PhotoVogue Festival 2023:
The PhotoVogue Festival returns for its eighth edition, celebrating the seamless union of ethics and aesthetics. From November 16th to 19th, 2023 at BASE Milano.
Since its inception, the PhotoVogue Festival has been dedicated to exploring ethically and aesthetically crucial themes, ranging from the female gaze to inclusivity and masculinity. Building on last year s exploration of how the ubiquity of images influences our understanding of experiences and reactions to events, the upcoming PhotoVogue Festival in Milan will take a deep dive into the profound impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.) on human existence and the creation of images. Our intention is to address the ethical, aesthetic, and political implications raised by this revolutionary technology.
PROGRAM OF THE TALKS
All the talks are free and open to the public.
6.30 p.m Refik Anadol will be opening the next edition of PhotoVogue Festival at Base Milano, with a Lectio Magistralis titled "Creating AI Art with a Thinking Brush”.
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 pm “Generative AI: Practical Use Cases for Fashion, Beauty and Luxury Industries” by Cyril Foiret and Nima Abbasi (Maison Meta).
5:15 p.m. – 6:00pm “When Creativity Meets Technology: A Conversation with Creator Labs artists Google Pixel at PhotoVogue Festival”. Creator Labs artists Anthony Prince Leslie, Kennedi Carter, Mayan Toledano, Myesha Evon Gardner with Google Pixel Product Marketing Manager Sebastian Rodriguez in conversation with Alessia Glaviano
6:30 p.m – 8:00 p.m. “Eye Mama at the PhotoVogue Festival” moderated by Alessia Glaviano (Head of Global PhotoVogue and Director PhotoVogue Festival) and featuring Karni Arieli (Artist and Founder of Eye Mama) and several contributors of the Eye Mama book in conversation.
A.I. SYMPOSIUM: “Charting New Territories: The Ethical Implications of A.I. in Image Creation”
A.I. SYMPOSIUM: “Picturing the Future: A.I. and the Evolution of Visual Storytelling”
A.I. SYMPOSIUM: “A.I. dreamscapes: Art, Fashion, and the Liberation of Creativity"
EXHIBITIONS
All the exhibitions are free and open to the public.
WHAT IS BEAUTY?
Throughout its past Open Calls, PhotoVogue festival has celebrated the female gaze, searched for the next great fashion image makers, highlighted diversity behind and in front of the camera, explored masculinity, reframed history, and consistently challenged stereotypes, clichés, and homogeneous representations. Continuing its journey dedicated to shaping a more just and inclusive society through visual literacy, PhotoVogue invited artists from around the world to submit work that challenges the traditional notions of beauty.
WHAT IS BEAUTY/A.I.
Featuring 13 artists whose A.I.-generated image submissions earned widespread acclaim from the jury, this exhibition delves into the festival
s overarching theme, "What Makes Us Human? Image in the Age of A.I." While distinct from traditional photography, these artworks highlight the profound intersection of technology and human creativity, inviting profound contemplation of the boundless possibilities of A.I. in reshaping the artistic landscape and its impact on human expression in the digital era.
UNCANNY ATLAS: IMAGE IN THE AGE OF A.I.
This exhibition aims to be a principle of cartography of this new world. And it does so through an investigation of how AI is changing, along with image production, our idea of photography, and inevitably also that of reality. Above all, the exhibition is an invitation to confrontation, at the intersection of many possible readings of a still largely empty map, where around the small known world there are still large, obscure areas, yet to be explored.
The Intelligent Library
Is it meaningful to approach the subject of AI without studying it from a conceptual perspective? Given the significance of visual literacy, we at PhotoVogue believe that a theoretical understanding is indispensable. While the existing literature concerning the correlation between AI and artistic expression is not exhaustive, there are books that offer invaluable insights into the emerging forms of production resulting from the union of machine learning and human creativity.
Given the proliferation of AI-generated images, artists and consumers alike need to address these technological advancements with both awareness and a critical perspective. The books we present in this section aim to guide readers through the complexities of a topic that, at first glance, might seem remote from daily life. Yet, it s intrinsically connected to what characterizes us as humans: our innovative spirit and our insatiable curiosity for the unknown.
