Imitations of a Mediocre Teenager on Tranquilizers

"Nachahmungen eines mittelmäßigen Teenagers auf Tranquilizern"

The Victoria & Albert Museum has reportedly censored exhibition catalogs following pressure from Chinese printing firms, removing images and maps related to sensitive topics like Tibet and Tiananmen Square. This editorial roundup also highlights artist Molly Crabapple’s sharp critique of generative AI as a massive intellectual property theft and a profile of Rirkrit Tiravanija’s communal home in Thailand, which functions as a social sculpture.

Is the local art industry ready for AI’s impact?

Ugandan visual artists are confronting the disruptive rise of generative artificial intelligence, which many local creators view as a tool for intellectual property theft. Prominent figures like batik artist Nuwa Wamala Nyanzi highlight the lack of consent, credit, and compensation as AI models scrape internet data to replicate unique artistic styles. The local industry is currently navigating a precarious landscape where traditional techniques meet digital automation, raising urgent questions about the future of creative labor in East Africa.