Belgian Solutions
in
Latent Space

"Belgian Solutions in Latent Space" merges Belgian problem-solving ingenuity with AI technology. Inspired by David Helbich's "Belgian Solutions" – a collection of photographs showcasing creative fixes in public spaces – this project digitizes the concept. Helbich's work evolved into a crowdsourced phenomenon, gathering an extensive collection of 'objets trouvés' through social media.Utilizing the notion of Belgian solutions, this collection of photos was created with Flux, an advanced AI image generation model. The resulting AI-generated images blend surrealism and realism, reflecting Belgium's artistic heritage while challenging perceptions of cultural quirks. This exploration invites considerations: How does AI interpret cultural nuances? Where does human creativity end and artificial intelligence begin? AI-generated images are new and unique, yet they're based on existing concepts and data. This raises questions about how AI might influence, reinterpret, or even create new artistic styles in the future.Media theorists Lev Manovich and Emanuele Arielli examine these questions extensively in their book "Artificial Aesthetics: A Critical Guide to AI, Media and Design". In the second chapter, Manovich explores the interplay between creativity, cultural context, and artificial intelligence. He investigates how AI is reshaping our understanding of creative processes. Manovich's analysis offers insights into how AI-generated art might redefine originality, cultural interpretation, and the future of artistic styles.Listen to an audio summary of Chapter 2: