ait Dialogue #4: Marius Troy
ait Dialogue #4: Marius Troy
ait Dialogue #4: Marius Troy
ait Dialogue #4: Marius Troy
ait Dialogue #4: Marius Troy
In the fourth issue of ait Dialogue, we explore the artistic world of Marius Troy, a Norwegian multi-disciplinary artist renowned for blending art and technology in profound ways. From immersive digital experiences that challenge perceptions to his expertise in fashion and art imagery, Troy crafts narratives that transcend conventional boundaries. Join us as we explore the intersection of creativity and innovation through Troy's visionary approach.
In the fourth issue of ait Dialogue, we explore the artistic world of Marius Troy, a Norwegian multi-disciplinary artist renowned for blending art and technology in profound ways. From immersive digital experiences that challenge perceptions to his expertise in fashion and art imagery, Troy crafts narratives that transcend conventional boundaries. Join us as we explore the intersection of creativity and innovation through Troy's visionary approach.
/ Marius in dialogue with Selin & Eylül /
Marius Troy is a Norwegian multidisciplinary artist known for blending the realms of art and tech to create unique digital experiences that challenge human perception. His creative prowess extends to the world of fashion and art imagery, where he has amassed over a decade of experience as an art director, photographer and curator. Over the years, clients such as Dolce & Gabbana, Nike, Oakley, and Dior have sought his unique touch and expertise. With a drive to push boundaries and a distinctive artistic vision, Troy shapes the future as a luminary, gracefully traversing the juncture of art and technology with AI as his collaborator.
Your work often explores the boundaries between art and technology. How do you define the essence of creativity in an era where technology, particularly AI, is becoming increasingly influential in the creative process?
Creativity is such a fundamental part of being human. I have said before that creativity is our way of expressing our humanness, starting with sticks and stones, and now arriving at Artificial Intelligence.
Human creativity is what gifts us our technological advances, and now we are seeing humans interact with our latest invention, creatively. I think it is the most natural next step for us -to try our best to understand how this new tool works and how we can use it to express ourselves.
Some would perhaps say that it reduces human involvement in the creative process, but when you think about it, using AI is just utilizing what has been built with our common effort in order to continue to evolve and explore. The various AI models are trained on human artifacts, it is made by us, and now artists are building on top of that.
That said, technology in art is not a new thing. When the camera arrived the art establishment despised it, but now no-one is second-guessing its place. In music we have been using electric keyboards and drum machines for decades.
I am excited to see what this new era brings us artistic expressions and experiences. I also think it is encouraging to see how artists are requesting more control over the outputs of these AI tools, which is a sign of us beginning to sense the potential for these tools to tell our own stories.
On the other hand, I think more garbage is to be expected as well. Just like when smart phones literally made everyone a hobby photographer. It has made photography available, and has certainly gifted us with many amazing new photographers that perhaps otherwise would not have had the means to express themselves. At the same time the amount of low quality photography has exploded.
That’s how it goes. You have to accept the bad in order to get the great.
Building on that, how do you see the connection between reality and the virtual worlds you create?
I don’t think we can properly discuss that without opening the pandora's box of reality. What is reality in art? All photography you experience is staged or presenting a very limited frame. When experiencing all art it is up to your mind to fill in the blanks and to make it real, for you. Even documentary work cannot accurately convey an objective truth, or the full picture.
I think my virtual worlds are reflections of the potential of the world I live in. Perhaps not the one you live in, because only you live in that world. My ideas materialize through my imagination, which is influenced by my experiences, my sensibilities and how I perceive the landscape of our existence.
My work exists the same way as a piece of music or a painting does. Its existence will create ripples in our collective experience and consciousness. I both hope and think it opens more mental doors than it is closing, and that it inspires more than it deflates, so that it is contributing to more magical personal worlds of limitless potential.
How do your personal experiences and worldview translate into the immersive experiences and digital art you create?
It is everything. I have always been fairly wide-eyed and observant, and I am notoriously sentimental and nostalgic. For instance, I navigate the world with an old Nokia phone, a cassette tape recorder and a 35mm point and shoot camera. Not because I want to be special, but because I felt that having a smartphone rid me of my presence, and removed my ability to experience magic. Now, when I am in the city, I feel invisible and at times that can be very lonely. The only eyes I meet are that of old people, who are still here, not hooked to screens. That can make me sad, but it is also fascinating wearing the invisibility cape and just observing all these people and how they would rather live inside the world of their phones than one with sunshine that magically makes you feel warm and energized, ocean waves that hit your chest and make you feel alive, and birds that remind you of real freedom.
In my art I am trying to subtly uncover this magic of existence, and so far I am trying to reach people where they are, on their screens. Frankly, I am in the search of our deeper undercurrents and I like giving people glimpses of the perennial. When you experience my work I don’t want it to confirm your world view, I want it to connect with something you were born with. Your imagination and belief that there still are things to uncover. You might say that what I am creating is not real. But I would reply that what it awakens in you is what matters, and that is certainly real.
