This curated theme delves into the complex relationship between artificial intelligence and the photographic medium, exploring how AI generates images, its associated risks, and the emergence of AI artworks. It features two exhibitions at Foam, a Foam Magazine issue, and an interactive experience, examining AI's impact on our perception of reality and image credibility.
Foam presents a multidimensional project titled 'Photography Through the Lens of AI,' examining the evolving landscape where artificial intelligence and photography converge. This initiative seeks to demystify the generation of AI images, address the potential risks they pose, and explore the creation of AI artworks. It encompasses two distinct exhibitions at Foam: 'Missing Mirror: Photography Through the Lens of AI,' a thematic group exhibition, and 'AI Attacks,' featuring artist Paolo Cirio in the Next Level series. Alongside these, a dedicated issue of Foam Magazine, 'Missing Mirror,' further investigates AI's influence on our relationship with images, ourselves, and our perception of reality. An interactive experience, developed with creative studio affect lab, is also presented both physically and online.
The project delves into the history of AI images, explaining how text-to-image generators work, and showcases video works by artists such as Jake Elwes and Morehshin Allahyari. Elwes's 'The Zizi Project' uses drag performance and deepfake technology to challenge gender bias in AI systems, while Allahyari's 'Moon-faced' recreates Qājār-era portraits to reinforce non-binary representation. The theme also prompts conversations about inclusivity and bias in AI, inviting visitors to engage with content and quizzes. Paolo Cirio's exhibition 'AI Attacks' further explores AI through video works, highlighting the creation process with behind-the-scenes footage. This comprehensive exploration questions how we form truthful images of the world when credibility is under scrutiny.