Xavi Bou (Barcelona, 1979) became interested in natural sciences at a young age, during walks with his grandfather in the wetlands of the Llobregat Delta. He graduated in Geology from the University of Barcelona and went on to complete his studies in photography. He dedicated 15 years to advertising and fashion photography, which not only helped him to master techniques, but also to acquire the aesthetic sensitivity that would eventually define his particular perspective. After that, he was able to apply this knowledge to his true passion: nature. His most famous project, “Ornithographies”, started in 2015. The fact of showing the beauty of nature in a way never seen before guaranteed it a great reception from the beginning. After being showcased in numerous exhibitions around the world and widely disseminated in prestigious international publications, it also became reflected in a homonymous book published by Lynx Edicions. Ornithographies reveal what escapes human perception: the invisible patterns traced by birds in the sky when they fly. Although aesthetics initially played a fundamental role in the project, throughout these nine years of trajectory the importance of the scientific aspect has increased, as a result of collaborations with specialists and the growth of the dissemination. In the words of the author, “It’s the balance between art and science: a project of naturalistic discovery and, at the same time, an exercise in visual poetry”. Currently, Xavi Bou has initiatives underway that explore other resources, such as video, and other study subjects, such as insects. Therefore, the raw material of his work continues to be nature, and the challenge is to show it in an innovative and aesthetic way that helps the public get closer to art and, above all, raises environmental awareness.
Antti Karppinen is an internationally acclaimed Finnish Digital Artist and AI specialist. He creates impactful images that speak volumes about climate change and various environmental issues. His works, showcased in the exhibition at Spazio Gerra, are selections from The Great Freeze and The Great Flood projects. While appearing as documentary photographs, these pieces are entirely crafted using artificial intelligence, based on his unique training models. This approach infuses the images with a somewhat absurd aesthetic, making them not only visually striking but also rich in message and intricate details.
Markos Kay is a disabled multidisciplinary artist and director with a focus in science art and generative art. He is best known for the artificial life experiment aDiatomea (2008), first exhibited at Ernst Haeckel’s Phyletic Museum, The Flow (2011) a visualisation of the supervenience of physical processes exhibited in design festivals worldwide, and Quantum Fluctuations (2016), an abstract interpretation of particle collisions, now a permanent part of the Fidelity Art Collection. In 2022, his moving image work Abiogenesis reached more than 10 million people across social platforms. A major theme in his work is the investigation of the computational paradigm in contemporary science and its effect on culture and knowledge-making. His art and design practice ranges from screen-based media, moving image, painting and print and has been featured internationally in places such as ArtScience Museum Singapore, Ars Electronica Austria, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Museum of Contemporary Digital Art and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Washington. His work has been widely published in art & design and science outlets which include VICE, Wired, Designboom, Colossal, National Geographic, Science, Nature, Computer Arts and Gizmodo.
Katie Morris is a contemporary artist born and based in Scotland, UK. She completed her degree in fine art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, it prompts us to contemplate the role of human creativity in a world increasingly influenced by technology. Through a human-machine collaboration, artist Katie Morris invites us to re-evaluate our definition of what art is and can truly be. Her work centers around a deep exploration of the human experience and examines the relationship between technology, creativity, and contemporary life. The artist’s practice traverses the tension between the human desire for significance and the lack of predetermined purpose in the universe. Her work often hints towards the conflict between our innate search for meaning and the illogical, ambiguous nature of reality. A palpable discomfort exudes from a deliberate disruption of narrative, alongside the juxtaposition of seemingly incongruent subjects. This acts as a mirror to the chaos within life itself.
Pierre Zandrowicz Born and raised in Paris, France, Pierre’s career began in digital content at Premiere Heure, an advertising agency in Paris. As a director and filmmaker, Pierre’s passion for visual storytelling has propelled him to create a wide array of memorable and award-winning works. He was one of the first filmmakers in Europe to explore narrative VR fiction, making history with the first VR short fiction broadcasted in France through Arte 360, titled “I, Philip.” Since that pioneering work, he has served as a creative producer on internationally acclaimed VR projects, including “Alteration,” “Vestige,” and “Battlescar.”Utilizing these novel techniques and with a skillful application of imagery, Pierre has the ability to craft authentic and engaging experiences that add depth to storytelling. In addition to being a founding member of Atlas V, where he supports independent filmmakers in realizing their visions, Pierre also continues to develop his own immersive experiences. This body of work includes “The Dawn of Art,” which was nominated for an Emmy Award, and “Mirror,” a sci-fi VR experience he directed that was selected for the Venice Film Festival 2020. During the pandemic, along with Ferdinand Dervieux, he co-created “What is Left of Reality,” an immersive installation addressing eco-anxiety, which was selected for Mutek, the BFI Film Festival, the Giff, and more.Last summer, he debuted his first pictures in a group show at “Les Rencontres d’Arles” in France. Since 2022, Pierre has been living in Brooklyn, New York, where he has returned to film and photography, incorporating AI tools into his work. His latest film, “In Search of Time,” co-directed with Matt Tierney was showcased at the Tribeca Film Festival. Currently, he is preparing for his first solo show in New York, where he will exhibit his inaugural collection of images “Whispers of Eternity.”
