy Kassier shows what is possible without having a bundle of cash. In this way, he wants to criticize success and coldness in the new meritocracy. Andy Kassier plays along on social media, but he does not exactly play fair. In actual fact, he cheats like everyone else, only he overdoes it without having to blush. And that is exactly as it should be: the exaggeration of self-promotion and self-improvement, the sarcasm and the irony, the art of trolling, as one could also say—all are part of his concept. Andy Kassier releases 10 unexpected facts about himself.

CHRIS DRANGE: QUESTIONING AUTHORSHIP

POST-DIGITAL ART AND SOCIAL MEDIA SYMBOLISM

Chris Drange has not painted any of his artworks, although his works are oil paintings depicting contemporary influencers like Kendall Jenner or Gigi Hadid. Drange has found an unusual way of making them: he creates sketches from various digital found objects, like influencer selfies or cute puppies, and sends them to an oil painting factory in China, where they are painted by hand on large-scale canvases. With his approach, the artist questions authorship and originality. In conversation with Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, Drange speaks about the origins of his practice, social media symbolism, and discusses the question of whether a selfie is an expression of emancipation or serves the male gaze.

JOSEFINE SCHULZ: THE INTIMACY OF SISTERHOOD

THE BEAUTY OF EVERYDAY'S LIFE

Looking at Josefine Schulz's paintings, one can sense a certain calmness and equilibrium, almost wrapping up the viewer in comfort. The artist explores the different realities of life and focuses on depicting friendships, mostly female ones. Her paintings celebrate the unexcited, everyday moments of friendly togetherness in familiar situations. In conversation with Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, Josefine Schulz speaks about her influences and her development as a young female artist, friendships as her biggest inspiration, and embracing womanhood.

JUSTIN AVERSANO: HEALING THROUGH ART

PHOTOGRAPHY AND NFTS

Justin Aversano has a deep, almost spiritual connection to art. While he has always been creative and has started taking images at an early age, Aversano found comfort in painting and making collages after his mother's passing. Since then, he has been working on projects not only for art's sake but to heal from past trauma. With his projects TWIN FLAMES and SMOKE AND MIRRORS, Aversano reflects on his individual path while creating deeply emotional art. He connects his art with the world around him by capturing moments, faces, and communities that surround him, bringing them together through the lens of his camera. He has become the most successful photographer to cross over from analogue to the NFT realm. That Aversano sold TWIN FLAMES #83 for the record amount of 1.1 million USD at Christie's has become almost common knowledge. In conversation with Anika Meier, Justin Aversano discusses his artistic journey, the role of his family, and the process of healing.

ALBRECHT/WILKE: IRONY MEETS ROMANTIC LONGING

BAD PAINTING AND SURREALISM

Artist duo Albrecht/Wilke are inseparable since they met in art school in 2017. Since then they have studied under Anselm Reyle, developed a unique visual language that ironically captures the Zeitgeist of contemporary society, and exhibited across Europe, showing their surreal visual worlds. In their works, Albrecht/Wilke address the clichés of the German middle class with irony and a dash of glamour. Combining figurative elements in an associative way and interlacing them with abstraction, they create captivatingly contemporary imagery and a highly subjective mood between naivety and unease. They draw from all sources, like the Internet, pop culture, art, or cultural history. Whatever comes their way—be it a garden gnome, a mini golf course, or a roll of mops—by humorously reflecting on the reality of their own lives, they create surreal visual worlds that ignore the seemingly strict aesthetic rules of painting. In conversation with Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, Albrecht/Wilke speak about their process of painting as a duo, their idea of "good painting", and their obsession with currywurst.

PHILLIP TOLEDANO: "AI IS A MIRROR TO THE IMAGINATION"

PHOTOGRAPHY AND AI

After decades of working in photography, acclaimed artist Phillip Toledano tried something new and started creating images with AI. Hooked by the technology and the endless possibilities it comes with, Toledano can't stop challenging himself artistically and the viewer intellectually. In his first AI series titled ANOTHER AMERICA, he reflects on a world that doesn't seem to make sense any more. Toledano's AI creations fill an empty spot in the world of post-photography and make the artist consider cutting back on conventional photography. In conversation with Anika Meier, Toledano discusses his experiences and thoughts about artificial intelligence and photography.

