Wood engraving "Mikasa"

"Mikasa" is a portrait from the "I See You" collection, which explores the complex relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. The portraits with their intense gaze pose one compelling question: who is this person? But how does your interpretation and emotional response change when you realize these individuals do not actually exist?

Technique and Details
These works begin as AI-generated portraits, which the artist translates into intricate line drawings. These lines are then engraved into wood using a laser and hand-filled with oil paint. The result is a unique combination of wood engraving and paint, which, up close, reveals a tangle of abstract lines and patterns—a chaotic reflection of the complex algorithms behind AI.

From a distance, these abstractions merge into a photorealistic portrait. This technique emphasizes the tension between detail and overview, between the digital and the tangible, inviting viewers to examine the work from different perspectives and distances. This enriches the experience, unveiling new layers of meaning.

Reflection on Reality
The portrayed individuals exist only as electromagnetic waves, captured in digital form and translated by the artist into physical creations. But the same is true for humans: on a subatomic level, we too are no more than vibrations of energy, just like AI's digital creations. So why do we assume that AI-generated individuals are not real, while we are?