A.I. Explore: “Wall Drawing #48″, 1970
Sol LeWitt (1928-2007)
In Austin, we visited the Blanton Museum. Sol was employed as a Receptionist, Information Desk, and night watchman at the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City, from 1960-65.
This project was conceived while employed at MOMA. The instructions for this art installation was as follows:
“With four adjacent squares, each 4′ x 4′, for draftsmen will be employed at $4.00/hour for four hours a day and for four days to draw straight lines 4 inches long using four different colored pencils; 9H black, red, yellow, blue. Each draftsman will use the same color throughout the four day period, working on a different square each day.”
Here is the thing… this piece represents a radical reimagination of the role of the artist and authorship. In fact, the 4 four-foot-by-four-foot panels were created on the wall of the Blanton Museum by different artist than the original 4 draftsmen who were part of the original installation at MOMA in New York in 1970.
Wall Drawing #48, 1970
- 4 panels
- 4 colors (black, red, yellow and blue)
- 4 draftsmen
- 4″ marks in random direction
- 4 hours for 4 days at $4/hr
“During the ’70s I was interested in words and meaning as a way of making art.” Sol LeWitt
Fittingly, a very similar approach is applied with generative AI. Words and meaning as a way to make art.
I would like to propose an idea…
Sol LeWitt’s work with “Wall Drawing #48″ is a perfect allegory for the use of generative AI in art. Just as LeWitt designed the parameters for his art piece and had others execute the work, artists today can set the guidelines and parameters for generative AI, and let the AI “execute” the piece of art. In both cases, while the “draftsmen” (or AI) are responsible for the actual creation, the “artist” (LeWitt or the human setting the AI parameters) is the one credited for the final piece.
In LeWitt’s art piece, he redefined the idea of authorship in art, stating that the idea, or concept behind the art, is as important as the execution itself. He moved away from the traditional artist’s hand, placing emphasis on the conception of the artwork. This is not dissimilar to the idea of using AI for creative purposes. When a creative utilizes generative AI, they design the instructions – selecting the dataset, setting the parameters, deciding what kind of output they desire – much like LeWitt did for his draftsman.
“In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art” Sol LeWitt, writing in Art Forum in 1967.
The AI then takes these instructions and generates the art, similar to how the draftsmen followed LeWitt’s instructions to create “Wall Drawing #48″. Thus, although the AI is creating the physical manifestation of the art, the creative mind behind the project is the one who conceived it, and therefore, is the author.
This shift in paradigm, where the idea is as essential as the execution, challenges our traditional understanding of creativity and artistry. The AI becomes an artistic tool, an extension of the artist’s creative process, just like the draftsman were tools for LeWitt’s creative vision.
This does not devalue the artist’s role; instead, it expands it. Artists now can operate on a meta level, influencing and shaping art through algorithms and parameters. This elevates creativity to a new dimension, opening up uncharted territories of artistic possibilities and ushering in a new era of art, where human creatives and AI collaborate to create extraordinary pieces of work.
“Artists teach critics what to think. Critics repeat what the artists teach them.” Sol LeWitt
Moreover, just as LeWitt’s instructions allowed for the reproduction of his art piece in different locations by different draftsmen, generative AI models can be shared and reused, enabling the replication and interpretation of the artist’s concept in new and unique ways across the globe. This new form of “generative” creativity thus democratizes art, making it more accessible and potentially diverse.
“Unless you’re involved with thinking about what you’re doing, you end up doing the same thing over and over, and that becomes tedious and, in the end, defeating.” Sol LeWitt
In essence, using generative AI in art does not replace human creativity; instead, it amplifies it, by allowing artists to transcend traditional boundaries and explore new forms and mediums. As we look to the future of art, it’s clear that the innovative spirit of pioneers like Sol LeWitt continues to resonate and inspire.
create an illustration of line dashes of equal length in the colors or black, red, blue and yellow in the style of “Wall Drawing #48” by Sol LeWitt. Background of white. –v 5.1
In an era where the boundaries of creativity are constantly being pushed, it’s time we delve into the revolutionary world of Generative AI. Drawing parallels with the radical legacy of Sol LeWitt’s “Wall Drawing #48”, where traditional concepts of authorship in art were audaciously reshaped, today’s AI-powered creativity offers an equally provocative narrative. This article is an invitation to explore how these innovative tools, bridging disciplines from improv to engineering, can spur unique storytelling, extraordinary solutions, and artistic revelations that will inspire your creative journey. As we dive into this fascinating intersection of past knowledge, professional acumen, and unexpected linguistic blends, your thoughts, insights, and criticisms are more than welcome. Join the conversation and let’s challenge the status quo, forever altering our perspectives on ART and creativity. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or ready to contribute to this groundbreaking discourse, this is your clarion call. The future of creativity is here, and it is greatly in part – Generative!