MIKEY WOODBRIDGE: THE EPHEMERAL STATE OF BEING

AI AND DIGITAL COUTURE

Mikey Woodbridge belongs to a truly multidisciplinary artist breed—he paints, performs, and sings. Woodbridge, however, feels most at home working with AI and thrives when creating digital couture or questioning gender and identity. The artist speaks about Berlin and the city's influence on his practice, combining performance, fashion, and AI art, and collaborating with his partner Ezra Shibboleth on recent projects.

KIRA XONORIKA: EXPLORING IDENTITY THROUGH AI

GENDER AND AI

Born in 1995, Kira Xonorika belongs to a generation that is comfortable with technological advancements and is used to integrate them into their lives. Xonorika effortlessly integrates AI into her practice and creates surrealist landscapes and figures that are immediately recognizable. With her colourful worlds, the artist challenges binaries around identity, sexual orientation, and culture as the results of colonial power infrastructures. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, Xonorika speaks about her artistic influences and her love for science fiction, her curiosity towards AI and a possible hyperhumanity.

DANIELLE KING: ARTIFICIAL EMOTIONS

FEMININITY AND AI

Looking at Danielle King's AI creations makes one wonder about the emotional side of technology. Her highly photographic works, whether depicting women, nature, or buildings, appear emotive and create an intimate relationship between the viewer and King's work. With a background in photography and film, King now utilizes AI technology to explore alternative art histories and timelines and to investigate capitalist and art historical ideals of beauty and femininity. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, Danielle King reflects on the differences between the traditional art world and the NFT space, speaks about her path from photography to working with AI, and cites women as her ultimate source of inspiration.

ELLIE PRITTS: REINTERPRETING NOSTALGIA

PSYCHEDELIA AND GLITCH

Ellie Pritts' work seems otherworldly and captivates the viewer with oversaturated colours, glitch art, and psychedelia. Working across video, photography, and AI, Pritts has developed a unique visual language that pushes the psychedelic and chromatic aspects of her work. With her digital art, she explores the relationship between cutting-edge coding techniques, analog technology from the past, and artificial intelligence. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, Ellie Pritts speaks about her love for psychedelia, her recent projects, and exploring the deeper recesses of herself.

LARS NAGLER: BETWEEN BAUHAUS AND AI

POST-PHOTOGRAPHY AND AI

Lars Nagler has been creating art for more than 20 years. His artistic journey took him from studying at Bauhaus Weimar to photography and, eventually, led him to working with AI. Nagler, however, doesn't stop there: by continuously adapting and re-imagining his visual language, the artist is a fixum in the NFT space.  Nagler discusses his career and artistic development, post-photography, and the promises of AI with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community.

CROSSLUCID: "THE COLLAPSE OF OUR WORLD AS WE KNOW IT”

The Promises and the Future of AI

How will our future look like? The times are uncertain, technology moves at high speed, and change is in the air. Artist duo Crosslucid, Sylwana Zybura and Tomas C. Toth, have devoted their practice to imagining emerging futures. Crosslucid focus on AI-generated works, thereby exploring topics of identity, sexuality, and gender. They question how technology affects our relationships and identities. In conversation with Anika Meier, the artists speak about their journey from photography to working with AI, their creative process as an artist duo, and their thoughts about the future and the promises of AI.

ANNA CONDO: "ALL ART IS ARTIFICIAL"

Artificial and Emotional Intelligence

For Anna Condo, an artistic path was almost predetermined. Coming from a family of artists, she explored various approaches for her own path: acting, filmmaking, photography, painting, and NFTs. In July 2022, Condo discovered the tools of AI and has been inspired by them ever since. Staying true to her visual language and the flower as her ultimate muse, the artist explores beauty in subtle ways. In conversation with Anika Meier and Margaret Murphy, she looks back on the art world of the 1980s, speaks about her artistic influences, and discusses the promises of AI.

ROOPE RAINISTO: STRETCHING THE BOUNDARIES OF REALITY

PHOTOGRAPHY AND AI

Roope Rainisto's AI creations are both instantly recognizable and disturbingly surreal. The Finnish artist embraces AI in all its imperfections and uses it to create AI photographs that are at once intimate and otherworldly. Roope Rainisto worked as a designer for over 25 years before fully devoting his career to exploring the field of AI photography. Since then, Rainisto has seen a remarkable rise to fame in the spheres of NFT and AI art. His NFT collection, LIFE IN WEST AMERICA, which explores a distorted vision of the idea of the American West, ranks among the highest-valued AI art collections. The work of Rainisto plays with the brain's innate pattern-seeking abilities by providing viewers with scenes that they have both seen a million times but have yet to encounter, cementing his success in the NFT space. In conversation with Anika Meier, Rainisto speaks about stretching the boundaries of AI.

