The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art - Old Meets New: Historic Artifacts in a Digital Age

Greetings from Juergen

Hi all,

In this edition, we're stepping into the fascinating overlap of art and technology, with stories that challenge our perceptions and inspire fresh thoughts. From the unexpected Grammy nod for an AI-assisted Beatles track to the intriguing survey revealing AI art haters unknowingly preferring AI creations, we've got a lineup that's set to spark curiosity. Plus, we'll explore the resurgence of clip art in the digital era and dive into the vibrant world of luminescent colorants reshaping artistic expression.

Take a moment to immerse yourself in these stories, and perhaps find a new perspective on the intersection of the past and the future. Whether it's through the lens of history with AI photo restorations or the breathtaking VR experiences capturing the essence of the Kimberley region, there's plenty to ponder. Let's navigate these narratives together and see what insights we can uncover.

Catch "The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art" podcast for a conversational deep dive into these week's themes. Subscribe today!

Technology in Music

AI-Assisted Song Restoration by The Beatles Is First of Its Kind to Be Nominated for A Grammy

The RouteNote Blog recently highlighted an AI-assisted Beatles track, Now and Then, earning Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance. This recognition comes decades after the band’s breakup, thanks to Paul McCartney’s use of AI-powered audio restoration to enhance John Lennon’s demo vocals from 1978. While the article frames this as a groundbreaking AI achievement, there’s another side to the story.

For me, this isn’t really about AI. It’s about audio restoration—a process that’s been evolving for decades. AI has made it more precise, sure, but the goal remains the same: improving the isolation of individual tracks while maintaining sound quality to preserve the essence of the original recordings.

“We’ve been using audio restoration tools for years—AI just makes them faster and more effective. It’s not magic; it’s progress.”

So, what’s next? Could this bring new life to other archival recordings?

Photography

How AI Technology Can Save Historical Photos

NVIDIA's recent article on AI-powered photo restoration highlights how RTX technology is driving the preservation of historical photos. The piece from Mashable outlines how AI upscaling, especially with tools like Gigapixel AI and Adobe Photoshop, can breathe new life into old, low-resolution images, making them suitable for large format prints or digital archives.

I’ve been experimenting with some of my own old photos of the World Trade Center from the late '90s and early 2000s. Back then, I used a Nikon 990—a cool camera but with limited resolution. In the past, I tried manually upscaling these images, but the results were mediocre at best. Now, with AI tools like Gigapixel AI, the difference is stunning. Noise reduction and artifact control are so much better, and it’s much easier to create prints that actually look good.

"This past weekend, I set myself some projects to enlarge and restore some of these original photos... the new AI programs allow for much greater sophistication and level of control."

So, what’s on your hard drive that you’ve been meaning to restore?

AI in Visual Arts

AI Art Haters Unknowingly Prefer AI-Generated Works, According to Test

Over at Boing Boing, a recent piece highlighted a survey shared by Astral Codex Ten, where over 11,000 participants tried to distinguish between AI-generated and human-made art. The twist? Many self-proclaimed AI art haters ended up preferring AI-generated pieces. It’s an ironic revelation, and you can’t help but wonder what it says about our biases—and our ability to recognize creativity.

Personally, I think these kinds of tests are a bit ridiculous. Sure, they’re entertaining, and the irony is hard to ignore, but do they really help us unpack the deeper issues? What I do hope is that this prods skeptics to ask better questions about AI’s role in art and challenges enthusiasts to examine their assumptions about what makes art “authentic.”

"When the judgment is blind, and AI fools even its harshest critics, the conversation shifts from 'Is this art?' to 'Why do we care so much who made it?'"

So, is our attachment to authorship clouding our ability to appreciate the art itself?

Artificial Intelligence and Creativity

More Proof that AI Images Are Becoming Modern-Day Clip Art

Google’s recent announcement integrates AI-generated images into Docs via their Gemini model, as reported by Luke Larsen at Digital Trends. Users can now create custom visuals right inside their documents by simply describing what they need. While this sounds like a fun tool, I can’t help but feel like we’re stepping back into the late ‘90s clip art era.

From my perspective, if a Google Doc needs images, they should be photos or handmade visuals that truly enhance the content. AI-generated “clip art”? I’m not convinced. These AI images need to be more than just filler—they must serve a purpose and look good.

“Really? Was it ever possible to use clip art ‘tastefully’? If we’re going down that road again, let’s hope this time it’s done with a bit more restraint.”

So, what do you think—will AI-generated visuals actually improve our documents or just clutter them up again?

Definitely Not AI

The Science and Seduction of Luminescent Colorants

Today’s artists have a whole new world of colorants at their disposal, and Michael Townsend explores this in his article, The Science and Seduction of Luminescent Colorants on Just Paint. He digs into the science behind fluorescent and phosphorescent materials—those vibrant pigments that seem to glow from within, shifting our perception of what "light" in art can mean. It’s a fascinating dive into how these pigments work, absorbing light we can’t see and transforming it into something visually striking.

What’s intriguing to me is how these colors push the boundaries of how we understand light in art. We’re often stuck thinking about visible light, but these pigments remind us that there’s an entire spectrum beyond what we typically perceive.

"Luminescent paints are not for the recluse... fluorescents yield electrifying visuals supercharged with ultraviolet light."

How do these colors change the way we experience art beyond the canvas?

