On October 9, SUTURA will inaugurate the exhibition Learning Machine. In this new project by SUTURA, artist Cosimo Veneziano observes the current relationship between humans and technology and, to do so, opens a dialogue with artificial intelligence on the theme of body representation: starting from its symbolic dimension, Cosimo interacts with various chatbots, provoking them and launching a challenge from artist to machine. Aware of the well-known difficulty that artificial intelligence currently has in representing certain details of the human body, the artist accentuates this limitation by asking the algorithm to generate images of people associated with some of the most commonly treated medical diagnoses and cosmetic surgery procedures, according to the findings of a comparison with doctors at the Istituto Fisicoterapico di Torino. The four photographs in the series There is no Heart Without You – produced for the exhibition – are the result of this research.
Two works from the BIOMEGA series—produced thanks to the MIC Italian Council call for proposals, won by the artist in 2018—complete the reflection on the manipulation of the gaze. These works consist of screen prints and embroidery on fabric and highlight the use of neuromarketing techniques to influence consumer purchasing choices in the agri-food sector. In the waiting rooms of the Physical Therapy Institute in Turin, visitors can watch a video that recounts the process of developing the two components of the work, questioning our real ability to choose and decode the images presented to us.
The exhibition closes with two photographs from the Patrimonio Dissidente series, a project that originated from another MIC call for proposals – Photography Strategy 2023. The works depict two of the sixty statues of athletes located at the Stadio dei Marmi in Rome: a propaganda tool, a political and cultural manifesto that Mussolini chose to use to exalt strength and virility through a clear reference to ancient Greek statuary and classical canons.
Discussions with doctors from the Physical Therapy Institute of Turin provide interesting insights into the use of artificial intelligence in various fields of medicine and highlight the individual’s responsibility in how they choose to use it.
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SUTURA is a space for research and promotion of contemporary art that intercepts and interprets the relationship between health and culture. It was born from the desire of Virginia Moniaci and the Istituto Fisicoterapico di Torino, from its history and deep connection with scientific experimentation. SUTURA is curated by qwatz. The challenges of medicine, the relationship with our senses, and the many stories that unfold within clinics are observed by artists to construct imagery, relationships, and listening.