Condiviso

AI – Intervista a Silvia Badalotti

Hi Silvia, tell us a little bit about yourself: Where did you grow up, what did you wanted to do when you were a child, what do you do and where are you located now?
Born and raised in Milan in the 70s, even as a child I used to bring any toy to my eyes and pretend it was a camera.I’m a still life photographer since 1995, collaborating with fashion brands, international magazines and creative agencies. I’m living with my family in Genoa where I also have my co-working studio and factory (https://condiviso.coop/) but I’m constantly in Milan for work.

Do you recall when and how you first consciously encountered AI?
This summer, Simone Santilli, a close friend and talented visual artist, introduced me to Midjourney and Dall-E. It was love at first prompt!

Can you briefly walk us through the development process step by step of your latest work? Where did the idea come from?
In my latest work, I wanted to connect Adidas, one of the most innovative and iconic brands ever with the history of art, in particular the Renaissance period. I wanted to create a realistic vision of these two distant worlds without tears or smudges. The process was very long as always. But then it happens that your words align perfectly with the code you write and the magic is done! For me it is always exciting.

What software did you use to create this project?
For this project I used Midjurney.

What challenges did the image present?
The biggest challenge for this project was to keep a balance between photorealism and the painterly quality of the classical artworks.

What inspires you as an AI artist?
It’s very difficult to answer this question, I live for my job and my brain processes images 24/7! I’m always inspired and I wish I had the ability to store images with just the blink of an eye. Who knows, maybe in a few years I will be able to do that!

What is your favorite subject in AI? For what reasons?
I have a lot of trouble using AI because I was dyslexic as a child, so for me writing has always been very complicated. So I’d say I don’t have a favorite subject.

What are you looking for when generating?
The thing I look for is always something that doensn’t exist. If it can be done with photography, what is the purpose of AI then? It is a technology with the potential to open new and unexplored territories for creative experimentation.

What are your artistic ambitions?
I definitely hope AI will be something more than a trend and I wish to be able to use it in my commercial future works.

Who are your favorite artists, traditional or digital, and can you explain why?
I can’t say that I have a favorite artist, saying otherwise will be unfair. I grew up with Irving Penn’s books, I adored his still lifes and I find myself in his aesthetics. Today, however, I appreciate all those young talents who have something to say and say it loud.

From your personal experience, what is some advice you could share with aspiring AI artists?
For young AI aspirants I can say that it looks easy but it is not. There is the risk that these software make the images all the same, so you have to start from a strong concept and be clear about what you want to achieve. A good background in the history of visual culture and arts is essential for creating interesting works. My advice is to think with their eyes.

What do you think about NFTs?
I think nfts are a great tool for artists to circulate their work without intermediaries (galleries, agents, etc) certify the authenticity of the work, the copyright, the money transactions. The web 3 with its decentralization of which NFTs are a part, has the potential to completely change the relationship between content producers and their audiences. I still have to approach this world but I will soon.