"There’s a misconception that the use of AI is less creative, these people don't want to explore the deeper meaning of the art”

In every technique I use, I think as a photographer. On the one hand, I decide which settings to use. I determine the input, composition, light, setting and the pose. And like photography, it is all about capturing the decisive moment. Making the judgment call as to when all the ingredients are the optimal blend and will result in an image that perfectly portrays what I have envisaged. 

The remarkable thing is now that nearly everything can be created through AI, I am abstracting and isolating my subjects to get back to the essence of an image.

I think the introduction of AI is comparable to the introduction of photography compared with painting, and in turn, digital photography compared with analogue photography. There is a lot of fear around the artistic value and the perceived ease of use. Of course, in theory, anyone can start with AI, but it requires a new set of skills and a different way of thinking to achieve a good quality image with my signature. AI is constantly developing, requiring the user to grow and stretch oneself. 

For me, AI offers me new artistic possibilities, stimulates my creativity and therefore broadens my conceptual framework. It has also encouraged me to work with other techniques, such as video and sculpture.

The figures I create through AI are inspired by my own emotions or people in my surroundings that I observe and try to understand. I always start the working process with an image of my own. This can vary from a sketch, a photo or even a certain texture. Subsequently, I enter into a dialogue with AI. I never accept the output outright. I always keep adapting it to create the image I want to portray, using elements such as ambiguity, sensuality and the emotions that I want to convey. I love every minute of this quest. 

In the series ‘We Are All Made of Light and Shadow’, I use contrasts in an interplay – black and white, lines and organic shapes – to create figures that I abstract and deform. And despite the same ingredients, we interpret each individual image differently. We can observe various human shapes with different expressions of emotion. This is a process that takes place in our minds. We give meaning to something that might not even exist. 

I have always been interested in human psychology and identity. When we look at the other person, we have an opinion based on our own frame of reference. It all depends on what we want to see and also on what the other person wants to reveal. But essentially, we are all made out of the same elements. Perhaps this is what we need to be more open to, the idea that there is not only one reality.

What I find interesting about cubism is that it is about a different way of seeing things. This raises the question, can I trust my observations? I find elements such as the simplification of shapes and confusing perspectives intriguing. With everything happening in the world today, we need to be constantly alert to what we observe. Not through suspicion, but from realising that there is room for different perspectives and contrasts that can enrich each other.

AI is a tool for me to realise my ideas and it brings me new possibilities and perspectives. It can sometimes be frustrating because I don’t have 100 percent control. Working with AI is like being on holiday exploring a new city and walking into an unknown alleyway. Sometimes, this results in the most wonderful experience and, at other times, you might end up lost. But in the end, you always have to take control of your own journey.

Over the past year, I have been in contact with many people, ranging from art collectors, curators, art critics, scholars and fellow artists. One thing I have noticed is that, with the rise of AI, we are entering a new era. Historically, all art movements and developments within technology first face scepticism and then the friction arrives. That is a natural phenomenon.

There’s a misconception amongst some audiences, who think that the use of AI is an easy route and less creative. This group rejects it straight away and does not want to explore the deeper meaning of the art and its creation. There is also a group that is more neutral and open-minded, however, they prefer the medium of photography as the only way to capture the soul of a person. Then there is a group that finds it interesting and intriguing. 

It is an interesting journey. I think what it comes down to is that I do not pretend that my images are real life, I ask the question ‘What is reality’? And is a portrait taken with a camera ‘reality’ and a good representation of the person? In the end, I want to present my vision. For me, the medium does not matter. I would like my art to be appreciated because of its conceptual meaning and visual representation. Art needs to be stimulating and it needs to be slightly disturbing. I hope to be able to contribute to this.

If I gave each image a title, I would label them for one certain thing. And that is exactly what I want to prevent – it would be a contradiction to the conceptual thought of the series. Each viewer has his or her own version of it, so the title has to be given by them.

The answer is that reality does not exist, or at least, there is no single version of the truth. What has helped me in this process is the acceptance that everything can coexist side by side as long as we stay inquisitive.