The Work of Art in the Age of Machine Learning
art by Sofia Crespo
The Work of Art in the Age of Machine Learning
Sunday, December 8
Panel Discussion
2pm - 3pm
Speakers
Moderated by Jason Bailey, Artnome
About
In 1935 cultural critic and philosopher Walter Benjamin wrote his now classic essay The Work of Art in The Age of Mechanical Reproduction in which he proposes that the mechanical reproduction of a work devalues its aura and uniqueness as a work of art.
Over eight decades later, we have entered the era of AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) where machines are just starting to move beyond reproduction of art and into participation in the art making process (albeit heavily guided by humans). On this panel we ask if machines truly are participating in the creative process, and if so, whether this participation further devalues the aura of art through the tireless repetition of algorithms. Or alternatively, do new tools like AI and ML augment, amplify, and highlight human creativity and give artists an exciting new path forward ripe for exploration?
Moderated by writer and curator Jason Bailey, the founder of the future-forward art and tech website Artnome, this panel takes its name from a conceptually updated reprisal of Benjamin’s essay.
We will discuss the new questions that emerge around artistic creation as a direct result of AI and ML and what they mean for artists, critics, dealers, and collectors. The panel includes four of the most creative and challenging artists working with art and technology today, all of whom deal directly with AI and ML in their work. Additionally, the panel will include the perspective of a successful gallerist who is leading the way in supporting and promoting emerging generative artists with a focus on AI and ML.