ROSS GOODWIN: THE DATA POET

AI AND POETRY ON THE BLOCKCHAIN

Ross Goodwin was a ghostwriter for the White House and was on the 2008 Obama campaign team before making a U-turn and devoting his creativity to computational creative writing. Goodwin created the world’s first film from an AI-written screenplay, and in his practice, he pushes the boundaries of poetry on the blockchain. In conversation with Anika Meier, the artist speaks about his career and influences, training algorithms, and good writing and bias in AI.

ANNE SPALTER & NATHANIEL STERN: AT THE FOREFRONT OF AI

ALGORITHMIC POETRY

When exploring new territories, it is often helpful to not walk alone. That’s probably why we see more and more artists collaborating on projects in the NFT space. Experiences can be shared and expertise combined. When Anne Spalter and Nathaniel Stern met, they both knew it was meant to be. Their encounter influenced their artistic practice and impacted their work with AI. Spalter and Stern have been collaborating ever since, exploring video, poetry, and AI. In conversation with Anika Meier, the artists discuss their practice, working together, and the present and future of AI. And, of course, the conversation was also about Spalter Digital, one of the world’s largest private collections of early computer art, comprising over 1000 works from the second half of the twentieth century.

CRASHBLOSSOM: "BLOCKCHAINS CAN TRANSFORM OUR WORLD"

DYNAMIC ART AND GENERATIVE ABSTRACTION

His artist name says it all: Crashblossom defines the ambiguity of information. His name and art stand for the examination of the jagged human relationship to the technologies that define our lives. James Bloom, aka Crashblossom, creates art based on the moments when technology fails and generates dynamic digital art influenced by its viewers and collectors. In conversation with Anika Meier, Crashblossom discusses his practice and influences, the fetishization of technology, and the power of the blockchain. London-based James Bloom has been creating art since his teens. He has always viewed art as his passion, never a possible career—until he discovered crypto art. Bloom saw it as a possibility to bring together art and digital innovation while exploring society's contemporary experience. Influenced by the dopamine-triggering colours and movements of computer games and inspired by failures of technology, Bloom creates abstract works, which, through the combination of glitched forms and live data feeds, act as living artworks. Under his alias Crashblossom, the artist questions the technological systems on which his artworks are based.

EMERGENT PROPERTIES: EXPERIMENTING WITH TECHNICAL INNOVATION

GENERATIVE ART AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

What actually is generative AI? Why is AI the future? And how do you select artists for a new platform? In conversation with Anika Meier, the artist Ira Greenberg and his two co-founders at Emergent Properties, Emil and Sandy Corsillo, talk about generative AI.

ERIKA WEITZ: ART AS ALCHEMY

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY & AI

Erika Weitz is an artistic alchemist. Not only do they use the scientific concepts of alchemy in their dark room practice of collodion wet plate photography, they see the process of art making as a conjuring of dimensions between artist, subject, style and experience. In conversation with Head of Community, Margaret Murphy, Weitz discusses their incorporation of AI into traditional artistic mediums, intuition in creative conception and the importance of storytelling as citizen of the world.

"YOUR VOICE IS YOUR IDENTITY"

The Beauty of Nature and An Archive of Voices

Herbert W. Franke first encountered Harry Yeff’s work in Linz in the summer of 2021. Both were part of the exhibition PROOF OF ART at the Francisco Carolinum in Linz, the first museum to tell the brief history of NFTs. Franke, who was also a caver and rock collector, became interested in Harry Yeff and Trung Bao's work, VOICE GEMS, and soon a collaboration emerged: Yeff asked about the potential of using Franke's voice in an audio-visual production, and Franke responded by sending one of his voice gems, which is a vocal work of art in itself. In conversation with Anika Meier, Susanne Päch, the wife of Herbert W. Franke, Harry Yeff, and Trung Bao talk about the collaboration that began in 2021. Päch, who today heads the art meets science – Foundation Herbert W. Franke and lived with the artist and scientist for 40 years, also tells more about Franke's fascination with stones and what this has to do with the beginning of his artistic career.

ANNA BELLER: THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL OF ABSTRACT ART

Transcendence Through Artistic Process

Emerging abstract painter Anna Beller believes in the importance of process in her artistic practice. Whether in her physical paintings or NFTs, creating art provides Beller with an experience transcending time and space. Beller speaks about art as a form of religion, balancing both a digital and physical practice, and her sensory response to painting with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community.