To offer a conceptual framework for understanding AI, we have curated a selection of essays and theoretical works, paired with photobooks and magazines delving into AI, which will be part of the exhibition “Uncanny Atlas: Image in the Age of A.I.”. These collections highlight the dualistic nature of the technology, which, wavering between opportunities and challenges, continues the discourse on one of photography s timeless themes: the tension between reality and fiction.
- The Language of New Media by Lev Manovich (MIT Press, 2002)
- The Artist in the Machine - The World of AI-Powered Creativity by Arthur I. Miller (MIT Press, 2019)
- Prosopagnosia by Joan Fontcuberta and Pilar Rosado (Edition RM, 2020)
- Automated Photography by Milo Keller, Claus Gunti and Florian Amoser (Morel Books, 2021)
- The Computer Ate My Photos: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Photography by Aaron Hockley (Self-published, 2021)
- Art in the Age of Machine Learning by Sofian Audry (MIT Press, 2021)
- Human in the loop. Decisioni umane e intelligenze artificiali by Paolo Benanti (Mondadori Università, 2022)
- The Book of Veles by Jonas Bendiksen (Gost Books, 2022)
- staynonstop (zero-Editions, 2022)
- Computational Formalism - Art History and Machine Learning by Amanda Wasielewski (MIT Press, 2023)
- The Eye of the Master: A Social History of Artificial Intelligence by Matteo Pasquinelli (Verso Books, 2023)
- The Machine Seems To Need A Ghost by David Fathi (L’Artiere, 2023)
- Another Online Pervert by Brea Souders (MACK, 2023)
- Exhibit A-i, a project by Maurice Blackburn, Australia’s leading plaintiff law firm (2023)
- The Iconomist #3 and #4 (zero-Editions, 2023)
- Feedback by K Magazine (2023)
ETERNAL LOOPS
In the hands of the thirteen artists featured in this video exhibition, we voyage even deeper into this paradigm. Their work conjures dreamlike, occasionally nightmarish tales that teeter on the precipice of recognition and innovation. These contemporary visual metaphors form a symbiotic relationship with the familiar imagery of our collective past. The resultant sensation of familiarity takes on a disconcerting quality, an intrinsic facet of the artistic gambit these creators play.
SPANISH WOMEN: A CONTEMPORARY PORTRAIT OF STRENGTH AND BEAUTY
This exhibition celebrates the remarkable results of PhotoVogue
s inaugural Open Call in Spain done in collaboration with PHotoESPAÑA, the country
s most prestigious photography festival. PhotoVogue and Vogue Spain called upon artists from around the globe to submit their works, defying conventional norms and presenting fresh visual narratives.
CONDÉFUTURE
The festival will featured selected works from CondéFuture students. CondéFuture, led by Condé Nast’s creative and editorial teams, is a new global initiative that aims to inspire and nurture future generations of multimedia creative talent. Launched in New York City in 2021 in partnership with the non-profit organization Educational Alliance, the program targets high school students from underrepresented communities providing a free, two-year enrichment and mentorship program, led by talent within the Condé Nast community.
EYE MAMA
On the evening of the 16th, an engaging conversation awaits as part of the festival
s enriching program. Join us for a thought-provoking dialogue with Karni Arieli, a photographer and director, renowned for founding the transformative Eye Mama movement alongside several contributors of the Eye Mama book. This discussion aligns seamlessly with the festival
s theme "What Makes Us Human." In addition to the conversation, a slideshow of images from the Eye Mama book will be on view in the exhibition space during the festival.
Selected by PUIG, main partner of the PhotoVogue Festival, Delali Ayivi and Malaika Nabilatou, the names behind the artistic duo Togo YEYE, exhibit at the eight edition of the Festival their project “By the Grace of Us” grounded in Puig’s values of contagious Enthusiasm, Restless Curiosity, and Fairness and Respect.
