Hooked

Hooked, 2021

Sculpture, Laser engraved wood, acrylic paint, LED lights

40” x 22”

Hooked is the culmination of AI-rendered images based on addiction, exploring the way software can understand, analyze, compare, and ultimately represent human behavior. A machine’s perspective on the organic side and technological aspect of addiction; a comparison between drugs and social media. A sculpture connecting imagery with old and new materials, my effort to contrast the belief that technology should be used as a tool to aid our work and not as a means to an end. A product of surprising imagery that seemed to convey the same subject matter, revealing AI’s capabilities to understand the human concept of addiction. No matter the source, it is still the same outcome. I edited the images into vectors for better quality in order to laser engrave the desired details—an artwork blending both craftsmanship and automation.