Part I:
The dichotomy between innate talent and acquired
skills or primary and secondary inspirations, has long been a focal point in
the dynamic world of art. Traditionally, an artist's prowess is gauged by their
ability to uniquely interpret ideas creatively through painstaking processes –
using their gifted and charcoal stained hands, pencils, water colors or oil
paints, different brush strokes and so on, to create a distinctive value for
their work. However, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) introduces a
paradigm shift, offering smarter alternatives that can swiftly and adeptly
interpret concepts. Critics see AI art as unoriginal or lazy art forgetting
that crafting generative prompts indeed requires a unique skill set, akin to
the talents of a traditional artist. It is simply a fascinating evolution where
technology enhances and transforms the creative process.
The crux of the matter lies in the juxtaposition of
traditional craftsmanship against the efficiency and precision of AI
algorithms. The value proposition extends beyond personal preferences, delving
into a nuanced debate on the evolving definition of artistic merit – issues
surrounding originality, creativity, technical skills, emotional impact,
cultural significance and more. Other related controversial topics include authorship,
copyright issues, intellectual property rights and more.
For a specie that
has been through various stages of evolution and industrial revolutions; the
cave man era, writing with stones and scrolls, the pencil and paper era, coal,
metallurgy, steam power, invention of cars, electricity & automation, gas,
electronics, nuclear power, internet, renewable energy and more – one would
have expected a more receptive and open-minded approach in discussing whether or
not AI art is "real" art as this is a very complex topic. While there
are legitimate concerns that need to be addressed, there is
no one answer that will satisfy everyone, as the definition of art is
subjective and can vary from person to person. Generally speaking, art works
are meant to calm nerves, inspire us or adorn our environment. If a piece of
art can evoke emotions and provoke thoughts in viewers, then such art work has
achieved the purpose regardless of the mediums, processes or platforms used to
make or interpret such. Art lovers or consumers will always have their
preferences in these matters but more importantly are the moral or ethical
values surrounding such art pieces.
Picasso Reborn
Pablo Picasso a towering figure in the art world was renowned for his versatility, boundless creativity and
willingness to push artistic boundaries. To interpret some of his ideas, he
used pencil, charcoal, ink, chalk, etc. In fact, in his Cubist drawing; Picasso
used ‘found and unconventional’ items in his art - cardboard, wallpapers, and
newspaper. This challenged conventional notions of art and sparked debates about
the ethical implications of artistic appropriation. Picasso, the trailblazer of
artistic innovation, could have stuck with conventional tools - perhaps a
chisel and stone tablets just to keep things historically accurate. Why bother
with materials like cardboard, wallpapers, or newspapers? I mean, was that even
considered real art in his time? Just like the critics, one can almost hear him
now, passionately explaining, "No, no, I can't possibly use this newspaper
in my art. It's far too innovative and modern, my avant-garde reputation would
suffer. Let's stick to ancient papyrus scrolls, shall we?" Who needs
versatility when you can keep things comfortably obsolete?
Some of his innovative art works include 'Still Life with Violin & Newspaper (1912)', 'Guernica (1937)' – suffice to say that when Pablo unveiled these pieces, he probably became a threat to the artists of his era. He was called a fraud; that his newly unveiled cubist art pieces were ‘ugly’ and ‘nonsensical’ but the incorporation of newspapers into his art works reflected his awareness of current events and the impact of technology on society, while playing cards and wallpaper provided a sense of pattern and structure amidst the fragmentation of Cubism. Centuries down the line, humanity seems to be doing just fine – there seems to be enough room for different genres of art until the invention of AI.
Ethical Concerns in Picasso’s Era:
Picasso's
use of newspaper prints raises questions about copyright infringement and the
artist's right to transform preexisting material into a new work of
art. While the copyright of the original newspaper text and images
belonged to the publishers, Picasso will argue that his artistic
transformation elevated the mundane newsprint into a work of art, imbuing
it with new meaning and value. Right or wrong, there’s obviously room for
improvement on all sides.
Let’s just imagine a Picasso vehemently
rejecting innovation, sticking to the artistic comfort zone of his era, and
scoffing at anything that wasn't considered 'classical.' The art world would
have missed out on so much chaos, creativity, and cardboard-induced
masterpieces! The
relevance of Pablo Picasso's experiences to the AI art controversy of today,
lies in the fact that just like Pablo, AI art is challenging traditional norms
of art and currently facing resistance from art critics and enthusiasts. Will
this monster be tamed or will it gain global acceptance and recognition just
like Picasso? Time will tell.
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