In the heart of Kista, an AI-generated mural challenging the boundaries between technology, humanity and art has taken shape. The impressive almost 30-meter-high and nearly 10-meter-wide mural is a collaborative project between The Kloud and cultural agency Kollektivet Livet. Renowned Swedish mural artist Christofer "Sagie" Siwertz-Svedjeby brought the AI-generated design to life. The initial image has been developed through a long process of "prompting”, but it was Sagie's artistic touch that transformed the digital creation into a public masterpiece.
Kista, where cutting-edge tech companies and research institutions meet, makes the perfect location for a project that unites art and technology. Here, there is already a natural interaction between the latest technology and creative expression.
At Grönlandsgatan 51, you can see the impressive artwork on the more than 20-meter-high wall of a building from afar. The mural, with its intense colours attracts everyone’s attention. The Swedish mural artist “Sagie” has brought this image to life with his masterful technique.
A sunny day in September
It’s a sunny and beautiful day in September when I meet Sagie in front of his work down at Grönlandsparken. When I arrive, he has just come down from the skylift and is wiping the sweat from his forehead with spray paint on his fingers. It's almost time for lunch so we head down towards Kista Innovation Park for a bite to eat and a chat.
How were you approached to create this artwork?
“I was asked by Kollektivet Livet if I could design based on an AI-generated image. I got to see the image before agreeing, and then I had free rein to add a human touch to the work. I'm very interested in technology and have played around with AI before, but I find it tends to create odd anatomy and lighting. At the same time, it's exciting.”
What made you feel like you wanted to do this project?
”I think AI is super fun, and I’ve used it for design inspiration. It's a great tool, but it comes with challenges – like unexpected, illogical elements popping up, for example, antennas and eyes that don’t belong.”
What can you bring to the table that AI can't?
“I made changes to ensure the artwork could actually be painted. I can think more logically about anatomy, light sources, and what will work. Sure, there are printers that can create murals with spray paint in pixel formats, but no AI can paint. It wouldn't have been as exciting if we had just printed a banner with a computer-generated image.”
How do you view AI in relation to art?
”It’s a helpful tool for gathering inspiration and creating quick thumbnails from different angles. But AI can't replace illustration or human creativity. It’s also important to consider that AI is very energy-intensive compared to a book, Googling, or other forms of inspiration.”
Do you use AI in your artistic process when creating art?
“No, I don’t. But I’ve used it as inspiration for tattoos and illustrations. However, I haven't worked with AI-generated images before.”
Can AI-generated art be considered real art?
No, I don’t think so. It lacks a soul, but it can be a useful design tool. It can help with writing, creating images, and editing films. I haven't seen any real artistic depth in AI-generated images yet. But that might change in the next three to five years.
"We’re on the verge of a tech revolution in creative fields, but I, for one, would never want a tattoo created by a machine. It would feel soulless."
How do you think AI will impact the art scene in the future?
”I think there will be strong resistance to AI in graphic design and illustration. So far, AI hasn’t been able to replace graphic designers and illustrators. But in the long run, there is a risk. I believe it will take quite some time, though. Many people are already using it. I think AI will impact every industry, including art. It will influence all aspects of life, but I believe we’re far from seeing a gallery filled with AI-generated printed artworks. We’re on the verge of a tech revolution in creative fields, but I, for one, would never for example want a tattoo created by a machine. It would feel soulless."
Do you think your role as an artist will be affected by AI?
”It already has. My clients send me AI-generated images to explain their ideas. I use that as a starting point in my design process.”
Who would you say is the artist behind this artwork?
”It’s an AI-generated image, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it art. It’s an image. I see it more as a design commission in Kista.”
Time is running and Sagie hurries back to his artwork. The weather forecast for the next few days is sunny and hot so he has to wear a lot of sun protection during his sky-high painting on the enormous wall. The man behind the original idea for the project, Alex Mattson Culafic from Kollektivet Livet joins the conversation.
How did you come up with the idea for an AI-generated artwork?
”We felt that AI has reached a point where society is ready to engage in a debate about tech and art. The concept was creating a text-based artwork that wouldn't be too expensive or require complex on-site technology. Sagie is brilliant because he’s a master of the craft. The stars aligned perfectly with art and tech in an area where people work in tech.”
“Sagie is brilliant because he’s a master of the craft. The stars aligned perfectly with art and tech in an area where people work in tech.”
How do you view AI's potential to revolutionize art?
”I believe AI will disrupt art. What we consider creative and innovative today will need to be reevaluated. For instance, when Picasso first exhibited Cubism, people were shocked. The glitches or “flaws” that appear in AI-generated images might become a new art form. But, until artists learn how to create their own AIs, it won’t truly be art.”
What are the challenges of using AI, and how do you address them?
”AI today is driven by business and profit, not creativity. It's not true innovation, just a remix of what's already out there.”
Can you give a concrete example of how you used AI to create the image?
”We gathered all the information from the companies behind The Kloud in Kista, giving it a local connection. Then, we used ChatGPT and Bard (now Gemini), asking questions like "How would you visualize this?" or "If this were an art piece, what would it look like?" We then used Firefly to input the text responses. I think this was around 2023.”
"We didn’t want to interfere with the process, so we had one AI talking to another AI, which was tough. Eventually, I had to take it bit by bit, sentence by sentence, testing different prompts."
Was it difficult to achieve your vision with AI?
”Yes, very. The first version of Firefly wasn’t great. We chose Firefly because it was compatible with Photoshop and Illustrator. One issue was that the text from ChatGPT was too long, but Firefly wanted the essence. We didn’t want to interfere with the process, so we had one AI talking to another AI, which was tough. Eventually, I had to take it bit by bit, sentence by sentence, testing different prompts. The final piece has a clear tech angle while being cost-effective and sustainable, as well as beautiful for the area.”
Is this considered art?
”Yes, I would say so. It’s a conceptual artwork. Other mural artists might disagree, but it has a backstory. At the start of AI, things could turn out like this. At the same time, the image is timeless and not overly realistic.”
Who would you say is the artist behind this finished work? AI? You? Sagie?
”It’s impossible to pinpoint a single artist behind this piece. Is it the human prompting the AI tool? Or Firefly’s interpretation? Is it the coder of the AI? That’s up for debate. What we can say is that we needed the human touch to turn it into art."
"What we can say is that we needed the human touch to turn it into art."
As AI continues to influence various sectors, this mural serves as a conversation starter about its role in shaping the future of art, creativity, and technology. Will AI redefine the artistic landscape, or will the human touch remain irreplaceable? This artwork invites to engage, reflect, and participate in this ongoing debate but also to be appreciated by those who live and work in Kista.
The "Firefly" mural can now be viewed at Grönlandsgatan 51 in Kista.
