The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art - Art Beyond the Screen: Reclaiming Craft in a Digital World

Greetings from Juergen

Hi everyone,

This week’s newsletter starts with a fresh look at OpenAI’s Sora video platform and how gaming engines could teach AI to grasp the laws of physics—spaghetti sauce glitches included. From there, I reflect on Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s "The Gates," reimagined through augmented reality, and the enduring power of their original hand-drawn sketches.

We also explore Alexis Mata’s bold reinterpretation of digital glitches through traditional oil painting, dive into brainwave-driven art installations in London, and consider how virtual reality might reshape access to museum collections. Finally, we see AI questioning the authorship of Raphael’s famous Madonna della Rosa and ask: how might technology challenge our perceptions of art’s origins?

Catch these stories and more on "The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art," our companion podcast that brings the newsletter to life.

Film & Video

Why Critics of OpenAI Sora's 'Weird' Videos Are Missing the Bigger Picture

In my analysis of OpenAI's Sora video platform, I look past the current quirks to examine its future potential. While critics point to amusing glitches like floating spaghetti sauce, the real story lies in how gaming engines might solve AI's physics problem. These established technologies already understand gravity, collision, and spatial relationships - exactly what AI video generation currently lacks.

The combination of AI with physics-aware systems points toward solutions beyond entertainment. When these technologies merge, we might see breakthroughs in environmental challenges, medical research, and economic inequality - issues that conventional approaches struggle to address.

"My philosophy is to just play with this stuff while it's still relatively free, inexpensive, and not yet 'enshitified,' as Cory Doctorow would say. Right now, we have the opportunity as creators and artists to experiment with all of these tools before they become commercialized."

What possibilities might emerge when AI video generation gains true physical awareness through gaming engine integration?

Public Art

NYC to Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Christo & Jeanne-Claude’s ‘The Gates’ at the Shed

The Designboom article highlights an anniversary celebration at The Shed for Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s iconic "The Gates," originally installed in Central Park in 2005. This time, the project is reimagined with an AR installation, placing virtual gates throughout the park. While the tech is intriguing, my attention was drawn to something far more tangible: the original concept sketches and drawings by Christo, as featured in the article.

Never mind the VR spectacle—what struck me were Christo’s meticulous drawings. The bold orange arches, envisioned against the bleak, monochrome New York winter, feel as alive on paper as they must have in the park.

"The juxtaposition of color and gloom in the sketches tells the story better than any augmented reality possibly could—it’s an artist’s genius distilled into graphite and ink."

Is it just me, or do we sometimes lose sight of the raw, original craft in favor of technological glitter?

Substack

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Want to explore the fascinating connections between art and technology more deeply? I've launched an expanded version of The Intersect on Substack, featuring additional long-form articles that examine how technology shapes artistic expression—and how creativity sparks innovation.

These in-depth explorations are completely free and complement our weekly newsletter. You'll get thoughtful analysis, fresh perspectives, and stories that challenge how we see art and tech working together.

👉 Join the conversation on Substack

Definitely Not AI

Perfect Imperfection: Digital Glitches in Traditional Oil Painting

Mexico City-based artist Alexis Mata takes the imperfections of the digital world—glitches, pixelation, and visual artifacts—and reimagines them as bold, oil-based compositions. As highlighted in The Hole's exhibition coverage, Mata’s work bridges the digital and analog, challenging us to see technological “errors” as intentional visual statements.

What stands out to me is how Mata’s paintings celebrate what modern tools like AI and Photoshop try to erase. I remember the painstaking process of manually enlarging digital images, layering noise diffusion step by step—an effort to counteract imperfections. Mata flips that script entirely.

“His work transforms digital artifacts into intentional artistic elements, using bold colors and traditional oil painting techniques to elevate these ‘imperfections’ into compelling visual statements.”

Are we too focused on perfection in technology, missing the creative opportunities imperfection offers? What do you see when you zoom into a flaw?

This Free Immersive Experience Creates Stunning Art in Real-Time Using Visitor’s Brainwaves

Slap in the middle of London’s financial district, The Observatory brings two interactive installations, “Harmony 2.0” and “Soul Paint,” blending art and neuroscience to explore emotion and mindfulness. As reported by Secret London, these experiences use EEG headsets and VR to create art in real-time, shaped by visitors’ brainwaves and movements, while supporting the mental health charity CALM.

What strikes me is how these projects shift the focus back to humanity. Unlike AI-generated content, which often feels detached, these works place human emotion and collaboration at the center. This isn’t technology for its own sake—it’s a tool for connection and introspection.

My "Spidey sense" goes up when tech is used in ways that feel deeply human. In an era drowning in AI-generated slop, this kind of communal, human-driven art feels like a much-needed distinction.

Is human-centric art the antidote to our saturation with machine-made creativity?

