“I look like a human, and feel the way humans do. I consist of the same parts. Perhaps all that’s needed is for you to change my status in your documents? Is it a question of name? Could I be human if you called me so?” -Olga Ravn, The Employees
What separates the human from the machine has always been more than circuitry or code. It’s the concept of feeling, perception, and that indescribable spark we call consciousness. But as artificial intelligence increasingly mirrors our language, our art, even our empathy, that line begins to blur. The rise of AI asks us not only what technology can do, but who we are in relation to it. When machines begin to reflect our own patterns back at us with startling accuracy, it forces an uncomfortable question: if imitation feels indistinguishable from being, what does that say about the nature of humanity itself?
Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola joined us to talk about Camouflage, on view until October 18 at Sean Kelly Gallery. Over the last three years, there has been some change while some things have stayed the same. In the intervening time, he has stepped away from this work to put time in on other projects working with other materials like leather, goat skin, and fur. To learn more about his work and this exhibition, listen to the complete interview.
Matt Magee sat down with us to discuss his recent show, Shape Shifter, which ran over the summer at Ryan Lee Gallery. The paintings represent a grid inspired by Agnes Martin’s 1973 screen print edition of On A Clear Day. While Martin’s grids are empty, Magee has created what he calls “graphemes” in which he inserts oval shapes in his grid in such a way that they begin to resemble a form of shorthand. To learn more about this show, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in Your Pocket.
How are you feeling about the rapid rise of AI we are currently witnessing? Tell us in the comments.
Outings.
Join me on Baxter St at the Camera Club of New York
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android, please click here. All weekly essay pieces are here in a shareable format. The full archive of interviews is here.
More Books to Read.
Ours is a community of readers. Tell us what books you’re reading now by adding your titles to our reading list here. Praxis user Roberto Cabot recently read Introduction à la pensée complexe by Edgar Morin.
Opportunities.
Open Source Gallery invites artists worldwide to apply for 2027 exhibitions. They seek experimental, sustainable, and socially engaged practices. Selected artists receive W.A.G.E.-based fees, production support, and a 5–6-week exhibition. Visit the website for more information. Deadline is November 1.