ARTIST

EXHIBITION

Monika Fleischmann and Wolfgang Strauss are Berlin-based digital art pioneers. Since the mid-1980s, they have been working at the intersection of art and technology, ranging from virtual reality and interactive environments to generative art, consistently exploring code and computers as artistic media. The artist duo broke new ground by forming interdisciplinary teams in technical and scientific environments. They approached emerging technologies as tools and sources of artistic inspiration and cultural transformation. Their pivotal role in the history of digital art was cemented in 1987 when they co-founded ART+COM, Germany's first research institute for digital media, art, and architecture.

NEW MEDIA ART AND VIRTUAL REALITY

MONIKA FLEISCHMANN & WOLFGANG STRAUSS: CREATING VIRTUAL WORLDS LIKE FAIRY TALES

IN CONVERSATION WITH MONIKA FLEISCHMANN & WOLFGANG STRAUSS

CREATING VIRTUAL WORLDS LIKE A FAIRY TALE

HIGHLIGHTS

MAGAZINE

Each week, the EXPANDED team shares what’s on their minds. This week: Anika Meier on discoveries and why it’s important to support art students.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT ART STUDENTS?

LETTER FROM THE TEAM #1: ANIKA MEIER ON DISCOVERIES

Each week, the EXPANDED team shares what’s on their minds. This week: Margaret Murphy on digital diaries and why storytelling is important for artists. 


WHY IS STORYTELLING IMPORTANT FOR ARTISTS? 

LETTER FROM THE TEAM #2: MARGARET MURPHY ON DIGITAL DIARIES

LETTER FROM THE TEAM

Boris Eldagsen is the artist who made headlines by turning down the prestigious Sony Photography World Award in 2023. In a world where AI sparks debates between haters and worshippers, Eldagsen offers a unique perspective that transcends the binary narrative. Rejecting the notion that AI is solely a threat to creativity, Eldagsen emphasizes the importance of human agency and expertise in harnessing AI as a tool for artistic expression. 

AI AND PROMPTOGRAPHY

BORIS ELDAGSEN: "THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE FUTURE IS WHAT AI LEAVES BEHIND"

After decades of working in photography, acclaimed artist Phillip Toledano tried something new and started creating images with AI. Hooked by the technology and the endless possibilities it comes with, Toledano can't stop challenging himself artistically and the viewer intellectually. In his first AI series titled ANOTHER AMERICA, he reflects on a world that doesn't seem to make sense any more. Toledano's AI creations fill an empty spot in the world of post-photography and make the artist consider cutting back on conventional photography.

In conversation with Anika Meier, Toledano discusses his experiences and thoughts about artificial intelligence and photography. 

PHOTOGRAPHY AND AI

PHILLIP TOLEDANO: "AI IS A MIRROR TO THE IMAGINATION"

Alejandro Cartagena is a renowned photographer known for his captivating series CARPOOLERS and his pioneering role as the co-founder of Fellowship, a platform that champions historical and contemporary artists at the forefront of photography, generative art, AI, and video. 

PHOTOGRAPHY AND AI ON THE BLOCKCHAIN

ALEJANDRO CARTAGENA: WHAT AI IS CAPABLE OF

On the occasion of Gallery Weekend Berlin, EXPANDED.ART and Fellowship present Niceaunties first solo exhibition in Germany. In conversation with Anika Meier, Niceaunties discuss AI and storytelling, auntie culture and beauty treatments, and criticism of AI and how to deal with it. (Spoiler: don't deal with it!)

AI AND STORYTELLING

NICEAUNTIES: "ANYONE CAN BE AN AUNTIE"

FEATURED INTERVIEWS: AI AND IMAGE-MAKING

Dr. Susanne Päch is a journalist and media expert. She holds a PhD in the history of science as well as communication. Her husband was Herbert W. Franke. She manages his estate and art meets science – the Foundation Herbert W. Franke. 

In conversation with Anika Meier, Susanne Päch reflects on her time with Herbert W. Franke and discusses what makes his life's work still so relevant today. She also shares her work for the Foundation Herbert W. Franke, including the Generative Art Summit and publication projects such as THE ORCHID CAGE, and explains how art and communication have changed in the post-digital age.

GENERATIVE ART, SCIENCE FICTION AND SCIENCE

SUSANNE PÄCH ON HER LIFE WITH HERBERT W. FRANKE

ARTISTS

Gunther Dietrich is the founder of Photo Edition Berlin, which opened in 2008. One of the gallery's first exhibitions showcased works by Gottfried Jäger, the founder of "Generative Photography." The name Photo Edition Berlin has been programmatic from the beginning: "Photography" means "drawn with light," and "Edition" emphasizes photography as the reproduction medium par excellence. On the occasion of the exhibition by Gottfried Jäger and Hein Gravenhorst, presented jointly by Photo Edition Berlin and EXPANDED.ART, Anika Meier and Gunther Dietrich discuss the beginnings of Photo Edition Berlin, the history of generative photography, and how Jäger and Gravenhorst have shaped the history of photography, as well as how NFTs are changing the digital art market.