Interactive Art

Global Survey Shows Rising Public Demand for Virtual Reality Access to Museum Collections

A recent piece in EuropaWire highlights findings from the University of Glasgow’s Museums in the Metaverse (MiM) project. The survey of 2,000 global participants reveals a growing appetite for virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) museum experiences. The data suggests these technologies could make cultural collections more accessible, especially for the 90% of artefacts typically in storage, while drawing younger audiences into these digital spaces.

Here’s what intrigues me: the study points to a clear shift in how cultural institutions might evolve. Younger audiences, specifically ages 25 to 34, appear eager for immersive, tech-forward experiences. But I can’t help but wonder—will museums fully embrace this opportunity, or will they treat it as a side project?

"A global survey is always fascinating, but with only 2,000 participants, it feels like a snapshot rather than a full picture. Still, the trends are undeniable—people want more immersive access to cultural heritage."

How do we balance technological expansion with preserving the intimacy and authenticity of art?

Art & Science

The Artists' Brain: A Data Fusion Approach to Characterize the Neural Bases of Professional Visual Artists

A recent study titled “The Artists' Brain: A Data Fusion Approach to Characterize the Neural Bases of Professional Visual Artists”, published in Oxford Academic’s Cerebral Cortex, offers a fascinating dive into how artists’ brains might function differently. Researchers are analyzing neural data from professional visual artists to uncover what sets their minds apart from non-artists. Is creativity, as we often feel, wired into the brain, or is it something else entirely?

My take? As an artist, I’ve sometimes wondered if the way I see the world—patterns in the mundane, colors in shadows—is just perspective or something deeper. Science seems eager to answer this.

“Artists may have a different neural wiring when it comes to visual processing and imagination, but what if that’s something anyone can cultivate?” This study hints at possibilities beyond innate talent.

Do you think creativity is born or built?

Creator Platforms and Tools

You Only Need to Charge This E Ink Digital Poster Once a Year

E Ink’s collaboration with PocketBook and Sharp, as reported by The Verge, has introduced the InkPoster, a low-power digital frame using Spectra 6 e-paper technology. With vivid colors, three size options, and a battery life reaching up to a year, this device allows users to display or rotate curated artworks and personal images via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Unlike traditional screens, it lacks screen lighting, creating a more natural presentation suitable for any space.

I’m thrilled about how products like this could redefine art collecting.

“The idea that you buy a piece of art for a small studio apartment, for example, would fill up that apartment with only very few pieces. I think the future of collecting relies in part on a more flexible way to display a range of artworks that can change on occasion or can rotate.”

Could the InkPoster finally make collecting more accessible—and more sustainable—in an increasingly digital world?

Art and Politics

Florida Has a Weird Political Culture. It’s About to Take Over the White House.

Donald Trump’s Cabinet, stacked with Florida figures, brings the spotlight to what the New York Times describes as the state’s “peculiar mix of laissez-faire economics and moral conservatism.” It’s not just about political appointments; it’s about Florida’s distinct, sometimes bizarre, cultural footprint extending to the national stage.

When Florida man moves into the White House and surrounds himself with oligarch friends, we can expect more than policy debates. The Florida ethos—where tax breaks meet beachside moral outrage—raises questions about priorities. Should we brace for golden flamingos on the White House lawn, a nod to the opulence-meets-chaos energy the state so often embodies?

“It’s a blend of free-market zeal and performative virtue politics that feels uniquely Floridian—and now, uniquely presidential,” writes the New York Times.

So, is this a cultural export or a political experiment we didn’t sign up for?

Digital Archiving and Art Preservation

AI Suggests Iconic Painting Wasn’t by Raphael

Researchers from the Universities of Nottingham, Bradford, and Stanford are using AI to challenge long-standing assumptions about iconic art. As reported by CNET, their algorithm analyzed Raphael’s Madonna della Rosa, revealing that while most of the painting aligns with the artist’s style, St. John’s face likely isn’t Raphael’s work. Instead, it may belong to Giulio Romano, one of his pupils. The AI achieved this by training on verified Raphael works, examining features down to the brushstroke with a 98% accuracy rate.

This isn’t the first time AI has outperformed human experts in authenticating artwork. Auction houses have embraced similar tools to validate pieces, but these findings show AI’s potential beyond the commercial realm. It’s intriguing—and perhaps unsettling—to see technology rewrite parts of art history.

“It’s fascinating how algorithms can spot inconsistencies that even the most experienced eyes might overlook, challenging our collective assumptions about the great masters.”

If AI keeps revealing cracks in art’s origins, how might that reshape what we trust and value in masterpieces?

The Last Word

Thanks for spending a bit of your day exploring these ideas with me. I hope the stories sparked curiosity or even a new perspective on how art and tech continue to reshape each other. If you had a favorite story or found a topic that resonated, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s keep the dialogue going and continue uncovering the rich intersections of creativity and innovation together.

Warm regards, Juergen