AI ‘artist’ creates new work inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat

Can computers paint? According to Urbancoolab, an AI start-up focusing on applied computational creativity: yes they can. And to prove the point, they’ve launched ten new images by their ‘AI artist’ STiCH, inspired by iconic artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Urbancoolab describes STiCH as an ‘artist, machine, design researcher and artist intelligence’, and say it’s spent over 730 hours immersing itself into the life of Basquiat. The resulting images feature famous faces such as Idris Elba, Michelle Obama, Jay-Z and Tupac, and celebrate Basquiat’s artistic oeuvre as well as his history, personality and influence.

“Our team met the challenge to see how an AI machine with no emotion can learn to express itself with gestural abstraction while remaining to be visually intuitive,” says Urbancoolab founder Idris Mootee.

“We’re focusing on Basquiat as his work continues to inspire others, and his message continues to be relevant. There would be nothing more incredible than to have Basquiat’s work continue. His conceptual and aesthetic appeal will always remain strong because of the inherent emotional depth and power it communicates.”