Libre Académie des Beaux-Arts, Douala

AI intro 3

 

Harmony in Disruption

 

Curator: ONANA AMOUGUI Juste Constant

Participants: SELLE BONG Marilyne, NANCY Prince Junior, TEGUIA MEWA Sara Mellyssa, ETOBE Michelle Bettina, EDO NGUEMA Nelson

 

The exhibition "Eye-AI" is a contribution by students from the Libre Académie des Beaux-Arts (LABA) in Douala, Cameroon, aimed at exploring and celebrating the creative dialogue between human expression and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Its significance primarily lies in the effort to bring together a dozen works of art and design from five students across various disciplines, each illustrating a visual aesthetic generated through collaboration between AI and these creative individuals.

 

This group of young students is trained in visual art, fashion design, product design, and spatial design. They were given the opportunity to participate in a creative experiment involving the use of AI. The process proved to be both rewarding and complex, requiring considerable commitment and perseverance on their part, in terms of both creative thinking and mastery of AI tools in the production of their works. Based on a critical analysis of AI technology in relation to human creativity, the exhibition raises two fundamental questions: What kinds of works are we capable of creating by exploring AI? What thoughts do we convey through these works?

 

To answer these questions, the exhibition presents a series of proposals for original works encompassing painting, illustration, sculpture, interior design, product design, and fashion design, all developed by the students. These creations represent the fruit of their creative thinking in interaction with artificial intelligence, while reflecting their vision of technology in the context of artistic creation, design, and the contemporary world. The exhibition project took place in several stages:

 

  • First, the students watched the documentary film "HUMAN: Artificial Intelligence and Us," directed by Tonje Hessen Schei. This provided them with a general understanding of what AI is. Next, a group discussion was organized around the film, with each student sharing his or her point of view on artificial intelligence. A more in-depth discussion followed, focusing on the potential relationship between the machine and the artist in the creative process; some students spoke of conflicting interactions, while others highlighted more harmonious and innovative relationships.
  • The second stage consisted of presenting the themes of the exhibition to the students, followed by a collective reflection on these themes and possible proposals for creative ideas. Depending on their academic specialties and sensibilities, each student put forward several ideas.
  • The third phase was an introduction to the use of AI software and applications, led by Cameroonian digital artist Eric Takukam, who helped the students understand how to create art with AI. They all had the opportunity to try out various AI software and applications on computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
  • Finally, the fourth phase allowed the students to freely explore AI to create their works, followed by the selection of the final pieces.