This noteworthy panel discussion featured Pita Arreola, Curator of Digital Art at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Sougwen Chung an artist considered a pioneer in the field of human-machine collaboration (GAZELL.iO February Resident), Recycle Group, an artist duo renowned for their innovative sculptures that blend physical and digital elements (coinciding with their current show Sapient at Gazelli Art House), and Matteo Zamagni, a prolific artist working in the virtual and augmented reality space (coinciding with his current show Refracted Bodies at Gazelli Art House). The panel was moderated by Luba Elliott, a curator, writer and researcher specialising in artificial intelligence in art.
The panellists discussed their experiences with incorporating digital art, AI, VR, and XR into their practice and creative processes, and the unique possibilities and challenges that these technologies present. Recycle Group spoke about their use of AI in their current exhibition, Sapient, at Gazelli Art House, delivering visions of a utopia conjured by an eternal AI. Matteo Zamagni shared his experiences creating immersive VR & XR experiences, specifically Transposition (2023), currently part of his show Refracted Bodies at the gallery, which challenges the boundaries of the physical world, exploring the interconnections of artifice and reality via immersive environments. Sougwen Chung brought a unique perspective to the discussion, drawing on extensive experience in exploring the intersection of technology and creativity. The Victoria & Albert Museum recently acquired Chung's work MEMORY, which was facilitated by Arreola and included the collection of an RNN-model, marking the first acquisition of its kind for a museum. Pita Arreola and Luba Elliott discussed the ways in which technology is transforming the curation of digital art and will delve into the role of institutions in this and beyond.