IRA GREENBERG: CRACKING THE CODE

GENERATIVE AI AND CREATIVE CODING

With a background in classical art history and a pioneering spirit for the matter of computer science, Ira Greenberg has been feverishly creating in the fields of painting and coding and has worked as a creative director and art and computer science professor. He has been experimenting with creative coding and generative art long before NFTs gained momentum. With works like ORACLES and GLOMULARUS, he has taken the NFT space by storm. Ira Greenberg discusses his extraordinary career with Anika Meier.

GRETCHEN ANDREW: REMAKING THE GLOBAL INTERNET

WEB3 AND FEMALE IDENTITY

Gretchen Andrew calls herself an Internet Imperialist. Hacking systems and corporations, breaking algorithmic rules and remaking male internet power structures are on Gretchen’s agenda when trying to make the web a more democratic and female-friendly place. All of this she does with art, code, and glitter, mixing her background in tech with her artistic approach. Gretchen Andrew talks about the intersection of art and technology, reflecting on her gender identity through her work, improving the Internet, and demystifying male-dominated knowledge with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community.

JINY LAN: THE RIGHT TO SPEAK VIA ART

Feminist Art and Activism

For Jiny Lan, art and critique are interwoven; the first can’t exist without the second. Having grown up and studied art in China, she experienced early that speaking and creating art freely is a privilege–one she didn’t have but was willing to fight for. Jiny Lan’s paintings, mixed media works, installations and performances question gender roles, tell stories of Chinese women and critice societal systems. The artist speaks to Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, about her experiences leading the feminist art collective BALD GIRLS, standing out in a communist regime, and finding a voice in the art world.

HERBERT W. FRANKE & LEE MULLICAN: PIONEERS AND THEIR LEGACY

EARLY DIGITAL ART'S INFLUENCE ON NFTS

As pioneers of digital art, Herbert W Franke and Lee Mullican have left behind a significant legacy. Anika Meier discusses the artists' impact on today's digital art and NFT scene with representatives of their Estates, Susanne Päch and Cole Root.

BANZ & BOWINKEL: SIMULATING REALITY

COMPUTER ART & DIGITAL PAINTINGS

Artist duo Banz & Bowinkel have stretched the boundaries of digital art since 2008. In their works, Giulia Bowinkel and Friedemann Banz explore the human perception of the digitally augmented real world. The computer not only functions as a tool but becomes the subject matter itself and serves as the origin to blend the physical with the digital. Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, spoke to Banz & Bowinkel about their studies under Albert Oehlen and the early stages of computer art, the simulation of reality through their practice and shaping new digital environments.

MARTINA MENEGON: EXPLORING DIGITAL BODIES AND IDENTITIES

FEMINISM AND VIRTUALITY

Inspired by the endless artistic potential of cyberspace and evolving technologies, Martina Menegon’s art explores the multidimensionality of the body—specifically her own. Viewers pinch, push, and drag 3D scans of Menegon’s nude body across a screen, inspiring questions regarding the consumption of the female body both on- and offline. While many artists hesitate to incorporate a virtual practice, Menegon is embracing it and setting the stage for feminist art in the fast-approaching Metaverse age. In conversation with Margaret Murphy, Head of Community, Menegon discusses the expanse of the Internet, her relationship to her physical form, and the importance of female artists supporting one another.

ZIYANG WU: INVESTIGATING THE ALGORITHM

AI AND WEB3

New York-based artist Ziyang Wu spends his time exploring the invisible forces of the virtual world. Data and algorithms ubiquitously micro-alienate and reconstruct humans in the highly globalized post-Internet society. In his practice, Wu uses artificial intelligence, user-based Internet algorithms, and episodic video to create cutting-edge NFTs. Ziyang Wu currently teaches at the School of Visual Arts and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He is a member of the Experiment on Art and Technology Track at NEW INC, New Museum. Margaret Murphy spoke with Ziyang Wu about his creative process with AI, the ever-looming presence of algorithms, and what he looks forward to in the future of Web3.

MAYA MAN: THE ART OF ZOOMING IN

FEMINISM AND INTERNET CULTURE

Maya Man is a Los Angeles-based artist who considers the computer screen a space for intimacy and performance; her practice responds to contemporary internet cultures with a focus on identity and femininity. In conversation with Head of Community, Margaret Murphy, the artist talks about multidimensionality vs. authenticity, the Internet as a performance, and feminine aesthetics in artwork.

