AI Art:Welcome to the Dome

Can AI change how artists imagine what can be made, but not replace the entirety of the artistic  process? It might then be less about technical virtuosity and more about some other idea — the effects of the art or what the art has to say about the world. One artist, The Visual Dome believes that AI is a tool that in the right hands, it allows us the ability to push boundaries into our creativity that simply weren’t there before.' And they have done just that creating an immersive world simply called 'The Dome.'  

ABOUT THE DOME:

The Visual Dome, is a parallel world where time doesn’t exist on the same plane as ours. Everything feels strangely familiar but quite different. Technology has evolved to the same trajectory as our current world but the Dome seems to be oddly prevalent in an era reminiscent of our yesteryear. The Dome world functions the same way as our Earth does with laws, society, structure, evolution, invention, love, transportation, jobs, education, recreation, wildlife, fragile eco system and Mother Nature. It revolves around a similar construct to Earth, technology is more advanced but the appearance of Dome tech looks rudimentary. Want to capture your dreams at night, keep them logged on system, standard in the Dome. Need to teleport from one area to another, fine if you’re wealthy and a District 1 resident. Food & drug printing, yep, sky bikes, standard in District 2, how about smart ai pets, all the rage in the first three Districts. 

Attention to detail is paramount for the residents, it’s all in the fine detail. People take pride in their possessions, whatever they are or how mundane or important the item. The Dome has a very specific look, a little quirky, maybe a touch flamboyant for our standards (depending which District you live in) with a widespread culture of masks, helmets and glasses. Within the Dome over 80% of residents wear some type of headgear. Most ‘Domers’ dress smart, especially in District 1, 2 & 3 with everything from an ai pet outfit to the collar of a Sunday suit having its own unique Dome finesse. Color choice is also key, a specific palette is echoed throughout all districts, all homes, all possessions. 

Everyone and everything within the Dome is a little unusual--personalities, technology, materials, animals--but you can’t put your finger on it. You can see it, hear it, feel it and taste it but you can’t describe it. It’s as if this world is designed and orchestrated by a higher being to tantalise the senses. It’s an audio and visual cacophony.

Within the Dome there is no distinction of race, colour or sexuality. Society is based upon blood line. There are four blood lines, ‘Prime’, ‘H1’, ‘H2’ and ‘H3’. H blood lines are hybrid. As you progress down the scale you’ll see the change in appearance from what we perceive as the standard human to something not too dissimilar to an alien / cyborg race.

The Dome is made up of 5 Districts, but no one is sure why the dome is still slowly expanding as grey slate land masses keep appearing. There are three main climate zones over this world, temperate two season, temperate four season and tropical / arid. www.thevisualdome.com

Conversation with The Visual Dome Creator TR:

How would you describe your work?

I don’t believe I can describe this world as work. I’ve fallen totally in love with it. It’s a large slice of my mind in visual and written form. One that seems to keep evolving on a daily basis and I adore every minute of it. The Visual Dome, simply put, is a parallel world. One where everything feels very familiar but is strangely different. It’s a society not dissimilar to ours, brimming with life and character. The best way to describe the Dome is a cracked mirror version of Earth. A place where even the mundane is stimulating, so popping to the barbers for a haircut is a visual feast on the senses. You can lose yourself for a minute, an hour, or all day. That’s the beauty of my work.

What was the vision in creating a world (districts) beyond just individual images?

I wanted to create an alternate world where everyone felt welcome, irrelevant of who they are. A place we can lose ourselves, escape the stress and anxiety we all feel too much in this day and age, even if it’s for a fleeting minute. With five districts, each quite different from each other, I feel it gives everyone a place to connect to. Without coming across as cocky, I believe the concept worked. The Dome has only been online for a few months and the following it’s gained in that time is extraordinary. People really are connecting with this world, and I seewhy. We spend so much time on devices, phones, laptops, gaming, TVs, usually watching or reading content that doesn’t make us feel any better. The Dome is there to create a 180. It’s a place where we feel welcomed, absorbed, understood, entertained and excited to see what has happened in the hours we haven’t been there. I’m very blessed that AI has given me the ability to create this world in so much detail and technology has allowed me to deliver it to most parts of the globe.

Do you feel AI is a tool for artists or do you feel it will surpass human artistic creations?

You said it perfectly. AI is a tool. Not everyone can use it well, just like the tools we already have in our world. However, in the right hands, it allows us the ability to push boundaries into our creativity that simply weren’t there before. The budget alone for me to take one picture of the Visual Dome at a physical shoot, including actors, set design, wardrobe, location, props etc would leave me broke within the first five minutes! AI is now allowing creatives to explore their art without these previous boundaries. With that in mind, I very much believe if you take the human creative out of the process, it’s highly improbable that AI can surpass human artist creations. Yes, it can copy Rembrandt’s style very well, but I’m yet to believe it can become the next Rembrandt. There’s a symbiotic relationship when I work with AI. We compliment each other. Sometimes it gets things wildly wrong. Mostly that endresult is awful, but every once in a while it will add something outstanding that I hadn’t even envisioned. The symbiosis is (for me), what makes working with AI exhilarating, and I believe it’s only going to get better.

Have you always considered yourself an artist?

At school, Art was the only subject I looked forward to. I progressed to study Graphic Design and Photography at college. At eighteen, my life swung 90 degrees, and I fell head over heels in love with music. I’ve been in the music industry ever since, dabbling with photography as a fun side hustle. I guess life wanted to swing me another 90 degrees, this time creating worlds and expressing myself through the written form.

So for me, it doesn’t matter what you do. Whether you’re a musician, a chef, a welder, architect, surfer, climber, YouTuber, baker or even a free diver, we’re all artists in our own way.

Discuss why you feel it's important to remain anonymous while creating AI art. Is there a connection?

This is an interesting question because I don’t actually know. I haven’t given the premise much thought. It just feels right to be anonymous for now. All attention should be on the Dome, not me.

What role do you feel art and your art in general has in society and the art community?

I see art in everything. I’m currently looking at a driftwood bowl of shells on my desk as I do this interview. Both the bowl and the shells were created by nature. They are brimming with art.I see art as beauty, creativity, love, expression, emotion, textures, nature, creations. It has so many mediums, unlimited possibilities, and a lot of people rush past life without acknowledging or appreciating the amount of art we are surrounded by. So for me, my art is just a thread in a tapestry of artistic beauty that envelops the world.

How do people learn more about The Dome?

Of course. If you don’t know about The Visual Dome, or you want to dive a little deeper, you can find information, the history, schematics, maps, a lookbook, short stories and more at the website www.thevisualdome.com

For a Visualgasm, head straight to Instagram @thevisualdome