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| "gettyimages", by J.A. Gosham, depicting Alex Israel. |
As an added bonus, Isreal has garnished the installation with text written by ChatGPT and other large-language model programs. ChatGPT even wrote his press release. Herein, Isreal (or rather ChatGPT) commented that “A.I. has become a medium in and of itself. By using A.I. to generate the press release, I’m commenting on the intersection between technology, art, and media.”
Seriously, this is all it takes to make it in art? All I
need is some scrounged-up surfboard pieces and some text from ChatGPT? I really
don’t want to sound like a philistine here, as I much prefer conceptual art to Marvel movies, but I’m not especially impressed by what Israel brings to
the table. I can handle the surfboard fins, but the utilization of ChatGPT as
if it’s some profound commentary isn’t very inspiring. The cheap pun on “fin”
offends my sensibilities almost as much as the use of AI for generating the
text. All told, Israel seems like the fine art equivalent of Lorem Ipsum.
Regardless, his work graces the permanent collections of MOMA and the
Guggenheim. Regardless, “Fins” caught plenty of buzz and brought in
a sophisticated, well-dressed audience.
I don’t think it’s unfair to call Israel’s artistic ability
into question. He’s also dipped his toe into filmmaking. His first and only
film, 2017’s SPF-18, centres upon a host of surfing teenagers, one of
whom is debating between art school and a life of surfing. Apparently, these effete
existential debates didn’t resonate with the viewing masses, as the film boasts
a 3.3 rating on IMDB. One IMDB reviewer writes “I'm pretty sure this movie was
written by a 13 year old girl with rich parents who could bank roll [sic] the entire
thing.” This comment is partly in error, as SPF-18's co-writers, one of whom is
Israel, are both grown men. However, the reviewer tenders a tenable hypothesis
about how this picture got made—namely, that its creator came from wealth. Packed
with scenic locations, a gorgeous cast, and celebrity cameos from Pamela
Anderson and Keanu Reeves, SPF-18 took resources, no matter how bad it
is. Those same resources also powered “Fins.” The secret, then, to Israel’s
success and international appeal in the art world would appear to be assets,
along with a dose of beauty and expensive clothing, rather than talent of any sort.
If I'm being honest, I'm willing to bet I've got more
artistry in my little finger than Alex Israel has in his entire trim, fit body.
In the time it takes Alex Israel to get out of bed and prepare avocado toast,
I've probably had more legitimately creative thoughts than he has in a
year. But because I'm flabby, shabbily
dressed, and don't have rich parents, most or all of my works will never be
seen by more than a few semi-interested friends in my hometown on the plains.
If I was better dressed and moneyed, all I'd have to do is hoard surfboard fins
and hit up ChatGPT, and I'd be an internationally successful artist. No wonder
so many people in the backwater where I live dismiss art (not that the
studio-wrought, IP-driven drivel they prefer in movies is much better). It
really goes to show how much “fine art” and “aesthetic sensibilities” are
intertwined with wealth and a vision of upper-classness.
But I don’t think art necessarily takes money for everyone,
or at least not a ton of money. Give me $5000 dollars—hell, $1000 dollars—and I
could make a film that gets at least a 4 on IMDB. Fin.