The rise of AI in art raises many ethical questions, such as issues of authorship, originality, and the potential for job displacement. As an artist who collaborates with AI, do you ever find yourself questioning these ethical implications? How do you navigate these concerns in your work?
I don’t really find it concerning. I might at times feel uncomfortable with the potential for this technology to manipulate and be harmful in the hands of someone with the wrong intentions. But as far as the ownership of ideas goes, I believe that everything is already a remix of what has been before, so I don’t really see the issue. I can empathize with artists that have put a lot of effort into something of real substance, just for a computer to recreate a similar output within a matter of seconds. But then I think we are just operating in the material world, and not seeing the big picture. I have to ask, what is the ultimate goal of art and expression? I think it is for us to understand the human experience better and learn collectively, moving forward while looking backwards. It is not about owning ideas. This will only limit our potential for understanding each other, and to be frank, this notion is just an artifact of a capitalistic framework. Your story is true to you no matter how many other people or machines copy the output you have made from it.
In regards to job displacement, this is, again, not a new thing. We evolve and create new realities for us to adapt to. It has always been like this. It might be painful, but it is pointless trying to fight the only constant of the universe - change.
How do you envision human-AI collaboration evolving in the arts? Do you foresee a time when AI could be considered a co-creator or even an independent artist?
Maybe. I think it is an interesting premise because the AI has an ability to view us from the outside. To analyze us and perhaps teach us a thing or two about ourselves.
One thing is clear, amazingly talented artists will utilize these collaborations to create new and almost unthinkable art experiences. Someone like Refik Anadol is already utilizing this technology to bring us art we have never seen before.
What new areas or themes are you excited to explore in your future projects and what can we look forward to seeing from you in the near future?
Right now I am working on a large immersive show for a gallery in Oslo, exploring the visual fabric of sound. I am using AI technology to bring the nature and magic of sound visually available real time to spectators. The show is booked for December and January, so I am currently in the bubble trying to connect the dots, find the right people, and build something that will leave a lasting expression.
What's something about you that would surprise people who only know you through your work?
Hah, this is impossible to answer. Usually, in moments when I think about what people think of me, or about me, I turn out to be completely wrong.
I guess it could probably be my playfulness and humor. I smile and laugh a lot. Loudly.
Imagine you could create a Midjourney prompt for a dream you had last night. What would it depict, and what keywords would you use to guide the AI's interpretation?
A photograph of a man flying through a green mountainous landscape while holding a spheric levitation device at dawn.
To conclude, can you share a piece of advice for aspiring artists and technologists who want to follow in your footsteps?
Your inner voice is usually right, so listen to it. Try your best to find your truth. Try your best to express your truth, and if your work is honest and sincere the world will connect with it. Never play for the gallery.
Marius Troy is a Norwegian multidisciplinary artist known for blending the realms of art and tech to create unique digital experiences that challenge human perception. His creative prowess extends to the world of fashion and art imagery, where he has amassed over a decade of experience as an art director, photographer and curator. Over the years, clients such as Dolce & Gabbana, Nike, Oakley, and Dior have sought his unique touch and expertise. With a drive to push boundaries and a distinctive artistic vision, Troy shapes the future as a luminary, gracefully traversing the juncture of art and technology with AI as his collaborator.
Your work often explores the boundaries between art and technology. How do you define the essence of creativity in an era where technology, particularly AI, is becoming increasingly influential in the creative process?
Creativity is such a fundamental part of being human. I have said before that creativity is our way of expressing our humanness, starting with sticks and stones, and now arriving at Artificial Intelligence.
Human creativity is what gifts us our technological advances, and now we are seeing humans interact with our latest invention, creatively. I think it is the most natural next step for us -to try our best to understand how this new tool works and how we can use it to express ourselves.
Some would perhaps say that it reduces human involvement in the creative process, but when you think about it, using AI is just utilizing what has been built with our common effort in order to continue to evolve and explore. The various AI models are trained on human artifacts, it is made by us, and now artists are building on top of that.
That said, technology in art is not a new thing. When the camera arrived the art establishment despised it, but now no-one is second-guessing its place. In music we have been using electric keyboards and drum machines for decades.
I am excited to see what this new era brings us artistic expressions and experiences. I also think it is encouraging to see how artists are requesting more control over the outputs of these AI tools, which is a sign of us beginning to sense the potential for these tools to tell our own stories.
On the other hand, I think more garbage is to be expected as well. Just like when smart phones literally made everyone a hobby photographer. It has made photography available, and has certainly gifted us with many amazing new photographers that perhaps otherwise would not have had the means to express themselves. At the same time the amount of low quality photography has exploded.
