Season 2: AI-Driven Creativity — The Next Generation of Artistry — Simon Lavi
Welcome to the second blog post of our eight-part series, titled “Season 2: AI-Driven Creativity — The Next Generation of Artistry.”
In this edition, we turn our attention to the extraordinary abilities of Simon Lavi, a visionary artist who epitomizes the avant-garde potentials of AI within the realm of creativity.
Join us as we delve into Simon’s groundbreaking methods, examining how he harnesses artificial intelligence to redefine conventional art forms and surpass their limitations.
Artist Bio
Simon has been doing digital art for the last 20 years. He is the artist behind Pink. Unidentified. Such a Useless Color ! And, 100–1/1 piece for @FellowshipAi.
Simon works with post photography mise en scène to explore the shifting relationship between fictitious characters and their environment.
As one of the early stars of post-photography AI, where do you see the next wave of artistic expression happening?
The Future in tech is difficult to predict. A few years ago, the metaverse was without any hesitation the next big evolution of the internet. At the time, nobody was talking about a text based revolution like ChatGPT.
Today, the metaverse is back to the limbo of the tech and all the eyes are on conversational bot. Predicting the future is a risky task but the possibilities are vast, and it will be exciting to see where artists push the boundaries with the help of AI.
With the advancement of AI tools does the approach of an artist change?
Not necessarily. AI tools are just tools, and artists will continue to approach their work with their perspectives and visions.
While AI can provide new path for exploration and experimentation, the core essence of art remains unchanged. What truly matters is the artistic expression itself, not the specific tools or techniques used in the creative process.
What inspired your trademarked ‘pink’ theme in your work?
The color pink holds significant emotional value. In contrast to colors like blue, red, yellow, green, black, and white, pink is often considered a second rank color. It represents an underdog position in the color hierarchy. That’s why the title of the collection is “Pink. Unidentified. Such a Useless Color!”
It’s an intentional play on words because the images in the collection prominently feature various shades of pink, despite the perception of it being a less significant color.
How do emotion and passion play into your art?
Emotion is at the core of my artistic expression. As an artist, my goal is to evoke emotional responses from viewers through my work. Passion fuels the creative process, driving me to explore new ideas.
What are you seeing with the current generation of AI tools for video?
Text-to-video is improving at a rapid pace. Soon, it will likely become a mainstream technique accessible to anyone interested in creating videos.
How do you incorporate artificial intelligence into your artistic process? What inspired you to explore this intersection between art and technology?
I actively incorporate AI techniques to generate, manipulate and create new images. Art and technology have been connected for a long time.
For example, the invention of the metal paint tube in the 19th century was a technical revolution. It allowed the impressionist to go outside their workshop and invented a new way of painting.
Could you provide some insight into the specific AI techniques or algorithms you employ in your artwork? How do you choose which ones to use for different projects?
Because AI is a tool, any tool can make art. One of my preferred tools is stable diffusion, which I find practical and effective. I like to keep the same toolset and bend the tool to the project, not the opposite.
In what ways does AI enhance your creative expression and push the boundaries of traditional artistic techniques? Are there any unique outcomes or artistic possibilities that AI enables for you?
AI workflow is very fast and offers countless iterations for image generation.
Compared to traditional artistic techniques, AI allows me to explore a vast range of possibilities in a shorter time frame.
What impact do you believe AI will have on the future of art? Do you see it as a complementary tool to traditional artistic practices, or do you envision a more transformative role for AI in the creative realm
AI is currently drawing significant attention because of its novelty. I guess it will blend with the existing tools and will become a normal function. For example AI assisted generative fill in Photoshop has been adopted by many users and we are not going to move back to the old fill. The technology is evolving and it can be a rollercoaster but it’s a great ride.
Conclusion
Through his innovative approach, Simon pushes the boundaries of traditional art forms, revealing the immense potential of AI-driven creativity.
His ability to leverage technology as a tool for inspiration and exploration opens up new dimensions in the art world, captivating audiences and challenging preconceived notions of what is possible.
As we continue our series, we look forward to uncovering more exceptional talents like Simon, who continue to redefine and shape the next generation of artistry.
Stay tuned next week for the newest blog!
Artist Links
