The Cat of AI Art

On November 16, 2024, I had the privilege of participating in a virtual class hosted by art historian and curator Elisabetta La Rosa, as part of her course “Fruizione social dell’arte ed elementi per la progettazione di mostre” at the University of Roma Tor Vergata. The session explored the evolving intersection between artificial intelligence (AI) and art, delving into creative processes, public perceptions, and the broader implications of AI-generated art in contemporary culture.

The Invitation

The collaboration began through a thoughtful exchange on Instagram, where Elisabetta expressed her interest in the role of AI in art. Her curiosity about how AI creations find their place in exhibitions led to an engaging conversation about the evolving landscape of art curation and digital creativity. Recognizing the growing dialogue around AI in the art world, Elisabetta invited me to share my perspective and creative journey with her students.

The Class

The class was part of a master’s program focused on art and new technologies. Elisabetta structured the session to explore various facets of the art world, from traditional curation to the impact of social media and NFTs, culminating with a focus on artificial intelligence. My segment aimed to demystify AI as a creative tool and demonstrate its potential beyond the common misconceptions.

I introduced Elisabetta to my journey—from finance director by day to digital artist by night—and shared my hands-on experience with AI platforms like MidJourney, which she later relayed to her students. The class delved into the mechanics of prompts, the process of refining AI-generated images, and the emotional resonance I aim to achieve through iterative creation.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Role of AI in Artistic Creation: We discussed how AI serves as a tool rather than a creator, emphasizing the artist’s role as a guide in shaping the final piece.
• Challenges and Misconceptions: I addressed concerns about AI “replacing” traditional art forms, underlining that AI lacks the ability to understand beauty or emotion without human input.
• My Creative Process: Elisabetta was intrigued by my minimalist approach to prompting—using conceptual inputs like emotions or simple keywords—and how I iterate and remix works to reach emotionally impactful results.

The Impact

Although the class was a one-on-one conversation between Elisabetta and myself, she later shared that her students found the session insightful and thought-provoking, based on their feedback after the class. She highlighted the importance of exploring new perspectives in art education.

Reflections

Collaborating with Elisabetta was a rewarding experience. The openness of the conversation and her insightful reflections reaffirmed the growing interest in the synergy between art and technology.

Conclusion

The intersection of art and AI is still a frontier filled with possibilities, questions, and, above all, creativity. Experiences like this virtual class are vital in shaping how we perceive and integrate new tools into the artistic process. I look forward to more opportunities to share, discuss, and expand these dialogues within the art community.