Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform, presented by TAEX

AI generated art work by Andrea Meregalli, part of the interactive installation You Are Making Art present at the venice biennale 2024 the edge mag cover story

by Alexandra I.Mas

Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform, running from April 19 to September 15, 2024, during the 60th Venice Biennale of Art, explores digital craftsmanship through contemporary digital artists. Curated by Dr. Antonio Geusa, it revives the Scoletta’s legacy, replacing gold leaves with digital code.

Funa Ye’s “Neo-Mastr Portraits” uses GAN technology to explore modern Chinese identity, while Accurat’s installation uses data to reimagine Venice’s landscape in the digital age. Shu Lea Cheang’s “UKI Virus Rising” serves as a cautionary tale about technology misuse.

The exhibition includes special projects by Geusa and TAEX, featuring a computer with TAEX’s AI art generator and an AI-powered art history quiz game.

Andrea Meregalli – You are making art

here and on the cover

Visitors are encouraged to observe and enjoy digital art, featuring artists like Shu Lea Cheang of TAEX, MAOTIK, Funa Ye, Andrea Meregalli, Francesco D’Isa, and Accurat. Meregalli’s interactive installation, “You Are Making Art,” uses AI to continuously create new images, while D’Isa’s “Errors” explores artistic mistakes through AI-generated prompts.

MAOTIK‘s immersive installation highlights the history of digital art, combining custom programs and multichannel visuals. An “exhibition within the exhibition” showcases sketches from classic masters like Gericault and Malevich, illustrating the evolution from traditional to digital artistry.

Kazimir Malevich Suprematist composition

1920. Pencil on tracing paper, 22,6 x 15,5

curtesy of TAEX

Géricault Jean – Louis – André –Théodore. Studies of rearing horses. Pencil on paper, 22,2x29,2 - the edge mag - courtesy of Tae

Géricault Studies of rearing horses

Pencil on paper, 22,2×29,2

curtesy of TAEX

Antonio Geusa – Curator

For over 20 years, Antonio Geusa has dedicated himself to advancing contemporary art. He specializes in art and new technologies, holding a PhD in Media Arts from the University of London. Recently, he has focused on digital art projects, co-curating the TAEX platform.

Antonio has initiated and curated several notable festivals and platforms, including “Echoes of Eco,” “Video Art Laboratory,” “Art Digital” in Russia, and “Techne.” He has curated exhibitions, organized conferences, and taught art history. His expertise includes a well-cited study on Russian video art.

He has worked as an associate curator for Tate Gallery in London, served on art award juries, and collaborated with universities and art organizations globally. Antonio also lectures widely, holding a chair at the University of Tomsk and speaking at prestigious venues like Centre Pompidou, University of Milano-Bicocca, Bozar, and the Photographers’ Gallery.

Discover more about the artists below

Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform

Curated by Dr. Antonio Geusa

19.04 > 15.09.2024

From Tuesday to Sunday

10am-6pm

Scoletta dei Tiraoro e Battioro

Santa Croce 1980

30135 Venice

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA

taex.com

instagram.com/taex_com

twitter.com/taex_com

TAEX manager Stefanie De Regel

Shu Lea Cheang , TAEX , Venice biennale the edge mag by Alexandra I Mas

Shu Lea Cheang UKI Digital film

ARTISTS

Shu Lea Cheang is a Taiwanese-American artist and director, who works with net art, multi-player participatory performances, video and installation. Having a broad background in artistic activism, her work promotes freedom of expression and criticizes political oppression, technological and environmental issues. As a multimedia artist, he gained recognition for his piece of net art BRANDON (1998-1999), the first commission of web art of the Guggenheim Museum. One of Cheang’s most recent and extraordinary commissions is the 3x3x6 solo exhibition for the 58th Venice Biennale (2019), where the artist represented Taiwan.

Francesco D’Isa is an Italian philosopher and artist. He has exhibited his works internationally in galleries and contemporary art centers. He debuted with the graphic novel “I.” (Nottetempo, 2011) and has since published essays and novels with renowned publishers such as Hoepli, effequ, Tunué and Newton Compton. His best-known works include the novel “La Stanza di Therese” (Tunué, 2017) and the philosophical essay “The Absurd Evidence” (Edizioni Tlon, 2022). Most recently, he published the graphic novel “Sunyata” with Eris Editions in 2023. Francesco is editorial director of the cultural magazine “L’Indiscreto” and contributes with writings and illustrations to various magazines, both in Italy and abroad.

the edge mag Taex review by Alexandra I mas

Francesco d’Isa, Errors

Interactive AI-generated installation, 2024

Andrea Meregalli (on the cover) is an Italian artist and architect. He deals with design at different levels. He has always developed research projects through painting, drawing, printing techniques, digital technologies and the creation of unique books. He worked for years without showing anything, then, almost by accident, he processed his pain and began to make his work public.

Funa Ye is a Chinese artist who explores the relationship between the realities of everyday life and the perceived connection between authority and social life. His practice studies the different power structures, ethnic groups and the imaginary space of propaganda that strives for the concept of ‘perfection’ within an ideological system and utopian landscape. She has been a resident artist at the K11 Foundation (Hong Kong), Pro Helvetia Swiss Council 2018 Studio Residency (Bern) and has exhibited her work internationally.

MAOTIK (Mathieu Le Sourd) is a French digital artist, who creates work at the intersection of art, science and technology – immersive environments, interactive installations, digital architectural sculptures and audiovisual performances. MAOTIK uses generative tools to create a mirror synergy between the real and the digital world, codifying algorithms inextricably inspired by nature. Create audiovisual sculptures that can breathe, move and change shape; a blend of nature, science and technology that brings unique and unrepeatable experiences to the audience. His works have been exhibited at Art Basel, Frieze London, FIAC Paris, British Film Institute and recently at the Digital Art Fair in Hong Kong with TAEX.

TAEX is a digital art platform that is building a new community of collectors who shape the future of art. We show and co-produce works by leading artists with critical acclaim, selected by qualified curators.