By Emilie Boivin

Art has always served as a profound medium for human creativity, captivating and transforming those who engage with it.

However, generative art is challenging the very definition of traditional art by combining human creativity with the computing power of artificial intelligence.

Can art still be art if it hasn't been physically brought to life by human hands? This debate is closely tied to the age-old question: What really makes art good?

Defining Greatness

Throughout history, endless debates have transformed the notion of great art into something cryptic, elusive, and elitist.

I decided to turn to Google to settle the matter once and for all: whether AI-generated art qualifies as true art, and if so, can it be considered good.

Throughout history, debates have transformed the notion of great art into something cryptic, elusive, and elitist.

Often self-conscious in conversations, I hesitate to offer my opinion on what I like, allowing my interest to fade.

But this time, I stood my ground and turned to Google to settle three questions: What is art? What defines good art? Can AI-generated art be considered great?

What I found surprised me.

Understanding the Value of Art”

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”— Edgar Degas

The Merriam-Webster defines art this way: “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.”

An object is define as, “a thing that can be seen and touched, but is not alive”

That’s interesting. Technically, a digital piece of art can be seen, but not touched, unless it is printed.

I prefer Oxford Learner’s dictionary definition : the use of the imagination to express ideas or feelings, particularly in painting, drawing or sculpture“

In my opinion, pretty much any creative expressions can count as artwork based on those definition. But, is it good art?

To find out, I typed, “What makes art good?” in Google’s search bar, and lo’ and behold’, I found an article with that very title "What Makes Art Good" by Art Class Curator.

Apparently, there are four art theories by which art can be judged: formalism, imitationalism, instrumentalism, and emotionalism. We’ll define each and see how AI generated Art compares.

Does it look good to you? The Formalism Aesthetic Theory

Sometimes, art just works because it is visually appealing. With the formalist art theory, a piece a of is judged successful if the piece is composed in an interesting way.

There are 14 elements and principles of art and design an artist can use to organize artwork.

Elements

Line
Shape
Tone (Value)
Space
Texture
Form
Color

Principles

Balance
Variety
Unity
Emphasis
Movement
Pattern
Proportion

“I use evolutionary algorithms to create artificial life forms that would be almost impossible to design directly.” — Jon McCormack

I have picked two pieces to illustrate this principle: the top one done by artist Jerry Reynolds, and under it is “The Goose," created by Dmitri Cherniak. Both pieces capture the eye with their intricate interplay of color, lines, shapes, and space. However, Jerry’s piece is hand drawn whereas Dmitri’s work generated by an algorithm process called generative art.

Still, the fact that “The Goose” is computer-generated has not stopped it to be sold for $6.2 million at the prestigious Sotheby's auction. Which could be enough to be elevated to the level of good art. In case it isn’t, the next art theory offers

There’s beauty in showcasing things as they are: Imitationalism / Mimetic art theory

At first, art imitates life. Then life will imitate art. Then life will find its very existence from the arts. Fyodor Dostoevsky

Have you looked at an art piece and mistaken for a photograph because it looked so real? Chances are the artist subscribed to the imitationalism theory, prizing above all creating art that gets as close as possible to the object it replicates. Here, art has to imitate life.

Artificial intelligence is not a substitute for human intelligence; it is a tool to amplify human creativity and ingenuity. – Fei-Fei Li

Generative artists, on the other hand, are pairing their creativity with artificial intelligence to go beyond what already exists in this world. AI expands their ability to share images that only lived in their imagination. You can, of course, use generative art to mimic real life, just as I did with the maid image I generated in Canva. But generally, the goal is to create something never seen before. The good news is that both genres, won’t try to compete.

Challenging Perspectives through Artistic Instrumentalism:

Art provides an opportunity for kaleidoscopic thinking. Each time we shift the lens of our perceptions, we gain new perspectives — and new opportunities for innovation. — Linda Naiman (creativityatwork.com)

Art has the power to open minds, shift perspectives. When an artist focuses on conveying a specific message or point of view through his art, they most likely have chosen instrumentalism to frame their work. In this realm of art theory, only context matter. As long as the piece “says” something, it doesn’t need to be composed well nor be aesthetically pleasing to qualify as good art. Visionaries like Mark Wilkinson and Eka Lestienne harness the power instrumentalism to transcend the conventional boundaries of art with thought-provoking creations. They simply use different medium. Mark paints while Eka uses AI and augmented reality. Both create arresting work. Which leads to the fourth and last theory we’ll examine to evaluate art: emotionalism.

The Emotional Resonance of Art:

Art is supposed to make you feel something, and I began to realize my appearance was my art. My body, my face, my scars told a story—my story. But I guess that’s how life works sometimes—noticing beauty only in retrospect and poetry, in silence.”

Art has a special ability to make us feel strong emotions, and emotionalism embraces this ability. If a piece of art moves us deeply, it becomes good art. Both AI artists and traditional creators can mesmerize and move us. Their creations come from their imagination and form a strong connection that goes beyond the type or way they were made.

Embracing the Viewer's Discerning Eye:

“There are two distinct languages. There is the verbal, which separates people… and there is the visual that is understood by everybody.” -Yacov Adam

I dove deep into art theories to solidify my own definition of art, gain insight into what makes art good, and explore whether generative art could meet those criteria. As I am writing this blog post, I am convinced that AI art is indeed true art and has the potential to be truly great. Ultimately, it's up to each viewer to decide what they consider good art.

Of course, studying art theory can enhance your appreciation and boost your confidence, but unless you're an art critic or teacher, it's not a must. The same goes for how an artwork is created. Whether it's made by humans or machines, if it's beautiful, captures reality or goes beyond it, provokes thoughts, or evokes emotions, then it's art. So, my advice is to embrace all forms of art and trust your heart and mind to guide you as you enjoy it.

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By Emilie Boivin Art has always served as a profound medium for human creativity, captiva

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