Artists will speak at Fresno State AI and art series. Here’s how to tune in for free

Laura S. Diaz
·3 min read

Artificial intelligence – commonly referred to it by its initials, AI – isn’t just changing educational, logistical and technological landscapes. Art reflects life, and so does the presence of AI in it.

Artists from all over the world will be sharing their experiences and work using AI in art with Fresnans – digitally, that is – in a new lecture series launched by Dr. Ahran Koo, associate professor at Fresno State’s Department of Art, Design and Art History.

Koo has taught art in six countries, across all grade levels and has exhibited her work for 20 years. Her specialties include visual storytelling, digital narratives and community art.

“AI is at everyone’s doorstep,” Koo said. “AI and advanced technologies have become more and more pervasive in art and in daily life, continuously impacting us and our surroundings.”

Koo said these conversations – how to use AI and the roles it can play in aspects of life, like art – should not just happen in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, but in Fresno, too.

Fresno, the fifth-largest city in California, is an artistic city. Though not seen or talked about in the way other large cities in the state are, there is a rich, long-time history of art inspired by and created in the city.

Arte Américas, The Fresno Arts Council, The Fresno Museum of Art, independent galleries and performance stages are some of the institutions around the city encouraging artists. There’s an array of celebrated, award-winning artisists – Broadway stars, MacArthur geniuses, Fresno, California and U.S. Poet Laureates – who were are born and raised in Fresno.

For the rising and upcoming generation of artists, AI can change how they work, what they produce and the ways they go about sharing their work not only in the Central Valley, but also with the entire world.

“I highly encourage people in Fresno to explore various viewpoints,” Khoo said, “and expand their understanding of the timely topic.”

She has been specifically researching this topic – AI and its perspective in the art world – for two years. Last year, she organized a similar series related to AI with five speakers, including Refik Anadol, a Turkish artist who has had recent works of his displayed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and projected on The Sphere in Las Vegas.

This year’s 10-lecture series starts this week and ends in mid-March. Those interested can sign up for one, a couple or all sessions for free. There is no charge for any lecture, but attendees are required to register to access the online meeting room.

Artist sharing their expertise are:

  • Feb. 8 – Jun-Yan Zhu, working in Pittsburgh, PA

  • Feb. 9 – Entangled Studios: Sofia Crespo and Feileacan K. McCormick, working in Lisbon, Portugal

  • Feb. 15 – Jenna Sutela, working in Berlin, Germany

  • Feb. 16 – Anna Ridler, working in London, England

  • Feb. 22 – Sarah Meyohas, working in New York, NY

  • Feb 23 – Mike Tyka, working in Seattle, WA and Berlin, Germany

  • Feb. 29 – Lev Manovich, working in New York, NY and Seoul, South Korea

  • March 1 – Simon Colton, working in in London, England and Zaragoza, Spain

  • March 7 - Madeline Gannon, working in Miami, FL

  • March 14 – Eryk Salvaggio, working in Rochester, NY

At the end of each session, Koo said there will be about 20 to 30 minutes for the audience attending to ask questions directly to the speakers.

“This is a very unique opportunity to learn from scholars from the globe,” she said. “I highly encourage to take full advantage of this series.”

For more information about one or all events in this series, you can find it online at https://bit.ly/3HMdZ86.

To access the registration page for one, a couple or all lectures, you can visit https://bit.ly/3UsO9gY.