This story is a guest article from arts and culture writer Toni Tresca.
The latest advancements in artificial intelligence, or AI, have not been without controversy. From high-profile lawsuits by The New York Times and other major media outlets against AI models for using content without permission to demands from artists like Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj and Stevie Wonder for stronger protections against reproductions of their work, the debate over AI’s impact on creative fields is heated and ongoing.
This contentious atmosphere has spread to Denver, where Niza Knoll Gallery‘s latest exhibition, “A.I. Love You,” which opens on June 28, has sparked a lively discussion among the local art community. When the gallery issued an open call for submissions earlier this year, asking artists to explore the question “What is Love?” through the lens of AI, the response was mixed.
A Facebook post by the gallery on April 26 calling for submissions quickly went viral, sparking a flurry of passionate comments on social media. One member of the Facebook group “Artists Against Generative AI” even urged others to spam the gallery with negative reviews.
“I received some really nasty comments on Facebook, and people flooded my gallery with one-star reviews on Google,” said gallery owner Niza Knoll. “Some people claimed AI art was not real art and were upset that I was taking away opportunities from artists, but I don’t agree with that. The gallery was inspired by the fact that AI is so new, and I enjoy learning new things. AI is here to stay, so we need to learn how to use it as a tool.”
However, not everyone shares Knoll’s enthusiasm. Critics argue that AI undermines traditional artistic practices and poses ethical concerns regarding data collection and originality.
Joe Rollman, a local artist and vocal critic on Facebook, commented on the call for entries, “Plagiarizing artists with shartware doesn’t make you cool. It does contribute to the overall loss of soulful creativity. 🚫👎 Boring, repetitive and morally bankrupt,” and “Here’s an entry: 💩Hey, [it’s] better than AI pablum.”
Similarly, Carrie MaKenna, founder and president of the Colorado Women’s Art Museum, argued that this was another “example of society’s decades-long rejection of the arts and the human creatives involved.” MaKenna called the exhibition a “blatant disrespect” of human artists and urged creatives “to call out and put a stop to this atrocity against the arts and artists.”
She added that “AI does not and cannot create anything. It cannot make something out of nothing. The prompters are not artists. They are (perhaps unknowingly) plagiarists of other people’s work. AI cannot feel anything, or teach us anything. Especially nothing about love.”
Despite the backlash, Knoll and show juror Rick Dallago, a painter, film producer and AI convert who participated in the gallery’s integral 2023 installation using the technology, remain convinced that AI can be a valuable tool for artists.
“When photography was first popularized, people thought it was horrible because it was taking away from portraits, which I suppose it did, but a photo is not the same as a painting,” Knoll said. “It is the same with this—AI is a great tool for generating ideas, but it will not replace human art or artists. The technology is innovative, exciting and it’s here to stay.”
Dallago’s excitement is shared by artists like Corrina Espinosa, a local artist whose work is featured in “A.I. Love You,” who fully embraces the integration of AI in her work.
“I will be embracing this exhibition FULLY!” Espinosa shared online. “I am so excited to submit some of my newest work, where AI is just one part of the multi-layered process. Good on you, Niza Knoll Gallery, for your openness to this bleeding-edge technology!”
Epinosa’s enthusiasm demonstrates that some artists are willing to explore the potential of artificial intelligence as a collaborative tool rather than a replacement for human creativity. One of the exhibition’s goals is to spark discussion and provide a platform for artists to investigate how AI could be integrated into the creative process.
“We have artists included in “A.I. Love You” who don’t like AI,” Knoll shared. “The purpose of this gallery was to encourage conversations about technology, and we are currently having that conversation about the validity of AI in the pieces we chose.”
The exhibition includes a wide range of works, with some artists using AI-generated images as inspiration for traditional artistic techniques such as painting or sculpture, while others created digital images directly with AI tools. For instance, Jessica Sams created her pieces using a combination of AI applications, including Midjourney, Topaz Gigapixel and Photoshop.
As the exhibition opens, Knoll hopes it will encourage artists and the community to engage with AI thoughtfully and informally.
“It’s here. There is nothing more to say—you are not going to get rid of AI,” she asserts. “You don’t have to use it, but the whole idea of this gallery is to show what can be done, spark conversation and get familiar with it.”
As the saying goes, art is a reflection of society, and “A.I. Love You” is a reflection of our current grappling with technological advancement. Whether viewed with enthusiasm or skepticism, the exhibition reflects the evolving landscape of artistic expression in the 21st century. Niza Knoll Gallery is ensuring that these important AI conversations take place locally.
The exhibition is open from June 28 to Aug. 11, Thursdays through Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., with special events such as an artist reception on June 30, a First Friday Art Walk on July 5 from 5 to 9 p.m., an AI Artists talker on July 14 at 1 p.m., a Third Friday collectors night on July 19 from 5 to 8 p.m., and an AI demo on July 27 at 1 p.m.
What do you think of AI art? Is it taking away from jobs or adding yet another accessible medium? Let us know in the comments!
Hello! Incredible article! I am the artist whose image “Motherboard Madonna” was posted. Is there a way to add, “Kiln Fired Stained Glass Painting” to the descriptive? I am a professional glass painter and that would be great for me. Although I fully agree that this tool needs some regulation in that it steals images to create, I believe it is here for the long haul. Niza deserves much credit opening up her gallery to discuss!