That’s how it goes. You have to accept the bad in order to get the great.
Building on that, how do you see the connection between reality and the virtual worlds you create?
I don’t think we can properly discuss that without opening the pandora's box of reality. What is reality in art? All photography you experience is staged or presenting a very limited frame. When experiencing all art it is up to your mind to fill in the blanks and to make it real, for you. Even documentary work cannot accurately convey an objective truth, or the full picture.
I think my virtual worlds are reflections of the potential of the world I live in. Perhaps not the one you live in, because only you live in that world. My ideas materialize through my imagination, which is influenced by my experiences, my sensibilities and how I perceive the landscape of our existence.
My work exists the same way as a piece of music or a painting does. Its existence will create ripples in our collective experience and consciousness. I both hope and think it opens more mental doors than it is closing, and that it inspires more than it deflates, so that it is contributing to more magical personal worlds of limitless potential.
How do your personal experiences and worldview translate into the immersive experiences and digital art you create?
It is everything. I have always been fairly wide-eyed and observant, and I am notoriously sentimental and nostalgic. For instance, I navigate the world with an old Nokia phone, a cassette tape recorder and a 35mm point and shoot camera. Not because I want to be special, but because I felt that having a smartphone rid me of my presence, and removed my ability to experience magic. Now, when I am in the city, I feel invisible and at times that can be very lonely. The only eyes I meet are that of old people, who are still here, not hooked to screens. That can make me sad, but it is also fascinating wearing the invisibility cape and just observing all these people and how they would rather live inside the world of their phones than one with sunshine that magically makes you feel warm and energized, ocean waves that hit your chest and make you feel alive, and birds that remind you of real freedom.
In my art I am trying to subtly uncover this magic of existence, and so far I am trying to reach people where they are, on their screens. Frankly, I am in the search of our deeper undercurrents and I like giving people glimpses of the perennial. When you experience my work I don’t want it to confirm your world view, I want it to connect with something you were born with. Your imagination and belief that there still are things to uncover. You might say that what I am creating is not real. But I would reply that what it awakens in you is what matters, and that is certainly real.
The rise of AI in art raises many ethical questions, such as issues of authorship, originality, and the potential for job displacement. As an artist who collaborates with AI, do you ever find yourself questioning these ethical implications? How do you navigate these concerns in your work?
I don’t really find it concerning. I might at times feel uncomfortable with the potential for this technology to manipulate and be harmful in the hands of someone with the wrong intentions. But as far as the ownership of ideas goes, I believe that everything is already a remix of what has been before, so I don’t really see the issue. I can empathize with artists that have put a lot of effort into something of real substance, just for a computer to recreate a similar output within a matter of seconds. But then I think we are just operating in the material world, and not seeing the big picture. I have to ask, what is the ultimate goal of art and expression? I think it is for us to understand the human experience better and learn collectively, moving forward while looking backwards. It is not about owning ideas. This will only limit our potential for understanding each other, and to be frank, this notion is just an artifact of a capitalistic framework. Your story is true to you no matter how many other people or machines copy the output you have made from it.
In regards to job displacement, this is, again, not a new thing. We evolve and create new realities for us to adapt to. It has always been like this. It might be painful, but it is pointless trying to fight the only constant of the universe - change.
How do you envision human-AI collaboration evolving in the arts? Do you foresee a time when AI could be considered a co-creator or even an independent artist?
Maybe. I think it is an interesting premise because the AI has an ability to view us from the outside. To analyze us and perhaps teach us a thing or two about ourselves.
One thing is clear, amazingly talented artists will utilize these collaborations to create new and almost unthinkable art experiences. Someone like Refik Anadol is already utilizing this technology to bring us art we have never seen before.
What new areas or themes are you excited to explore in your future projects and what can we look forward to seeing from you in the near future?
Right now I am working on a large immersive show for a gallery in Oslo, exploring the visual fabric of sound. I am using AI technology to bring the nature and magic of sound visually available real time to spectators. The show is booked for December and January, so I am currently in the bubble trying to connect the dots, find the right people, and build something that will leave a lasting expression.
What's something about you that would surprise people who only know you through your work?
Hah, this is impossible to answer. Usually, in moments when I think about what people think of me, or about me, I turn out to be completely wrong.
I guess it could probably be my playfulness and humor. I smile and laugh a lot. Loudly.
Imagine you could create a Midjourney prompt for a dream you had last night. What would it depict, and what keywords would you use to guide the AI's interpretation?
A photograph of a man flying through a green mountainous landscape while holding a spheric levitation device at dawn.
To conclude, can you share a piece of advice for aspiring artists and technologists who want to follow in your footsteps?
Your inner voice is usually right, so listen to it. Try your best to find your truth. Try your best to express your truth, and if your work is honest and sincere the world will connect with it. Never play for the gallery.
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