The first picture that was "invented" by the neural network, sold at Christie's
ARTinvestment.RU   26 октября 2018

Printed on the printer image created generative-состязательной neural network, sold on a first-class auction for $432 500 — is 50 times more expensive than the estimate

the Buyer made the winning bid by phone. Who is he — is still unknown. It happened yesterday in Christie's Prints. Edmond de Bellamy never existed. This hoax — product competition of two neural networks. One creates images on the basis of 15,000 you may have seen portraits, and the other selects from them the most suitable. That is, the way Bellamy — is, roughly speaking, the average European portrait of the XIV–XX century. The project on creation of painting the forces of artificial intelligence invented by the artists of art-группы OBVIOUS. Earlier collectors acquired the portraits in this series for amounts in the neighborhood of $12 000. That is, the new buyer will not be able to say that he is the first person in the world who bought a piece of artificial intelligence.

Then why? I will try to suggest.

the First thing that comes to mind, — symbolic value. All-таки portrait Bellamy — first picture of the AI for an public auction. This specific historic landmark and perhaps the beginning of a new era in world art history. As artistic merits go by the wayside. As well as no waiting for special artistic genius from the first photo or the first movie. Here the question of innovation at the level of ideas and technology.

Second, it is possible to assume (purely speculative), — is that the portrait was bought by the middle East Museum. This AI-картина long before the auction was widely known in the Network, about it wrote the world press. Now this thing — finished masterpiece to see who wants tourists and local art lovers. Yes, it's not "Salvator Mundi," but in the same row with Schroeder Banksy — for sure.

Well, since we started talking, then there is a third version of the purchase of the portrait, proposed one of the Twitter users: "hope Remains that Banksy bought it to use for another shredder".

the Times are, do not be surprised already just anything.

V. B., AI

: christies.com

What else to read on the topic on AI:
"Generative art" for the first time put up at Christie's.