IN CONVERSATION WITH GUNTHER DIETRICH

PHOTO EDITION BERLIN: DISCOVERING GENERATIVE AND CONCRETE PHOTOGRAPHY

Influenced by a background in software programming and various tech roles, as well as a lifelong interest in the arts, particularly literature and philosophy, Bård Ionson discovered a deep connection to art during college. An encounter with Nam June Paik's sculpture INTERNET DWELLER in 2012 sparked a significant shift in perception. Inspired by Paik's approach of creating art from pre-made objects and ideas, Bård Ionson, previously considering himself more of a writer and coder than a visual artist, began exploring art creation through code, electronics, and eventually artificial intelligence. The experience with INTERNET DWELLER served as an epiphany, prompting a decision to embrace the identity of an artist and marking a transformative moment in their artistic journey.

In a conversation with Anika Meier, Bård Ionson discusses early GAN art and the current status of AI art, training models, working with prompts, and shares how he transitioned from a software programmer to an artist.




EARLY GAN AND AI

BARD IONSON: AI AND THE UNCANNY VALLEY

John F Simon, Jr. is a multimedia artist and Software Art pioneer whose works are found in the permanent collections of The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, among others.

In conversation with Anika Meier, John F Simon, Jr speaks about how drawing daily has changed his life, how to get paid working full-time as an artist, and the differences between working with code and AI. 

DRAWING DAILY AND AI

JOHN F SIMON, JR: "CREATING AN AI TO INNOVATE LIKE ME"

Kevin Esherick is an American conceptual artist and writer based in New York. A wide-ranging curiosity guides his work, which touches on subject matter from consciousness to consumerism to the philosophy of aesthetics, and mediums from denim to dynamic NFTs to generative AI. His practice is informed by his background in philosophy, psychology, and technology.

In June 2024, his debut solo exhibition, titled IN UTERO, will premiere at EXPANDED.ART in Berlin. Prior to the exhibition's launch, Anika Meier and Kevin Esherick engaged in a conversation about post-Internet art and the transformation of art in the digital realm amidst the influence of social media, AI and latent space, as well as life art and manglecore.

AI AND THE LATENT SPACE

KEVIN ESHERICK: "WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE AN AI?"

Emi Kusano’s first job was taking fashion photos in the streets of Tokyo. She has always known that she was meant to be an artist, but she didn’t think she could make a living from it. Besides photography, she found other ways to be creative, such as playing in the band Satellite Young. Emi dressed up as an 80s idol and sang about technology. When Emi started working with AI, she understood that knowledge and taste are reflected in art more profoundly than ever before. She imagines fictional pasts and futures inspired by Japanese Futurism and subcultures, advocating for a mindful engagement with the world around us.

In conversation with Anika Meier, Emi Kusano discusses retrofuturism and nostalgia, street photography and AI, mass media and social media, feminism, and the digital art market.

AI AND NOSTALGIA 

EMI KUSANO: FICTIONAL FUTURES AND COGNITIVE CHAOS

ON POST-PHOTOGRAPHY

MARGARET MURPHY: RE-ROMANTICIZING THE ROAD TRIP

Roope Rainisto's AI creations are both instantly recognizable and disturbingly surreal. The Finnish artist embraces AI in all its imperfections and uses it to create AI photographs that are at once intimate and otherworldly. 

Roope Rainisto worked as a designer for over 25 years before fully devoting his career to exploring the field of AI photography. Since then, Rainisto has seen a remarkable rise to fame in the spheres of NFT and AI art. His NFT collection, LIFE IN WEST AMERICA, which explores a distorted vision of the idea of the American West, ranks among the highest-valued AI art collections. The work of Rainisto plays with the brain's innate pattern-seeking abilities by providing viewers with scenes that they have both seen a million times but have yet to encounter, cementing his success in the NFT space.

In conversation with Anika Meier, Rainisto speaks about stretching the boundaries of AI.

ROOPE RAINISTO: STRETCHING THE BOUNDARIES OF REALITY

Photography AND AI

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AI

Patrick Lichty is a multifaceted artist known for his work in various technological media. Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1962, Lichty's upbringing was immersed in art, technology, and science fiction. His career spans over three decades, during which he has established himself as a media artist, writer, curator, designer, and educator.

