“Conversations with the Algorithm: Between Body and Space” is the first in a series of small-scale displays that appear between the main exhibitions at Melete Gallery, exploring the role of Artificial Intelligence in art and everyday life. Here, we present visual objects created by AI image generators, interpreting and illustrating the title of our previous exhibition, “Between Body and Space. Intangible landscapes, fragility and variability of perception.”

AI has entered our lives with great momentum. We converse with chatbots seeking solutions to problems in online stores or when communicating with banks; in social media we are bombarded with images of products, places, or people created by image generators; we ask for advice and form emotional relationships with AI. Science Fiction is happening before our eyes.

When asked about the process of creating images by AI, Google’s Chatbot Gemini explained: “AI-generated images are created by analysing vast datasets of visual information, from which AI algorithms learn to recognise patterns and image characteristics. Then, based on user prompts, the AI generates new images using various techniques, such as neural networks, diffusion models, and variational autoencoders.”

The images created by Artificial Intelligence are imperfect, which is evident in our small display. AI has presented us with ‘body’, ‘space’, and ‘landscapes’ accompanied by distorted text of the exhibition title. The generated figures are young, slender, and predominantly of European origin. Occasionally, androids or fantastical anthropomorphic forms also appear.

Titles of artworks and titles of exhibitions play a crucial role in the reception of art. They provide context and guide interpretation, facilitating viewers’ understanding of the theme, building narratives, and navigating the exhibition, thereby revealing the intentions of artists and curators. AI did not see this exhibition; it only had the title at its disposal. This is a visual interpretation of the text proposed by commonly available image generators.