Art Madrid'24 – ART AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: THE END OF HUMAN CREATIVITY?

The uses of artificial intelligence extend to many aspects of our reality with potential applications ranging from the design of patterns of social behaviour, the prediction of economic fluctuations or the treatment of data for the development of political measures in times of crisis. All this shows us a futuristic situation that we still see as science fiction, perhaps due to the abundance of explanations and the use of terms that our minds are not yet capable of transferring to a tangible plane. Furthermore, the union of the words "intelligence" and "artificial" to refer to these advances, in turn, generates a shadow of doubt about the value that human intervention continues to have in this context. Will we become expendable?

Pierre Fautrel, Obvious collective, “Edmond de Bellamy”, AI portrait, 2018. (image from Christie's)

The art world is no stranger to this reality and many suggest that artificial intelligence art will be the great art movement of the 21st century. Although the resource and research on these methods began in the last decades of the last century, the matter has gained popularity since in August 2018 a work done by AI was auctioned for the first time at Christie’s (and for a price never thought of). Before long, the same thing happened with a piece by Mario Klingemann auctioned at Sotheby’s.

One of the main drawbacks that arise when dealing with artificial intelligence art is the questioning of authorship, a concept that, in art, is intimately linked to creativity, talent or genius. The fear of being replaced by a machine raises suspicions. And, probably, it is not because of acknowledging the technical achievement of programming an algorithm capable of creating a work of art, but for the insecurity caused in the spectator not being able to distinguish a work created by a human or a machine. It is a slippery terrain that affects some of the most fundamental principles of our conception of art and creativity, as we have always considered these qualities to be genuinely human and impossible to replicate.

Mario Klingemann, "Memories of Passersby I", installation of auction at Sotheby's. (Image from La Vanguardia).

In connection with this, other difficulties arise, such as the recognition of authorship and the intellectual property rights associated with the work. Who is the true creator? Could an algorithm see its copyright recognised? In reality, the answer to these unknowns is simple, since such rights are only applicable to human beings. The future, however, is about to be written and perhaps we will reach a dystopian (or utopian) world where machines also enjoy this recognition.

As we wait this to happen, artificial intelligence is always the result of truly human design and programming work that gives rise to the codes and algorithms that are then used, in this case, to create art. Although the term "computational creativity" exists to refer to the study of the behaviour of software whose performance and results can be considered creative, we do not doubt yet about human creativity. In fact, in the 1950s the Turing test was designed to analyse the degree of intelligence displayed by the software. According to this method, if in a set of objects, some made by computer and others made by man, could not be distinguished ones from each other, then it is that the intelligent software works correctly. The original test consisted of a set of questions that the machine had to answer, something very similar to the interrogations represented in Blade Runner to identify the replicants.

Lars Dietrich, “Lucy. A modernised Music Box”, Collection SOLO.

Today we undoubtedly know that the concept of intelligence is a complex notion determined by many individual factors, so giving a coherent answer to a given question would not be enough to determine if there is true intelligence. What's more, this word applied to today's programmed codes comes to identify rather the "autonomy" with which this software and algorithms work. In all this, it should be borne in mind that to generate new work, it is necessary to previously feed a database that allows the code to identify patterns and replicate them in a different creation. None of this can be done autonomously, from choosing the image bank for the database to the specific encoding system that is developed, whose syntax can guide the machine to identify movement or identify portraits. The human factor is still essential.

Artwork by DeepDream, developed by Google in 2015.

Despite doubts and uncertainty, we must admit that artificial intelligence opens a horizon of infinite possibilities in which many creators want to delve. It is one more window of exploration that contributes to expanding the limits of the feasible and facilitates new languages in which the intervention of the spectator is often required. For a long time, and especially since the beginning of the new millennium, art wants to get over usual spaces and overcome the traditional contemplative relationship it had with consumers. Now it is necessary the active participation of the visitor for the message to arrive. The viewer completes the discourse or affects in some way in the final result. And for this, artificial intelligence is ideal.

 

If you are a contemporary art gallery and would like to be part of Art Madrid'25, you can now apply to participate!

The 20th edition of Art Madrid will take place from 5 to 9 March 2025 in the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles. This privileged location, good communications and the quality of the project have always been guarantees of success for an event that reaches 20,000 visitors in each edition.

Art Madrid has been held during the capital's Art Week for the last twenty years, consolidating itself as an interdisciplinary fair of new artistic trends, in which nearly 40 national and international galleries participate, working with painting, sculpture, graphics, photography, installation and digital art of recent production.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

Art Madrid carries out a series of programs designed by curators, consultants and cultural experts with the fundamental objective of encouraging collecting, promoting cultural dialogue and making the most recent trends in art accessible to the general public. These initiatives are always focused on the constant improvement of the visitor's experience at our event, always seeking to enrich their interaction with contemporary art.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

PROGRAMS

Gallery Program

Art Madrid's Gallery Program is the heart of the fair. In each edition of Art Madrid, the program consists of around 40 national and international exhibitors.

Parallel Activities Program

The Parallel Program of Art Madrid'25 will have as its main axis the concept of the Territory City. The public space, the city and the territory will serve as a link to the artistic practices that take place in the "imagined spaces" and revitalize the cultural geography of Madrid.

Collecting Program

Art Madrid offers a specialized consulting service for galleries and the public interested in acquiring works of art.

Support Program for New Entries

Through a specific communication package, new entries to the fair will be presented and given special visibility.

Activities

The program will include a series of activities that will take place throughout the month of February and during Madrid Art Week at the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles. Likewise, the parallel program will maintain the 2nd edition of the Open Booth, the Performance Cycle, Lecturas: Curated Walktrhoughs by Art Madrid, and the Interviews Section curated by Art Madrid.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

AWARDS

Best Booth Award

Award that will be articulated around the gallery with the best booth set up at the fair.

New Entry Award

Award will be given to the newly incorporated gallery with the best booth setup and exhibition proposal at the fair.

Emerging Artist Award

Our sponsors, as part of their line of action to promote contemporary art, will offer a prize to one of the revelation artists participating in the fair.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

Our support for art and culture extends throughout the year and responds to a global vision in which constancy and commitment to the galleries are essential to achieve our objectives of disseminating contemporary art within and beyond our borders; to create new audiences and interest in art and culture in all sectors of society; to strengthen and promote artists, especially young talent; to value art and culture as essential elements of social development; and to create spaces for cultural visibility and communication that are accessible, open and dynamic.



Relevant information

Applications for the 20th edition of Art Madrid'25 can be sent to the following e-mail address: info@art-madrid.com until October 7, 2024