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Four-Day International Digital Art, NFT Fest Takes On Jerusalem – NoCamels – Israeli Innovation News

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Companies have been tapping into artificial intelligence to drive innovation for a number of years now, using it as a tool across a broad range of industries. Startups have used AI to save lives and increase traffic safety. It is powering robots to assist in surgery, strengthening the IVF process, and has become a writing companion that understands context and meaning.

Artificial intelligence is also disrupting the art world in a big way, with researchers creating machine learning tools that can generate music and paintings. Artificial intelligence can also create artwork that uses algorithms to replicate and mimic previous art styles. This intersection of art and technology which has created a cultural revolution is the reason why Yair Moss and Danielle Zjni have curated this year’s hybrid Digital Arts Festival – ZERO1NE under the theme of the impact of artificial intelligence in digital art.

“Artists have the ability to work with different tools to create something special,” Moss, an artistic co-director of the festival, tells NoCamels, “We’re focusing on AI because this is one of the main tools in our society that impact our daily lives.”

Viewers take in Italian artist Franz Rosati’s Latentscape, an audiovisual experience where music is generated through AI and machine learning. Courtesy: Franz Rosati.

“Examination of these new technologies while taking inspiration from past cultures and ideas, enables formulation of contemporary creative expressions. I think this idea is synchronous with the core concept of the Tower of David Museum, looking at the past and thinking about the future,” adds Zini.

The art festival, which will hold a hybrid of physical and virtual events from December 27 through the 30th, will give viewers the chance to take in 30 works of art, six original site-specific pieces, nine lectures, 10 live performances, 12 international artists, and 28 Israeli artists. Many of these events will be livestreamed on the Tower of David website. You can watch it here.

The festival is called ZERO1NE in reference to the two numerals that serve as the basis for all computerized activity.

It “delves directly and indirectly into the enigmatic phenomenon of machine learning and looks at the place of AI in the world of digital art,” according to an announcement. Events will move between different locations around the city of Jerusalem from the Tower of David Museum to Hansen House, a cultural center in a historic leprosy asylum to Mazkeka pub, a home for the independent and alternative art and music scene in Jerusalem. The festival will include audiovisual performances (many of which will also be livestreamed), media installations, lectures, conferences, workshops, and more.

Yair Moss and Danielle Zini are Artistic Co-Directors of this year’s ZERO1NE Digital Arts Festival. focusing on AI.

Although much of the festival is in Hebrew, including an opening discussion called “On the brink of a Cultural Revolution” on Monday, December 27 at 18:00 (Israeli time) between Dr. Milly Perry, chair of the ABC Art Blockchain and Community, and Artistic Director Moss on “the next of everything” (Web3, Blockchain, NFTs, DAOs, AI and the metaverse), there are a number of lectures in English throughout the week by prestigious tech experts, multimedia artists, and researchers.

On Tuesday, the first of two hybrid sessions called Interspecies Communication Hybrid Session No. 1 will include installations by artists like 0rphan Drift, Entangled Others Studio, Tom Love, Jordan Colsey + Deborah Fischer + Ofer Kantor, Erez Ezra + Avi Cohen + Boris Levin, Rachella Alcalay, Memo Akten, and more.

Also, on Tuesday, a South African multimedia artist explores the similarities between AI and an octopus. Maggie Roberts. Maggie Roberts will discuss the parallels between the operation of artificial intelligence and the somatic tendencies of the octopus as a decentralized, multi-horizon consciousness. Roberts founded the Orphan Drift collective, which cooperates with Etic Lab, developing the ISCRI project – an AI model trained on octopi. The project combines art, science, and technology, and experiments on interspecies communication between octopi and AI, with human beings as mediators. The event will be online on the TOD website.

Other livestreamed discussions will be found in Hebrew and English during New AI Imaginaries Hybrid Session No. 2. Highlights include “Artist in the Cloud: Towards an Autonomous Artist,” a talk by visionary, artist, and programmer Gene Kogan and “Artificial Life As Entanglement,” a talk by Other livestreamed discussions will be found in Hebrew and English during New AI Imaginaries Hybrid Session No. 2. Highlights include “Artist in the Cloud: Towards an Autonomous Artist,” a talk in English by US visionary, artist, and programmer Gene Kogan and “Artificial Life As Entanglement,” a talk by Feileacan McCormick of Portugal-based Entangled Others Studio on the state of entanglement and his “Hybrid Ecological Systems,” a series of studies for exposing our entangled world.

Hybrid Ecosystems’ is an ongoing series of explorations into creating an unveiling of our entangled world. Courtesy: Feileacan McCormick, Entangled Others Studio

Throughout the week, the digital arts festival will also feature a number of live performances that can also be enjoyed online. Artists include Italian artist Franz Rosati, whose audiovisual composition, Latentscape, will be shown at Hansen House with music that is part of the creation was based on music generated through machine learning and a live audiovisual performance presenting a unique collaboration between musician Or Edry and digital artist Carmi Dror that focus on lens-based art and creating digital spaces. There will also be an international performative Zoom Session at the Mazkeka pub.

An Audiovisual Night at the Tower of David Museum on Thursday, December 30th will use the Kishle complex as the setting for an immersive experience that looks at the space as a jail during the British Mandate and a time capsule of historical events. Also, Wackelkontakt, a trio that heads an audiovisual project which currently spearheads the Jerusalem experimental scene, will build a special installation of light and sound based on para-psychological experiments from the 1970s called “Ganzfeld” in German (Ganzfeld in English means “entire field.”) The Sadan Lab in the Phasael Tower will also feature local artists and DJs from Sadan Records, a Tel Aviv-based label founded to support artists focusing on contemporary electronic music and visual worlds. Most of the events taking place that night will also be livestreamed.

Wackelkontakt’s light and sound experience is one for the senses — and it will also be online. Courtesy: Wackelkontakt

The ZERO1NE festival began in 2019 and stemmed from a cooperation between the Tower of David Museum and artistic directors Moss and Zini. The digital world is growing at a rapid rate and TOD has really engaged, welcomed, and explored the digitization of history and art, becoming one of the few museums in the world to have its own innovation lab.

“Six years ago, the Tower of David Museum ventured into the world of AR and VR technologies and opened an innovation lab that would harness this energy and enhance the visitor experience,” Berliner continues. “Today, as our lives are hybrid, touched by technologies that we look to understand better, the Tower of David Museum is proud to once again give a platform to our contemporary cultural world that is being changed and shaped by new technologies and applications – whose complexities only mirror the complexities of the city which the museum explores,” said Tamar Berliner, Deputy Director, Tower of David Museum.

For more information on the ZERO1NE festival this week and its happenings, head to the Tower of David website or the site for Hansen House.

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Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

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In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone  BBC.com



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Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

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The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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