Key Takeaways
- Generative AI art blends artificial intelligence with human creativity, allowing artists to generate unique and dynamic works by using AI algorithms while refining and curating the final outputs.
- AI-generated artworks are a perfect fit for NFTs, enabling digital ownership and authentication on the blockchain and fostering a growing ecosystem.
- Some of the most notable generative AI artists are using different algorithms and techniques to create visually stunning and conceptually deep pieces.
- The most expensive generative AI artwork ever sold is “Human One” by Beeple, auctioned for $28.9 million at Christie’s in 2021.
Artificial intelligence is often maligned as the death knell for creative industries – but for some artists, it’s a glass half full.
A new creative subculture known as generative AI art has emerged, blending artificial intelligence with human ingenuity to create dynamic digital artwork. As a result, generative AI artworks are gaining popularity – and with their digital nature making them a perfect fit for NFTs, could also be bringing new life to the non-fungible token ecosystem.
This intersection of AI, culture and blockchain is a thriving ecosystem worth exploring. Let’s take a deep dive into some of the most notable generative AI artists and how they’re shaping the space.
10 Top Generative AI Artists
| Artist | Most Famous Work |
|---|---|
| Refik Anadol | “Machine Hallucinations: Space – Metaverse” |
| Mario Klingemann | “Memories of Passersby I” |
| Sougwen Chung | “Drawing Operations” |
| Jen Stark | “Vortex” series |
| Matt DesLauriers | “Subscapes” |
| Anna Ridler | “Mosaic Virus” |
| Memo Akten | “FORMS” |
| Kerry Mitchell | “Fractal Explorations” |
| Hamid Naderi Yeganeh | “Bird in Flight” |
| Helena Sarin | “Neural Bricolage” |
Refik Anadol
We’re kicking off our list with Refik Anadol, a Turkish-American media artist known for transforming data into immersive visual experiences. He utilizes artificial intelligence to interpret vast datasets, creating dynamic installations that blend art and technology.
Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Anadol pursued a BA in photography and video, followed by an MFA in visual communication design from Istanbul Bilgi University. He later earned a second MFA in design media arts from the University of California. Currently based in Los Angeles, Anadol leads Refik Anadol Studio and RAS LAB, focusing on the convergence of art, science, and technology.
Anadol’s “Machine Hallucinations” series, particularly the “Space: Metaverse” collection, garnered significant attention. In 2021, this series sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong for approximately $2.3 million, setting a record for an NFT collection by a single artist in Asia. Anadol’s works often utilize the Ethereum blockchain for NFT releases.
Mario Klingemann
Next on the list is Mario Klingemann, a German artist who is renowned for his pioneering work with neural networks and algorithms. His art delves into the realms of creativity, culture, and perception, often questioning the role of machines in the creative process.
Born in Laatzen, Lower Saxony, Klingemann has been deeply involved in the digital art scene. From 2016 to 2018, he served as a Google Arts and Culture resident, solidifying his position as a pioneer in AI-driven art. He’s currently in Munich, Germany, where he continues his artistic endeavors.
Klingemann’s “Memories of Passerby I” is a notable piece that continuously generates portraits using AI. In 2019, this work was auctioned at Sotheby’s, thus marking one of the first instances where AI-generated art was sold at a major auction house.
Sougwen Chung
Sougwen Chung is a Chinese-born, Canadian-raised artist whose work explores the interplay between human and machine-made marks. As a result, she integrates performance, drawing, and robotics to investigate the collaborative potential between humans and machines.
Chung grew up in Toronto, Canada, and Hong Kong. At the same time, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University Bloomington and a Master’s Diploma in Interactive Art from Hyper Island in Sweden. Currently, she resides in London, UK, where she continues her interdisciplinary practice.
Chung’s “Drawing Operations” series features performances with a robotic arm that uses AI to emulate her drawing style. This work has been showcased internationally, highlighting the synergy between human intuition and machine precision.
Jen Stark
Jen Stark is an American artist recognized for her vibrant, intricate patterns that draw inspiration from fractals, nature, and psychedelic imagery. While she began with hand-cut paper sculptures, her work has evolved to include digital mediums, incorporating generative algorithms to create mesmerizing animations.
Born in Miami, Florida, Stark earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her fascination with patterns and repetition led her to explore both traditional and digital art forms. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California, where she continues to expand her artistic repertoire.
Stark’s digital piece “Vortex” illustrates her transition into generative art, using algorithms to produce endlessly looping animations. While specific sales figures are not publicly disclosed, her digital works have been minted as NFTs on platforms like Ethereum, attracting significant attention from collectors.
Matt DesLauriers
Matt DesLauriers is a Canadian artist and creative coder known for his generative artworks that blend code with visual aesthetics. He uses algorithms to produce intricate designs, often inspired by natural systems and organic forms.
DesLauriers has a background in computer science and design. In addition, his passion for coding and art led him to explore the intersection of these fields, resulting in a unique generative art practice. He has collaborated with various institutions and brands in London, Amsterdam, Paris, and more, showcasing his work globally.
DesLauriers’ “Subscapes” series features procedurally generated landscapes that explore the boundaries between abstraction and representation. Finally, these works sold as Ethereum NFTs, with some pieces fetching notable sums on platforms like OpenSea.