Architecture

Beaux-Arts to Bauhaus: How Two Schools Shaped Architectural Visualization

Niall Patrick Walsh’s article, Beaux-Arts to Bauhaus: How Two Schools Shaped Architectural Visualization, caught my eye this week. It explores how the École des Beaux-Arts in France and the Bauhaus in Germany continue to influence architectural visualization. Walsh highlights how each school’s distinct approach to design—Beaux-Arts’ elaborate, detailed renderings and Bauhaus' minimalist, functional visuals—still resonates in how we imagine and build spaces today.

What fascinates me is how these styles are not just relics but active inspirations for modern tools like 3D CAD programs. The ornate detail of Beaux-Arts versus Bauhaus' geometric clarity both serve as touchstones for how we render future projects.

“Where the Beaux-Arts championed a grand, idealized vision of architecture, the Bauhaus advocated for a functional, objective approach grounded in modernity and technological advancements,” Walsh writes.

It makes me wonder: How will today’s tools evolve to reflect the artistic values that have shaped us for centuries?

Virtual and Augmented Reality in Art

WA Museum Boola Bardip to Show World-First Immersive Vr Documentary of Kimberley Region

The WA Museum Boola Bardip is debuting The Great Kimberley Wilderness, a 35-minute immersive VR documentary narrated by Luke Hemsworth. As reported by PerthNow, the film, created by award-winning filmmaker Briege Whitehead, uses 8K 3D footage, Dolby Atmos sound, and patented tech to deliver a “story-living” experience. Viewers are guided through the Kimberley’s breathtaking landscapes—ancient sites rarely seen outside their Traditional Owners’ care—all from a custom-built gallery with 360-degree projections.

Exactly a year ago, my wife and I were in Australia, taking the Ghan train from Darwin to Adelaide. I still hold vivid memories of riding helicopters in sweltering heat, marveling at isolated landscapes, and learning about Aboriginal culture and art. This VR project seems to capture that same sense of awe—minus the 45-degree heat, thankfully.

“Everywhere you look, it’s like you’re literally standing there,” Whitehead says. “Or flying over waterfalls, with Luke next to you.”

Will immersive VR like this become the new way we engage with remote art and history?

Exhibitions & Events

Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza Are the Breathtaking Backdrop for a New Contemporary Art Installation

The recent Artnet News piece on "Forever Is Now" at the Pyramids of Giza is a perfect example of a fascinating juxtaposition—modern art set against one of the world’s most ancient backdrops. Curated by CulturVator and Art D’Egypte, the exhibition runs through November 18, and it brings together international artists whose works explore the overlap between past and present, history and contemporary creativity.

What grabs me most is the visual tension this creates. Modern sculptures and digital works placed near the pyramids—these two worlds, thousands of years apart, collide in a way that’s both disorienting and beautiful. It’s a conversation between eras, where the pyramids become more than just ancient monuments—they become active participants in the present.

"A thing is what it is only in relation to what it is not." My photography professor used to say that, and it rings true here. The pyramids are more monumental when framed against something unfamiliar—like contemporary art.

So, what happens when history is not just something we study, but something we actively interact with?

Digital Archiving and Art Preservation

Over 2,000 Banksy, Warhol, and Picasso Forgeries Seized from Massive European Fraud Network

In a recent piece by Josie Thaddeus-Johns for Artsy, authorities uncovered a massive forgery operation across Europe, seizing over 2,000 counterfeit works attributed to Banksy, Warhol, Picasso, and more. The forgers worked with auction houses to push these fakes, resulting in an estimated €200 million in potential losses. The bust highlights the ongoing issues with provenance and the importance of verifying authenticity, especially as fraudulent artworks infiltrate both physical galleries and online platforms.

This resonates with me for several reasons. One of those fake workshops was based in Cortona, Tuscany, where I studied art. It’s incredible how modern forgery networks exploit both traditional art scenes and tech-driven sales platforms. And yet, AI-based tools today can authenticate art more effectively than many human experts.

"The presence of online catalogs by fake auction houses contributed to verification in sales through their complicity. Additionally, there is an importance placed on validation through trusted sources."

How do we balance trust in traditional methods with the undeniable accuracy of technology today?

Future Trends in Art and Tech

How Might You Use AI In Museums?

Artnet recently highlighted a report on AI in museums, stressing the need for sector-specific tools rather than relying on generic AI solutions from Big Tech. The study, part of the UK’s Towards a National Collection initiative, focuses on how AI can help museums address issues like decolonization by surfacing suppressed histories. But, as Professor Mick Grierson from the Creative Computing Institute points out, general-purpose AI models often fall short in areas like accurately identifying the race of subjects in artworks.

I get the concern. You wouldn’t want an AI system mislabeling or oversimplifying something as complex as race, particularly when museums are tackling sensitive subjects. But it’s surprising that the study would reject the potential of machine learning for cataloging. Even if AI gets it wrong sometimes, there are still valuable data points to collect.

“There’s no commercial incentive [for Big Tech] to manage this issue, so it doesn’t get fixed. What you need is a public sector approach.”

Are UK museums the only ones prioritizing this, or is this a growing trend globally?

The Last Word

Thanks for journeying through these stories with me. Your engagement and enthusiasm bring life to these discussions, and I genuinely appreciate it. If any of these topics piqued your interest or raised questions, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s keep this dialogue open as we explore the ever-evolving dance between art and technology.

Warm regards, Juergen