Image Hallucinations. Polish photography after AI

A research project and thematic exhibition featuring selected Polish artists who work with photography and experiment with artificial intelligence.

A specter is haunting the art world—the specter of artificial intelligence. Extreme emotions, anxious denial, and a regression to figurative easel painting are the most common reactions, further bolstered by an inherently conservative art market. Against this backdrop, photographers stand out as they once again find themselves at the vanguard, recognizing the potential of this new tool and grappling with the next stage of the camera apparatus’s evolution.

The exhibition Image Hallucinations offers a look at the current state of Polish photography in the age of AI. The participating artists present new works and the results of their experiments, charting a horizon of potential yet critical responses to the current state of photography—a medium that is, once again, experiencing another of its many “deaths.” The exhibition features photographs, films, installations, and artist books; however, the most vital reflection concerns the status of the photographic image and the role of the artist. Today, more than ever, the artist stands before a choice: to be an operative of the apparatus, a prompt engineer, or a producer of technical images—or perhaps to attempt, once more, to fight for the freedom of their own, human expression. The exhibition also serves as an opportunity to present research on the impact and methods of using artificial intelligence in the production of technical images of reality.

Consequently, a significant part of the exhibition includes an accompanying program of discussions, lectures, and workshops. Beyond the attempt to reflectively historicize the phenomenon, it is this relational aspect that seems to strengthen the human response to generative photography and machine vision.

Thus, in addition to the artists invited to the main exhibition, the show presents responses to AI-related themes from dozens of prominent artists, ranging from Paweł Bownik and Konrad Kuzyszyn, through Agnieszka Antkowiak, Szymon Rogiński, and Janek Zamoyski, to Weronika Gęsicka, Agnieszka Rayss, and Dominika Sadowska.