objkt x NFT ART DAY ZRH
We had the pleasure of being present at NFT ART DAY in Zürich this weekend!
Our co-founder Brian Mc Alister gave a workshop on Sunday. And during the whole weekend, four new pieces by artists selected by our curation team were being displayed!
Sasha Stiles is a "poet & artist whose work deciphers emergent Novacene languages, probing what it means to be human in a nearly post-human era."
The piece is a line of generative poetry by Sasha Stiles and her AI-powered alter ego.
“In 2018, I had a chance to meet a humanoid robot named Bina48 built by Hanson Robotics as an experiment in digital immortality. They hypothesized that it might be possible to preserve something of a human personality in software and reanimate it in android form. I became her poetry mentor and began to investigate how a nonhuman mind like hers used complex associations and neural pathways to turn data points into creative expression. I also started working with GPT-2—a large language model that was the ancestor of Chat GPT and GPT-4. At that time I had been working for a couple years on an analog manuscript of poetry about what it means to be human in a posthuman age; it occurred to me that I could use AI-powered natural language processing to translate, revise and augment my own verse; and that I could even fine-tune existing language models to reflect my voice as a poet.
That became the basis for Technelegy, a book of poetry co-authored with my AI alter-ego. Technelegy is a printed physical object as well as a libretto for many NFTs and multisensory, audio-visual experiences. The project keeps evolving along with the tools that power it, and with my facility as a transhuman translator” excerpt of Stiles’ interview published on Outland.
Sasha Stiles is currently participating of two physical’s exhibitions: POEME SBJKT at Librairie Metamorphoses, Paris and A EYE (After Johannes Itten) at Kunstmuseum Bern.
The piece Heliodoro Santos minted for the event is a generative landscape reconfigured in a computer vision algorithm using ML-generated images.
“For the past five years, I have been utilizing the landscape as a vehicle to explore the complex dynamics between humans, nature, and machines.”
“I started as a painter, and my training is rooted in traditional painting. However, I have always been amazed by new ways in art. Since a young age, I have been drawn to experimentation and continuous explorations of mediums, tools and languages. I have ventured into installations, sonic art, sculpture, performance, and music. In 2009, I pursued a master's degree in Digital Art in Barcelona, and that experience changed my perspective on art. It introduced me to new ways of creating art and working with technology, viewing it not just as a tool but as a process, a statement, and a philosophy.
Through my work, I strive to critically examine society's relationship with technology. My artistic approach to AI is grounded in a deep appreciation for the intricacies of technology and its impact on society. Through my work, I seek to unravel the relationship between humans and machines, examining the interplay of power, control, and coexistence. I strive to create thought-provoking pieces that challenge our perceptions, inviting viewers to reflect on the profound implications of our evolving technological landscape. For me, AI is not merely a tool or a trend, but a medium or human extension that allows me to traverse new frontiers of knowledge and tap into the vast cultural heritage of humanity."
grebenshi is an artist based in Zurich who does AI artworks based on models trained on his 3d art.
“I was born in 1982, of Russian descent but raised in Switzerland. I trained as a painter in Italy and am currently living and working in Zurich. I've always been drawn to anything associated with street culture, such as skateboarding or hip-hop, so my initial interest in art was likely influenced by graffiti. Once I showed promise in that area, it was only a matter of time until I attended art college. I eventually graduated from the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, where I studied at the Faculty of Painting. The introduction of New Media to the academy happened after my enrollment. Even during my time at the academy, I was intrigued by the issue of techniques. While mastering drawing and painting, I also experimented with mixed media, specifically exploring the crossroads of photography and painting. Over time, my practice has gravitated more towards the digital realm, where I learned digital painting, then generative art techniques, and finally 3D.”
Recently, the artist focused on AI art. “I would categorize my approach to AI as "conceptual," viewing it primarily as a very powerful but nonetheless supplementary tool. It doesn't exclusively define my practice, but I am a longtime advocate for the computational paradigm in art, which is somewhat broader than our currentunderstanding of AI art. This belief likely explains why I'm not satisfied with simply basic AI art tools but also extensively use models trained on my own art.”
In addition to the piece 'loosh’, grebenshi released other pieces from the same series that you will find on his profile.
Akosua (pronounced ‘A-koss-ya) Viktoria Adu-Sanyah is an internationally exhibited and published German-Ghanaian visual artist and documentary photographer based in Zürich, Switzerland. Her work is frequently awarded for exploring new territories through image-making, research, and human connection. She equally engages in documentary work and conceptual arts and has an active practice in the NFT and web3 space, most notably with her project Behold The Ocean.
The piece released for the event is a spread from 'Rough Tide,' the debut monograph by Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah, which traverses the poignant journey of grief throughout the Chilean Antarctic region. The book features a collection of unique chromogenic prints, each one meticulously crafted in the color darkroom from negatives sourced from the Behold The Ocean climate research expeditions. 'Rough Tide' is set for publication in 2023 through edition fink, Switzerland.
If you are in Zürich you can also see her pieces at the Art Vontobel exhibition and later in the year at Kunststipendien at Helmhaus opening on the 14th of July and Werkschau Kanton Zürich at Haus Konstruktiv opening on 27th of September!
