Anne Spalter with sonic landscape by The Josh Craig:
A series of AI-generated sci-fi and fantasy factories that explore the power of computer-generated art making while also commenting on the continued tensions between meeting manufacturing needs and attenuating climate change. Using cutting edge technology with turn of the century industrial imagery, the works conjure scenes of armageddon but champion nature overall and remain playful at heart.
The sonic landscapes are created using analog synthesizers, including a Roland JP-8, Prophet Rev2, and ARP 2600. The vocal swells are those of The Josh Craig himself with a number of effect pedals added to create atmospheric depth. Using analog sounds adds to the essence of the retro visuals.
#Retouched explores the disparate meanings of touch and the act of something being retouched. Touching a person’s body can be comforting, empathetic and a form of connection; however, it can also be unwelcoming, forceful, and demeaning. Retouching is a technique that makes alterations to an image, eliminating an imperfection and implying that an improvement has been made. We have the ability to change ourselves and our environments in the physical and digital spaces, but who are we ameliorating for? Using AI powered or synthetic intelligence to use different techniques such as clone stamping, zoom quilting, liquifying, photo compositing, and digital matte painting, the artworks use a hybridization of recognizable signs, pop culture symbols, and androgynous figures that shift between the familiar and uncanny, the primordial and the
futurist, nostalgia and hope.
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#Retouched was organized in partnership with CADAF.