Artist and engineer Nathaniel Stern, in collaboration with poet Sasha Stiles, has opened a new exhibition titled "Generation to Generation: Conversing with Kindred Technologies" at the Kenilworth Square East Gallery in Milwaukee. The show features sculptures, prints, interactive pieces, and poetry created through a nuanced collaboration with artificial intelligence, aiming to explore the evolving dialogue between humans and their technological tools.
The exhibition matters because it moves beyond simplistic optimism or fear regarding AI, instead presenting a critical and environmentally conscious artistic practice. Stern and Stiles intentionally use small datasets and selective AI processes to reduce energy consumption, while also incorporating traditional methods, thereby framing technology as a collaborator whose creative and ecological costs are part of the artistic conversation.