Lichty is especially recognized for his contributions as a principal member of the virtual reality performance art group Second Front and as the animator for the activist group The Yes Men. His diverse skills in digital intermedia include proficiency in printmaking, kinetics, video production, generative music, and neon art. Additionally, Lichty's role as a media "reality" artist and theorist reflects his deep engagement with how media and mediation influence our understanding of the environment.

In conversation with Anika Meier, Patrick Lichty discusses how he got involved in the early net art and post-Internet art scene, how Roman Verostko inspired him to create plotter drawings, digital minimalism, and taking photos with a wristcam in the early 2000s.


Pixel Art and Plotter Drawings

PATRICK LICHTY: ON DIGITAL MINIMALISM

Hans Dehlinger (*1939, Germany) began working with programming languages and computers in the early 1960s during his studies in architecture at the University of Stuttgart (Dipl.Ing.). He continued his education at the University of California, Berkeley (M.Arch., Ph.D.), where he also worked as an environmental planner and architect. In 1980, he became Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kassel, Germany, where he taught until his retirement in 2004.

In conversation with Anika Meier, Hans Dehlinger discusses his first generative art long-form project titled FIBO. FIBO, derived from the name of the mathematician Fibonacci, explores the relationship between mathematical order and aesthetic beauty. The well-known Fibonacci sequence, characterized by each number being the sum of the previous two, serves as a foundation for this exploration. By incorporating the concept that order contributes to beauty in artistic creations, FIBO aims to generate aesthetic experiences akin to those envisioned by Max Bense. The program utilizes key parameters, including the Fibonacci sequence-based grid and line numbers, to experiment with the fusion of mathematical order and artistic expression.

GENERATIVE ART AND ITS HISTORY

HANS DEHLINGER ON FIBO

Los Angeles-based artist Victor Acevedo is known as a desktop computer art pioneer. While life without computers is unimaginable for digital natives, life with computers was unimaginable and unfamiliar for past generations. The term computer art lasted until the 1990s, when it was replaced by the term digital art. Acevedo first encountered computer graphics in the 1980s. Before that, he was a painter. He wanted to be an oil painter like Van Gogh and Salvador Dalí. But it quickly became clear to him that he wanted to create pictures with digital tools and that this would become the new form of painting. 

In conversation with Anika Meier, Acevedo remembers how he came to computer art from painting, how computers changed the world and art, and how he brought cubism and photography together in his art.

DESKTOP COMPUTER ART AND GEOMETRY

VICTOR ACEVEDO: "THE WORLD BEGAN TO CHANGE"

Olivier Bodini, a distinguished professor of computer science, currently holds a professorial position at Sorbonne Paris Nord University. Since 2020, he has been leading a digital art team situated at the MSN (Maison des Sciences Numériques), an innovative center located at the core of the university. Under his guidance, the team is engaged in the MunstrA project, which seeks to establish connections between mathematics, computer science, and digital art.

In a discussion with Anika Meier, Olivier Bodini explores the art of coding, elaborates on why art is grounded in rules, and delves into the concepts of creativity, context, and complexity and their significance in art creation.

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ALGORITHMS 

OLIVIER BODINI: THE ART OF CODING

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF GENERATIVE AND DIGITAL ART

Anne Spalter knows how to help herself. When she was looking for a book about the pioneers of early computer art, she couldn't find an in-depth publication, so she wrote it herself. It took her six years to finish the book. Spalter took the time to speak with artists like Herbert W. Franke, Frieder Nake, and Manfred Mohr. When she first heard about artists working with technology, she wasn't convinced; she thought computers were for science. Her initial reaction helps her understand the sometimes negative responses to artists working with the latest technologies. Spalters herself became an artist interested in creating art with new technologies; she is a pioneer in the field of AI and, together with Michael Spalter, stewards one of the world's largest private collections of early computer art. 

AI AND VALUES 

ANNE SPALTER: "CAN ART EXIST WITHOUT AN ARTIST?"

lizvlx and Luzius Bernhard found each other in a basement in Vienna in 1994 and have started working together as an artist duo without clear responsibilities. They call themselves 'free floating radicals'. They are neither scared of being held responsible for their actions that challenge institutions and authorities, nor do they fear not being accepted by the art world. UBERMORGEN keep creating work for future audiences while the Internet around them changes at rapid speed. The Internet is changing, so their art is changing. From websites to NFTs, from cats to dicks.

In conversation with Anika Meier, UBERMORGEN discuss the beginning of their career, early net.art, fishers and rods, and the commodification of digital assets.

NET.ART AND VIDEO GAMES

UBERMORGEN: FREE FLOATING RADICALS

When Tali Hinkis started creating digital art during her studies in Paris in the 1990s, it was almost forbidden. She was drawn toward video art and has been bringing the element of technology into her practice ever since. Hinkis has evolved her practice from experimenting with audio-visuals to generative art and NFTs. Together with her partner Kyle Lapidus, Hinkis builds the artist duo LoVid, whose interdisciplinary works explore the often invisible or intangible aspects of contemporary society.

