The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art - Artistic Purpose in a Digital Age: More Than Just Technical Spectacle

Greetings from Juergen

Hi there,

This week's collection explores how technology is reshaping artistic experiences across multiple disciplines. From the BBC Philharmonic's innovative "Augmented Orchestra" that transforms the traditional concert experience to Zachary Corzine's hyper-realistic digital flowers questioning our relationship with nature, I've gathered stories that highlight fascinating intersections.

I'm particularly struck by the contrast between Christie's AI art auction success and the growing conversation about handmade versus AI-generated art. Rather than seeing these as opposing forces, perhaps we should consider how they might coexist and influence each other—much like photography and painting have done for generations.

Follow "The Intersect: Art in Tech and Tech in Art" podcast, where each week's newsletter topics come alive in an AI-generated audio format that adds new dimensions to our exploration of the art-tech relationship.

Technology in Music

Philharmonic Sessions: The Augmented Orchestra

Later this month, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra is staging something different at Aviva Studios, as covered by Manchester Wire. Philharmonic Sessions: The Augmented Orchestra isn’t just another symphony performance—it’s an immersive experience where the audience moves freely among musicians spread across three large platforms. At the center is the UK premiere of Anna Clyne's PALETTE, a concerto that fuses orchestral performance with live electronic processing, crafted alongside sound designer Jody Elff.

I love going to the Philharmonic, and that experience has remained largely unchanged for me over the years. But this? This is something else. The idea of manipulating live orchestral sound in real time and blending it with augmented audio techniques is intriguing. It challenges what we expect from a concert hall performance.

"Philharmonic Sessions: The Augmented Orchestra will offer audiences an intimate and transformative musical experience as they are surrounded by musicians, immersed in sound, light, and the dynamic energy of live performance." — Adam Szabo, BBC Philharmonic Director

Will this change how we experience live classical music, or is it just a fleeting experiment?

Film & Video

Technology and Nature Merge in Zachary Corzine’s Otherworldly ‘Faux Flora’

Zachary Corzine’s Faux Flora, featured on Colossal, explores the uneasy relationship between technology and nature. Using tools like Cinema4D, Houdini, and Octane, Corzine crafts hyper-realistic digital flowers that mimic organic growth but exist in an entirely artificial space. His work raises a key question: Can digital art help us reconnect with nature, or does it only highlight how far we’ve drifted from it?

I find Faux Flora compelling because it doesn’t just imitate nature—it questions it. The digital flowers feel organic yet unnatural, familiar yet alien. Corzine isn’t trying to replace the real, but rather, to remind us of what we stand to lose.

"As climate change and environmental destruction continue, this project is both a love letter and a means to explore how technology can be used not to replace nature but hopefully reconnect us with it in new and meaningful ways," Corzine explains.

Does digital art like this bring us closer to nature, or does it underline our growing detachment?

AI in Visual Arts

QUICK Q & A: How Can Artists and Galleries Work Together to Educate the Public on the Importance of Hand Made Art Over AI Art?

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine raises the question of how artists and galleries can educate the public on the value of handmade art over AI-generated work. It assumes that AI art poses a threat to traditional craftsmanship, positioning the two as opposing forces. But is that really the case?

To me, this argument feels off. AI-generated works are just another addition to the long history of art movements. We’ve seen this before—abstract expressionists weren’t scrambling to prove their worth when pop art emerged. The arrival of a new medium doesn’t erase the significance of what came before. It expands the conversation.

The idea that handmade art needs defending against AI is like saying photography invalidated painting. It didn’t. It challenged it, changed it, and inspired new ways of seeing. AI is no different.

Instead of drawing battle lines, why not explore how both can coexist and influence each other?

Photography

Xiaomi Unveils Modular Magnetic Lens That Turns Smartphones Into Digital Cameras at MWC

Xiaomi just introduced a modular magnetic lens at MWC, designed to clip onto the back of a smartphone and transform it into a digital camera. As reported by Designboom, this accessory allows for lossless RAW data transfer, hinting at serious photographic potential. But with no production date announced, it's still a concept waiting to materialize.

I’ve been down the gear-heavy road—large format cameras, DSLRs, and an arsenal of lenses. But a year ago, I ditched it all for the iPhone. My wife Robyn and I do a lot of travel photography, and carrying a full kit just wasn’t practical anymore. I added the Fjorden Grip, now backed by Leica, which has been refining mobile photography in fascinating ways.

