Currently, the AI-generated exhibition “THINGS TO DO IN SUMMER” is on display in our 3sec.gallery. This series shows intense situations depicted as pleasurable. Climate change is undeniable, yet we put our heads in the sand and carry on as we always do. With these images, Olivier shines light on the financial and industrial sectors, which take a short-term view and laugh themselves all the way to the bank.
Oliver Kartak (Vienna, 1968) learned about color and typography by doing graffiti, where his roots lie. At the age of 15, Oliver picked up a spray can and decided to become a graffiti writer. Since then, he has always expressed himself creatively. As a graphic designer, photographer, motion designer, director and professor. Mostly self-taught: learning by experience. This is also how he experiences his teaching. During the talk at Avans Hogeschool, he explains that it was never his plan to become a professor; it came on his path and now he does it with great enjoyment for over 15 years.
Photo by Joost van Asch
In addition to his job as professor and dean of the Institute of Design at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Oliver is still busy with his own design in his spare time. Last summer, he started playing with AI image generators and got hooked on the program Midjourney. Since then, he has been working continuously on this model all his free days and nights. During a heat wave, Oliver sat at his computer – playing with AI without a plan – and wondered what “melting humans” look like. This was the beginning of the current 3sec.gallery exhibition. Humor is an important part of this; according to Oliver, art is far too serious: “I want to achieve clarity through laughter.”
During the lecture, Oliver shares his vision on the combination between design and Artificial Intelligence and answers questions from the audience. The afternoon concludes with a very good quote: “Do not copy what other people do. If you throw a coin in a vending machine, you get the same lemonade as everyone else is drinking. Make your own, it tastes so much better.”
The local broadcaster BredaNu took a visit and made a video item about Oliver:
Photo by Joost van Asch