In conversation with Anika Meier, the artist speaks about the early stages of her practice, female pioneers of digital art and power structures, the evolving the online art world, and advice she would give emerging female artists.

FEMALE PIONEERS AND POWER STRUCTURES

TALI HINKIS: THE GENDERED SPACE OF TECHNOLOGY 

Claudia Hart wrote her way into visual art. Leveraging her positions at ID and later at ARTFORUM, Hart took the opportunity to explore the obscure corners of design and contemporary art and became obsessed. Her obsession led to her curating an exhibition in 1984 about art and design crossover, an impulse that then swept the art scene. It was called HOUSE ON THE BORDERLINE, and was staged at White Columns, New York's oldest alternative non-profit space. The artists, curators, and writers she met—from the gallerist Holly Solomon to artists Dan Graham and Ericka Beckman—guided her. Hart's explorations led her to rediscover herself as an artist using multiple mediums, from the decorative arts to painting and animation. 

In the mid-1990s, Hart saw the movie TOY STORY at the Berlin Film Festival. It inspired her to animate A CHILD’S MACHIAVELLI (Penguin Edition, 1996), her most well-known illustrated book. This piece has lasting relevance. First because of its profound human theme—political strategy and the will to power—but also because the artist translated her version of Niccolò Machiavelli's Renaissance treatise THE PRINCE from one new technology into the next over the course of thirty years. 


CULTURE WARS AND ANIMATIONS

CLAUDIA HART: MIND AND BODY, CONVERSATION WITH ANIKA MEIER PART II

CONVERSATIONS WITH FEMALE PIONEERS OF DIGITAL ART

Herbert W. Franke is a universal genius, you can say that with a clear conscience. For several decades he separated three lives: he was the caver and scientist, the artist and curator, the art theorist and the science fiction author. Only on the occasion his solo exhibition in 2010 at the ZKM Karlsruhe did he bring these three lives and careers together under the title "Wanderer Between the Worlds". In the early 1950s caving led him to experiment with light and technology. He kept his curiosity throughout his life; it was his drive to examine new technologies for their artistic potential. His pioneering spirit made him one of the first computer artists who was more than six decades ahead of his time. Franke discussed his visionary practice with Anika Meier in June 2022.

INTERVIEW WITH HERBERT W. FRANKE

"TECHNOLOGY IS NOT A THREAT TO ART"

Anika Meier in Conversation with Herbert W. Franke

CONVERSATION ABOUT DIGITAL ART 

"Many of the early pioneers did not dare call their work art and instead categorized it as design." – Herbert W. Franke

INTERVIEW

HAND-PLOTTING AND TYPEWRITINGS

PAUL PRUDENCE: THINKING LIKE AN ALGORITHM

As pioneers of digital art, Herbert W Franke and Lee Mullican have left behind a significant legacy. Anika Meier discusses the artists' impact on today's digital art and NFT scene with representatives of their Estates, Susanne Päch and Cole Root. 

EARLY DIGITAL ART'S INFLUENCE ON NFTS

HERBERT W. FRANKE & LEE MULLICAN: PIONEERS AND THEIR LEGACY

Early Digital Art

Danny Franzreb's interest in computers and technology led him to blockchain and NFTs. Understanding technology and its impact on society, art, and culture weren’t enough for him. He wanted to meet and understand the people building the infrastructure; he wanted to make blockchain and crypto mining tangible. The result is PROOF OF WORK, a photo book and exhibitions around it that capture the unique individuals and diverse locales of the crypto mining scene, ranging from small-scale basement prospectors and industrial mining farms in Russia to high-tech, sustainable factories in Sweden.

In conversation with Anika Meier, Franzreb discusses his career, from the early days of Flash and Processing to his photo book PROOF OF WORK, which documents mining and miners.

GENERATIVE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

DANNY FRANZREB: THE EARLY DAYS OF FLASH, PROCESSING, AND THE BLOCKCHAIN

The Japanese artist qubibi is known on the Internet for his artwork of worms. That probably sounds strange. Just as astonishing is the life of qubibi, who actually didn't want to become an artist. He finally came to digital art through his circle of friends and video games. He is now one of the best-known and most successful artists in the field of generative art.

In conversation with Anika Meier, qubibi talks about his path to art, about beauty and worms, generative art, and exhibitions.

VIDEO GAMES AND GENERATIVE ART 

QUBIBI: BEAUTY AND WORMS

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GENERATIVE ART

Read conversations with artists and collectors and gain exclusive insights into the art world of today. 

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