In a small town on the northwest coast of Venezuela, the photographer Silvana Trevale, selected by PUIG to be exhibited at the PhotoVogue Festival, finds true beauty in strength and resilience and creates the inedited project “Unveiling Beauty in Chuao”.
THE GRANTEES
The PhotoVogue Festival awarded two 5.000€ grants to Luisa Dörr and Sarfo Emmanuel Annor for submitting the most compelling and meaningful work to our Global Open Call: What is Beauty? They will each receive 5000€ to support their artistic journeys and further their growth.
See here for more as well as interviews with the artists.
At the Festival there will be a screening showcasing the Shortlisted Projects of the PhMuseum 2023 Women Photographers Grant that aims to empower the work and careers of female and non-binary professionals, support the growth of the new generations and promote stories narrated from a female perspective, while responding to the need to work for gender equality in the industry.
What Else to See in Milano: A Curated Art Guide
Here you will find the photography events hosted by the best galleries within the most prestigious exhibition spaces in Milan taking place at the same time as the PhotoVogue Festival.
- Armani/Silos. "Guy Bourdin: Storyteller". Curated by Giorgio Armani and the Guy Bourdin Estate.
- Cfp Bauer. “Is this Water”. Curated by the professors and the students of the school.
- Condominio. “Twin Spark”. Curated by Giulia Restifo and Alessandro Calabrese . Artists: Anca Adina Bettega, Matteo Capriotti, Caterina Dondi, and Francesca Rossi.
- Leica Galerie. “James’ House” and “Hunting Heart”. Artists: Jacob and Sara Aue Sobol. Curated by Maurizio Beucci and Claudio Composti.
- Micamera. “Swim Till I Sank”. Artist: Gabriele Stabile.
- Istituto Italiano di Fotografia. “Ex Novo. Digestioni a catena”. Artists: Giuseppe Laera and Luigi Notarnicola.
- Perimetro. “MATCH!”. An experimental workshop curated by Perimetro Learn.
- Podbielski Contemporary. “Mirabilia”. Artist: Silvia Camporesi.
- 29 Arts in Progress Gallery. “Michel Haddi: Beyond Fashion”.
- Still Fotografia. "Giorgio Galimberti: alchimia dell’ombra". Curated by Alessandro Curti.
- Palazzo Reale. “JIMMY NELSON. Humanity”. Curated by Nicolas Ballario and Federica Crivellaro.
- Monica De Cardenas Gallery. “Stephan Balkenhol” .
- NonostanteMarras. “Beginnings”. Artists: Elena Aya Bundurakis, Mark Dorf, Daniele Marzorati, and Marit Wolters. Curated by Marcella Manni.
- Self Publish Be Happy, “SPBH Editions Extravaganza”. Book signing at Commerce + Basement Party, Saturday, November 18th, Via Chavez 18 Milano
- AI Fashion Week by Maison Meta.
Dates
November 16th to 19th, 2023
Location
BASE Milano, Via Bergognone, 34, 20144 Milano MI, Italy
Hours
November 16th: 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
November 17th to 19th: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
PhotoVogue Festival is a project directed by Alessia Glaviano (Head of Global PhotoVogue) and co-curated by Francesca Marani (Senior Photo Editor, Vogue Italia), Chiara Bardelli Nonino (Editor, Writer and Curator), Daniel Rodríguez Gordillo (Content Operations Strategy Manager, Condé Nast) and Caterina De Biasio (Visual Editor, PhotoVogue)
BASE Milano is a hybrid cultural center serving the city, born from the regeneration of the industrial spaces of the former Ansaldo in the Tortona area. It s a creative hub with an international atmosphere, boasting a community that produces social innovation and cultural cross-pollination between art, business, welfare, and education.
Here, research, experimentation, and social design activities coexist with the production and co-production of cultural and entertainment initiatives. This includes artist residency processes, festivals dedicated to design and art, musical events, and an annual public program that opens the space 365 days a year.
BASE positions itself as a diverse and inclusive artistic institution that enables and promotes conditions of access, coexistence, and collaboration among the stakeholders in the cultural and creative chain.