Leica has always been synonymous with quality optics, so seeing them double down on smartphone photography is intriguing. If Xiaomi’s modular lens delivers, it could be another step toward making mobile devices legitimate tools for serious photographers.

Does this modular approach bring back the best of DSLR flexibility, or is it just another gadget destined for the drawer?

Photographer Combines Infrared Photography, AI, and Augmented Reality for Moving Series on Marginalization

Tobi Shinobi’s Blood on the Leaves, featured in My Modern Met, is a perfect example of how technology can serve storytelling rather than just aesthetics. Using infrared photography, AI animation, and augmented reality, Shinobi creates a layered exploration of marginalization and visibility. His images don’t just capture moments—they reveal what’s often unseen, both in light and in society.

Lately, I’ve seen a flood of AI-generated images focused solely on achieving a polished, consistent style. While that has its place, it’s rare to find artists using AI to deepen the emotional and narrative weight of their work. Shinobi isn’t just applying tech for tech’s sake—he’s using it to invite viewers into his perspective, making them engage rather than just observe.

“At its core, technology allows me to do what I've always done—challenge how people see. The more immersive the experience, the harder it is to ignore the story.”

What other ways can AI serve storytelling rather than just surface aesthetics?

Art and Politics

Whistleblowing and Female Power

Tatiana Bazzichelli’s talk, highlighted in NERO Editions, explores the role of female whistleblowers in exposing military misconduct and the power of building trust networks. She connects figures like Chelsea Manning and Reality Winner to broader conversations on AI-driven warfare and the role artists play in making these systems visible. The event, part of Digital Delights & Disturbances, underscores how whistleblowing intersects with media, activism, and art.

I love the contradiction in that title—delight and disturbance. It’s the same tension we see between art and technology, between AI’s promise and its risks. Bazzichelli frames whistleblowing as a challenge to dominant narratives, and I see a parallel for artists. It’s not just about female power, though that’s crucial here. It’s about all artists taking on the responsibility of questioning, exposing, and making visible what gets buried by institutions and algorithms.

"Art, like whistleblowing, becomes a means of raising awareness about sensitive issues, generating in-depth analysis within the framework of social and political action."

If AI is shaping the way conflicts are fought and reported, shouldn’t artists be just as relentless in shaping how we see and understand these changes?

Lin-Manuel Miranda Faces Criticism Following Hamilton’s Cancellation

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s decision to cancel Hamilton at the Kennedy Center has sparked debate, as covered by Disney Fanatic. Miranda cited discomfort with the venue's new leadership under Trump appointees, stating the production “wasn’t for Trump and his crowd.” This move highlights an ongoing struggle over political influence in the arts, with supporters seeing it as a stand for artistic integrity and critics calling it exclusionary.

The arts in America have long been a space for commentary rather than alignment. Institutions like the Kennedy Center were not designed to serve a political agenda, but recent shifts suggest an increasing entanglement of art and state power.

Over the last 50 years, we’ve seen art function as critique—challenging politics from the outside, not becoming a tool within it. Now, we’re witnessing a shift where institutions are being reshaped to serve ideological purposes rather than artistic ones.

Should artists reclaim independent spaces, or is this entanglement now unavoidable?

Exhibitions & Events

Christie’s AI Art Auction Reportedly Exceeds Expectations

Christie’s recent AI art auction, “Augmented Intelligence,” went ahead despite protests from nearly 6,500 artists, as reported by TechCrunch. The show pulled in over $700,000, with Refik Anadol’s “Machine Hallucinations — ISS Dreams — A” leading at $277,200. Some see this as a win for AI-generated art, but I’m skeptical.

It’s not that the work itself was groundbreaking—it’s that this was the first time AI-generated pieces had their own auction at Christie’s. Novelty drives attention, and collectors love the idea of owning a piece of “history.” But will this excitement last? That depends on whether AI-generated art can mature beyond spectacle and hold the same emotional and conceptual weight as traditionally created work.

I have to believe that this was not due to brilliant curation techniques, but simply the sense of novelty around it being the first auction to feature AI-generated work in general. I think this fad may fade until and unless the work is as mature as non-AI-generated work and triggers the same amount of meaning.

Do these results signal real acceptance of AI art, or are collectors just chasing the latest trend?

The Last Word

Thanks for joining me in exploring these technological and artistic crossroads this week. I find it fascinating how these stories reveal not just technical innovations but deeper questions about our values and creative futures. I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these pieces—which resonated with you most? Drop me a line if something sparked your interest or if you've encountered other examples where art and tech are colliding in unexpected ways.

Best, Juergen