02 - Conversation with Saks Afridi

In this episode, artist Saks Afridi and Faizan talks about AI image generators. Saks sees AI as a collaborator to expand his art. He believes the artist's intention determines if an AI image is artwork. Saks is optimistic AI can enhance creativity by enabling artists to be more prolific. It can help with mundane tasks, so artists focus on expressing themselves. For photography, Saks values capturing spontaneous moments. He thinks AI can't replace human observation and composing frames. However, incorporating AI intentionally can offer new aesthetics. Saks suggests teaching photography should cover composing for digital media, collaborating with AI, and enhancing moments in time-based on each student's AI proficiency. Overall, Saks is optimistic about using AI to expand art but sees human intention, curiosity, and observation as key. Born in 1975 in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saks is now based in New York City. His work fuses mysticism and storytelling to visualize a search for galaxies and worlds within oneself, combining influences from Sufi poetry, Afrofuturism, South Asian folklore, Islamic mythology, science fiction, architecture, and calligraphy. Investigating the experience of achieving belonging while feeling out of place, he likes to let the concept determine the medium. With backgrounds in advertising as a creative director and sculpture, Saks brings collaborators from diverse disciplines together to bring each project to life. He speaks four languages, and his work has earned international awards and features in major media outlets. Music: 'You Don't Really Exist' by Nim Sadot