Anna Ridler
Anna Ridler is a British artist and researcher who works with self-generated datasets and machine learning to create art. Her projects often explore the intersection of technology, nature, and history.
Born in London in 1985, Ridler holds a BA in English Literature and Language from Oxford University and an MA in Information Experience Design from the Royal College of Art. She has exhibited her work internationally, including at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Centre Pompidou.
Ridler’s “Mosaic Virus” is a video work generated by AI that shows a tulip blooming in correlation with the value of Bitcoin, drawing historical parallels from the “tulip-mania” in the 1630s to current cryptocurrency speculation. Specific sales figures for her works aren’t publicly available.
Memo Akten
Memo Akten is a Turkish artist and creative technologist known for his work that reappropriates advanced electronics, software, and hardware systems to create multimedia experiences. Consequently, his art attempts to change the perception of our relationship with science, nature, technology, and culture.
Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Akten received a Bachelor’s Degree in civil engineering from Bogazici University in 1997. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Computational Art at the University of California, San Diego.
Akten’s 2013 work “FORMS” is a digital 3D project in collaboration with Quayola that won the Golden Nica at the Prix Ars Electronica. Specific sales figures for his works are not public.
Kerry Mitchell
Kerry Mitchell is an American artist specializing in fractal art, creating patterns and designs using mathematical algorithms. His work showcases the beauty of mathematics through vibrant and complex visuals.
Mitchell holds a degree in mathematics and has a background in computer science, which he combines with his artistic pursuits. Furthermore, he has been active in the fractal art community since the 1990s and has contributed to various exhibitions in the Nature in Art Museum, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, and others.
In 1999, Mitchell published the Fractal Art Manifesto paper and suggested that a computer alone can’t create fractal art. The artist also argued that not everyone with a computer can create art, which requires a specific creative process. Mitchell’s fractal explorations have been featured in numerous digital art showcases.
Hamid Naderi Yeganeh
Hamid Naderi Yeganeh is an Iranian mathematical artist who is creating artwork based on mathematical concepts and algorithms. Therefore, his pieces feature complex geometric patterns and structures, reflecting the harmony between mathematics and art.
Yeganeh holds a degree in mathematics and is passionate about merging mathematical theory with visual art. Furthermore, his work has gained international attention, showcasing the aesthetic potential of mathematical structures.
One famous example of his work is “A Bird in Flight”. Various mathematical art exhibitions and publications have featured Yeganeh’s artworks, highlighting his unique approach to algorithmic art.
Helena Sarin
Helena Sarin is a Russian-born artist and creative coder who employs generative adversarial networks (GANs) to produce unique generative AI art. Her work often explores organic textures, watercolor-like abstractions, and dreamlike compositions. Unlike many AI artists, she treats the model’s output as raw material, curating and refining results with a hands-on approach.
Sarin has a background in software engineering and has worked in various industries, including graphic design and automation. She discovered generative AI art while experimenting with GANs and quickly became a prominent figure in the space. Now based in the United States, she actively participates in the AI art community and gives talks on the creative applications of machine learning.
Her “Neural Bricolage” series, which transforms GAN-generated images into paintings, has been widely recognized. She has sold various NFT collections on platforms like SuperRare, with some pieces reaching several thousand dollars in value. Lastly, Sarin primarily uses Tezos and Ethereum blockchains for her digital art releases.
What Is Generative AI Art?
Generative AI art refers to artwork produced with the help of artificial intelligence. Artists feed data, images, or text prompts into AI models, which then generate visuals based on predefined rules. Unlike traditional digital art, AI-generated pieces introduce an element of randomness, making every output unique. While the AI handles execution, human artists play a crucial role in curation, refining, and sometimes combining multiple outputs to create a final masterpiece.
In addition, AI artists leverage platforms like Deep Dream, DALL·E, and Runway ML to explore new styles and techniques. Lastly, the final artwork often combines AI-generated textures, colors, and structures with the artist’s personal touch.
What Is Fractal Art?
Fractal art is a subcategory of generative AI art that relies on mathematical algorithms to create intricate and infinitely complex designs. Artists use fractal-generating software to produce stunning patterns that evolve through recursive calculations. Unlike traditional art, where every brushstroke is deliberate, fractal art emerges from formulas that define self-replicating structures.
These images can be static or animated, featuring repeating shapes that appear in nature, such as snowflakes and galaxies. Furthermore, AI enhances fractal art by enabling real-time modifications, expanding possibilities for artists who experiment with different parameters to craft breathtaking visuals.
What’s the Most Expensive Generative AI Art Ever Sold?
The most expensive generative AI artwork ever sold is “Human One” by Mike Winkelmann, known as Beeple. This dynamic, 7-foot-high sculpture, which continually displays evolving imagery, sold for $28,9 million at Christie’s in November 2021.
Since then, several high-profile AI-generated pieces have fetched impressive prices, including works by Refik Anadol and Mario Klingemann.
Closing Thoughts
Generative AI art is more than a trend, it represents a brand-new fusion of creativity and technology. Modern artists are exploring AI’s potential, giving birth to new styles and techniques, and redefining artistic expression. Finally, with blockchain providing a secure way to authenticate and sell digital art, the AI art movement could grow further in the years to come.
