Generative art as exemplified by selected works by Mario Klingemann

Abstract

This article examines the phenomenon of generative photography in the context of artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on selected works by Mario Klingemann. It presents the historical and technological foundations of generative art, rooted in 20th-century avant-garde and early computer experiments and shows how contemporary AI models (especially Generative Adversarial Networks) revolutionize the ways images are created and understood. Klingemann’s projects, such as Neural Glitch and Memories of Passersby I, reflect on the limits of artistic control, system autonomy, and the redefinition of portraiture, memory, and identity in the digital age. The analysis demonstrates that generative art is not merely technological, but a philosophical medium for questioning authorship, creativity, and the human–machine relationship.