 Hi, art lovers! | | |  | Nope. (Lensa) | | | Always a sucker for a trend, especially one that strokes my ego, I downloaded the Lensa app before contemplating any of the obvious issues an AI portrait-generator raises. Is it going to steal my photos? “Perpetuate misogyny”? Make me regret spending $3.99 on something other than a latte? If you, as Artnet hilariously put it, feel “aggrieved by the limited artistic range of streetside caricaturists,” at least consider these tips before trying it yourself. But if I were you, I’d pass. Ethical quandaries aside, my collection of Magic Avatars must have been pulled from the most shadowy corners of Uncanny Valley. (So many extra fingers and freaky teeth!) Aside from a big-eyed fairy selfie that’s serving early-career Taylor Swift vibes, none of my portraits were fit for public consumption. But there are other reasons to feeI the ick about Lensa AI. CBC’s As It Happens explored why the technology has artists on edge, and they spoke with creatives directly impacted by it all. The AI was trained on their work without credit or compensation — which is a contemporary conundrum that also made for thought-provoking headlines this fall. Did you hear the story of the AI model that was trained on the work of Kim Jung Gi … less than a week after the illustrator died? Of course, for all the eight-fingered hand-wringing over AI in all its forms, there are thinkers who see a positive side to the technology. Check out this methodology for boosting creativity. | | | | | And because we promised you eye candy ... | | |  | Remai Modern | If you’re in Saskatoon, get your eyeballs to the Remai Modern, where this Nick Cave installation is on view — a veritable forest of dazzling wind spinners that hangs from the museum ceiling. | | | | |  | Leandro Erlich | | Meet you by the pool … and in it too? This mind-bending immersive installation by Argentinean artist Leandro Erlich is now appearing at the Pérez Art Museum Miami. Find it there through September 2023. | | | | |  | Natasha Katedralis | | Tooth by Natasha Katedralis, who is one of the nominees for the 2022 Lind Prize. (An exhibition featuring this year’s honourees opened yesterday at the Polygon Gallery in Vancouver.) | | | | |  | Tau Lewis | | Homonoia by Toronto-born artist Tau Lewis. | | | | |  | Valéry Goulet, Nancy Nickolson, Kent Monkman, Teenadult, Kness | | | | | From cosy winter gear to Christmas cards, these must-have items are made by Canadian artists. | | | | |  | Crave | | | | | Willow and Fleishman is in Trouble, plus the return of Letterkenny and Emily in Paris. And if you already have those shows in your queue, you’ll find plenty more staff picks in this month’s Watch This! | | | | |  | Galerie de l'UQAM | | | | | | | The photo exhibition View From Above is a unique look at the devastating historical truths of the Holocaust. But as Didier Morelli writes, it’s also “a celebration of life and a testament to Duret's short but bright career, a moving reflection on living, losing and memorializing.” | | |  | Chris Reyes | | This trippy “winterscape” is by Edmonton’s Chris Reyes, the graphic designer behind this month’s logo design. | | | | | Share this newsletter | | or subscribe if this was
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I’m Leah Collins, senior writer at CBC Arts. Until next time! | | | | | |
