AI HOKUSAI, an ArtTech research project inspired by the methodology proposed in the 19th century by the Japanese artist and art educator Hokusai, invites artists from all over the world, working in various media to experiment with artificial intelligence.
The project takes place online in the form of a residency/laboratory. During 2 months, it will combine an intensive internal program of applied workshops for selected artists, with an open public program that includes discussions and masterclasses.
While the artists explore generative AI tools to create artworks for a final exhibition, the organizers will conduct a research study, by observing and analyzing the process from diverse optics: cultural, technological, anthropological, and philosophical points of view.
The results of this whole work constitute the basis of a research publication. This paper will reunite the experience of artists, invited experts, and organizers’ analysis to contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of artificial intelligence in the context of art, culture, and human heritage.
The project takes place online in the form of a residency/laboratory. During 2 months, it will combine an intensive internal program of applied workshops for selected artists, with an open public program that includes discussions and masterclasses.
While the artists explore generative AI tools to create artworks for a final exhibition, the organizers will conduct a research study, by observing and analyzing the process from diverse optics: cultural, technological, anthropological, and philosophical points of view.
The results of this whole work constitute the basis of a research publication. This paper will reunite the experience of artists, invited experts, and organizers’ analysis to contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of artificial intelligence in the context of art, culture, and human heritage.
DEMONS AND MONSTERS — is a digital mixed-media art project that reimagines the stories behind Katsushika Hokusai's One Hundred Ghost Stories through the lens of artificial intelligence. Inspired by the ancient Japanese game Hyaku Monogatari, where people tell ghostly tales by candlelight, the project invites audiences to "play" alongside Hokusai, delving into the legends that shaped his iconic works.
The project reinterprets three stories—The Mansion of the Plates (Sara-yashiki), Oiwa (Oiwa-san), and Kohada Koheiji—by transferring their characters and narratives to modern-day Tokyo, with locations tied to Hokusai’s life. Each episode blends cinematic noir with surrealism, preserving the eerie mood of the original tales while exploring contemporary themes.
The project reinterprets three stories—The Mansion of the Plates (Sara-yashiki), Oiwa (Oiwa-san), and Kohada Koheiji—by transferring their characters and narratives to modern-day Tokyo, with locations tied to Hokusai’s life. Each episode blends cinematic noir with surrealism, preserving the eerie mood of the original tales while exploring contemporary themes.
In The Mansion of the Plates, the story unfolds in a modern wealthy Tokyo home, drawing inspiration from real-life crime events and featuring an AI-generated version of Hokusai’s burial site.
Oiwa reimagines its central character as a webcam model, reflecting the atmosphere of today’s Japanese restaurants.
Meanwhile, Kohada Koheiji explores the duality of masks in modern Japanese theater and life.
This project uses video as its primary medium, crafting standalone works of video art that immerse viewers in a haunting yet contemporary retelling of Hokusai’s spectral dramas.
This project uses video as its primary medium, crafting standalone works of video art that immerse viewers in a haunting yet contemporary retelling of Hokusai’s spectral dramas.