At the beginning of July, The Hug – an expanded online platform for artists – launched its second Innovation Laboratory with Stability AI under the motto “Activate Your Creative Potential.” HanZzzel was thrilled to be part of this experience, where artists explored cutting-edge AI creative possibilities, guided by the gentle leadership of Michael Littig. “This was an incredible opportunity to expand my toolkit of AI models and to learn sophisticated ways of bringing imagination to life! The Hug brought in exceptional guest lecturers, including Michael Hafftka, Refik Anadol, and Claire Silver — AI artists I truly admire!” HanZzzel still enthuses when recalling the experience.
Upon completing these four weeks of intensive learning, HanZzzel participated in The Hug’s Open Call, AI as in collaboration with JRNY Gallery in Las Vegas. His piece, Pannonia Arrival, from his Genesis collection, was selected.
“This is one of my first AI artworks and serves as the signature piece of my Genesis collection, Pannonia Arrival. I created it using text-to-image prompts combined with real photography in Midjourney. The photograph was taken by my wife in the village where I grew up and features a giant octahedron installation by the local artist Heinz Bruckschwaiger, whom I deeply admire. Using AI, I merged this real-life artwork with a fictional alien scene, set against the familiar landscape of my hometown, evoking a gentle sense of being at home within a surreal reality,” says HanZzzel.
“I extended this collaborative process by generating a 3D model of my artwork. I refined the model in Blender and used Meta Spark to create an augmented reality (AR) effect for Instagram and Facebook. Through AR, viewers can point their camera at the artwork to see the 3D model come to life. If they use the front camera, the face-tracking functionality replaces their head with an alien’s.
I believe that creating extended experiences for the viewer, especially with interactive elements, is a powerful way to engage with art and leave a lasting impression. Without AI tools, I couldn’t have translated my ideas into such an immersive experience.”
For HanZzzel, exhibiting in a pioneering NFT gallery in Las Vegas with one of his cherished Genesis pieces is a significant achievement, motivating him further to push the boundaries of his artistic approach.
