The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art

Greetings from Juergen

Hi there,

This week's collection explores how art and technology are reshaping our physical spaces and visual experiences. I've gathered stories about industrial workplaces transformed by art installations, photography technologies that mimic human vision, and architectural responses to our warming world. There's also a fascinating look at how VR is changing plein-air painting, freeing artists from mosquitoes and spilled turpentine.

I'm particularly struck by the piece on art in factories and warehouses. Having once worked in a financial institution on Wall Street—complete with a corner office but devoid of any artwork except what you might personally install (if permitted)—I understand how sterile professional environments can become. It's not just about aesthetics—it's about recognizing our shared humanity in spaces designed primarily for efficiency.

Listen to "The Intersect" podcast to experience these stories about art in factories, revolutionary camera technology, and climate-responsive architecture in an engaging audio format.

Public Art

Why Art Belongs in Industrial Spaces

Industrial workplaces aren’t exactly known for their creative flair, but a recent article from Artnet’s news feed, “Why Art Belongs in Industrial Spaces,” explores how art is showing up in warehouses, factories, and workshops — and actually improving productivity, emotional health, and even safety. The piece highlights projects at Austin Energy, Kohler Co., and small factories in Japan and the UK, where artist collaborations aren’t just tolerated — they’re embraced as strategic moves.

My take? I think it comes down to this: no one wants to feel like a cog. Art can inject a bit of humanity — even humor — into places where repetition and noise tend to dull the senses. Imagine working in a a typical packaging plant, for example. Gray walls, flickering fluorescents, no windows. If there had been a mural — or just one framed print of something weird and beautiful — you might’ve made it past lunch on the second day.

“Art isn’t a luxury. It’s a smart, strategic investment in people — and performance.”

So, can a splash of color or a strange sculpture really make factory work suck less? I’d say yes — but only if it’s done with intention, not as corporate wallpaper.

Societal Impact of Art and Tech

Virtual Vistas

Jerry Cullum’s Virtual Vistas, originally published in Art Papers in 2000, still feels eerily present. Cullum looks at how our perception of digital change—hypertext, virtual reality, digital art—is filtered through personal history and cultural habits. He draws on books from thinkers like N. Katherine Hayles and A.D. Coleman to show how what we notice in both art and tech isn't just about what’s there, but about how we’re used to seeing.

What struck me most is how steady this idea has stayed. Technology has changed fast, but our perception of it hasn’t necessarily caught up. The idea that we’re all seeing the same thing differently, shaped by our own biases, feels more relevant than ever. Especially when you think about how we rush to group everything under buzzwords like “AI” or “digitalization.”

“We may all be looking at the same artwork, for example, but what we see—what we notice, not just how we value it—is shaped by our usual way of doing things.”

Makes me wonder—are we reacting to technology itself, or just to what we expect it to mean?

Photography

Glass Imaging Raises $20M to Use AI to Improve Digital Image Quality

Glass Imaging just raised $20 million to bring its GlassAI software to more cameras, as reported in VentureBeat by Dean Takahashi. Their tech uses AI to reverse lens and sensor flaws—sharpening images, pulling out detail, and reducing noise—without hallucinating content. From smartphones to AR headsets and drones, GlassAI aims to make digital photography cleaner, truer, and more efficient.

For me, this is one of those subtle but meaningful shifts. We’ve always had interpretation baked into digital photography—every sensor makes decisions. GlassAI just makes those decisions smarter. Purists might argue we're inching away from “truth,” but I’d argue we’ve never had a neutral lens to begin with.

“We take the same raw data... and the AI network basically does all the sharpening, denoising, HDR, edge enhancement, noise removal, color noise removal—everything happens within one piece of neural network,” said CEO Ziv Attar in the article.

If a machine corrects what a lens bends, who gets to define what the “real” image is?

Exclusive: Eyeo exits stealth to give cameras human-like colour vision

Dutch startup Eyeo just stepped out of stealth with €15 million in funding and a sensor tech that could shift how we think about digital imaging. As reported by Siôn Geschwindt at The Next Web, Eyeo’s colour-splitting waveguides don’t rely on the usual red, green, and blue filters that have dominated image sensors for decades. Instead, they use nanoscale structures to route light directly to each pixel—meaning zero wasted light and sharper images, even in low light.

Sorry for the geeky detour, but this one grabbed me. It’s not yet another AI-enhancement filter or computational trick. This is physics reshaping how cameras see—closer to how we see. That 70% light loss from traditional RGB filters? Gone. The result: brighter images, smaller high-res sensors, and new options for AR, VR, and mobile cams alike.

“Eyeo is fundamentally redefining image sensing by eliminating decades-old limitations,” said CEO Jeroen Hoet. “This technology paves the way for entirely new applications in imaging.”

Could we be on the cusp of the first truly human-eye-level digital camera?

Architecture

Venice Architecture Biennale: Preparing for Extreme Heat in Cities

The Venice Architecture Biennale coverage by Deutsche Welle highlights how Europe's cities are scrambling to respond to rising temperatures and extreme weather. With over 47,000 heat-related deaths in Europe in 2023, the built environment is under pressure to adapt fast. Curator Carlo Ratti’s vision—uniting AI, natural systems, and collective intelligence—puts architecture in the hot seat, both literally and figuratively.

I love how architecture, an art form rooted in place, is stepping up to shape the conversation and solutions around climate change. It’s not just about technical fixes—it’s about vision and design thinking. What surprised me most? Northern Europe, not the Mediterranean, is among the most rapidly warming regions. And seeing Paris, despite its famously slow-moving bureaucracy, aggressively rethink its streets and public spaces gave me a strange sort of cautious optimism.

“Architecture needs to reach out across generations and across disciplines, from the hard sciences to the arts,” says Ratti. “To address a burning world, architecture must harness the full intelligence around us.”

If Paris can green its SUV-choked boulevards, what’s stopping us from reimagining our own overheated cities?

Virtual and Augmented Reality in Art

Vermillion on Meta Quest 3 Makes Open-Air Painting Easier Than Ever

Tomislav Bezmalinovic at MIXED Reality News reports that Vermillion, the VR oil painting app, just added a passthrough feature for Meta Quest 3. Thanks to Meta’s camera API, users can now snap real-world views and turn them into paint-by-number templates inside the headset. It’s plein-air painting, minus the bugs and sunscreen.

This feature feels like Bob Ross decided to put on a pair of VR goggles and take his easel to the sidewalk. All kidding aside, this is going to be fun to mess with. The ability to mix real-world visuals with digital brushwork pushes the line between reference and creativity in a weirdly satisfying way. I love painting outdoors, but I hate the logistics. This? No wind, no mosquitoes, no spilled turpentine.

“The app lets you take photos of your surroundings and optionally convert them into paint-by-numbers templates, thanks to Meta's new passthrough camera API.”

Would you ever paint a sunset from your front porch... with a headset on?

The Last Word

Thank you for spending time with these stories that examine how art and technology continue to reshape our world. I'm always curious about which pieces resonate with you and why. If you have thoughts on whether VR painting counts as "real" art or if you've seen effective art installations in industrial settings, I'd love to hear from you. Your perspectives enrich this ongoing conversation about the meaningful crossroads of creativity and innovation.

Until next week, Juergen