JONAS LUND: WHAT DOES BEING AN ARTIST MEAN?

TOKEN ECONOMY AND VALUE

The Swedish artist Jonas Lund has been concerned with the emergence of values and the distribution of power in the art market since 2012. He creates his works with the help of algorithms and viewers, who, for example, have voting rights in decisions affecting his art and career as owners of the JONAS LUND TOKEN (2018). He talks to Anika Meier about the emergence of values, changes in the art market, and the benefits of NFTs. And why do animals play an important role in his JONAS LUND TOKEN universe?

HOW TO TRANSLATE HUMOR INTO ART

Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek: Photographing Animals

Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek knows when to pull the trigger. Flying cats, alpacas on the streets of New York, or guinea pigs in cocktail glasses—his photographs transport the element of surprise like no other. The Berlin-based photographer and aspiring NFT artist has developed a characteristic visual language featuring the right amount of humor, spontaneity, and ugliness. In conversation with Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek speaks about defining his aesthetics, entering the NFT world, and capturing the perfect image.

MAXIME BALLESTEROS: BETWEEN TRUST AND INTIMACY

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Lyon-born Maxime Ballesteros has dedicated a big part of his life to creating photographs. Exploring the medium of analog film, developing a special technique to capture life's most intense moments has been Ballesteros's passion since an early age. He always knew he had it in him, even when his art school professors told him to give up photography. Maxime Ballesteros spoke to Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, about his journey leading him to become the chronist of Berlin's nightlife, creating raw intimacy in his images and the perfect picture in the age of social media.

CLARE KENNY: ASPIRATIONAL AESTHETICS

The Art of the Ordinary

To Clare Kenny, nothing is more inspiring than ordinary life. Petrol slicks become glass sculptures, and rope found in the fabric her grandmother used to work at becomes a neon installation series. Kenny's art is always authentically hers and never aspires to be art for art's sake. Her upbringing and her value system have formed Clare Kenny's view on the world as well as her artistic language, which she brings to life in the form of sculptures, photographs, and mixed media works. In conversation with Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, Clare Kenny explains her fascination for ordinary life and multidisciplinary art, the cultural feminist dialogue, and her wishes for the art market of the future.

MARK WILSON: DIE WITH THE MOST LIKES

POISON CANDY

SKYE NICOLAS: LIVING IN A SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

NOSTALGIA AND PIXEL PAINTINGS

Skye Nicolas speaks to Anika Meier about music and nostalgia, digital art and pop culture.

"TECHNOLOGY IS NOT A THREAT TO ART"

INTERVIEW WITH HERBERT W. FRANKE

Herbert W. Franke is a universal genius, you can say that with a clear conscience. For several decades he separated three lives: he was the caver and scientist, the artist and curator, the art theorist and the science fiction author. Only on the occasion his solo exhibition in 2010 at the ZKM Karlsruhe did he bring these three lives and careers together under the title "Wanderer Between the Worlds". In the early 1950s caving led him to experiment with light and technology. He kept his curiosity throughout his life; it was his drive to examine new technologies for their artistic potential. His pioneering spirit made him one of the first computer artists who was more than six decades ahead of his time. Franke discussed his visionary practice with Anika Meier in June 2022.

RUOHAN WANG'S SURREAL WORLDS

COLORS AND CONTRASTS

Ruohan Wang’s work comes from the ingenious interweaving of contrasting and pure colors. The artist’s multicultural background, from China to Germany, has established the individuality of the surreal world in her works, where abstract figures meet real-life characters. She focuses on the theme of "movement and coexistence" and brings her approach to life in the form of illustrations and paintings, as well as installations and improvisational aesthetics. In conversation with Nora Partl, Head of Content & Communication, Wang discusses her development as an artist, her place within the art world and the importance of social media.

MANUEL ROSSNER: CREATING VIRTUAL WORLDS

Virtual Architecture and Spatial Paintings

The German artist Manuel Rossner has been creating digital spaces and virtual worlds since 2012. He explores how society and art are impacted by technological advancements. He is best known for his site-specific digital work—virtual reality drawings that crash with physical buildings. His intervention focuses on the context of their location and the materiality of the digital. Rossner’s work has been exhibited throughout the world, including at the Grand Palais Éphémère (Paris), NTT InterCommunication Center (Tokyo), Hamburger Kunsthalle, Frankfurter Kunstverein, Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden and Kunsthalle Zürich. In conversation with Anika Meier, Manuel Rossner speaks about the present and future of digital art.