Artistic Practice in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. From Sempere to Today. The workshop, taught by Daniel G. Andújar, is included within the Ross Film Festival (international and online festival of science fiction short films with robots).

Thursday, November 23 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Friday, November 24 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM and final discussion from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM with Daniel García Andújar and jury members (Javier Ordoñez, Professor of History of Science at the Autonomous University of Madrid and president of the ROS Film Festival jury; Lorena Sánchez, Editor-in-Chief of QUO magazine and science journalism writer since 2000; Natalia Pérez-Galdós, writer and science communicator; and Edite Felgueiras, scientific communicator at CERN)

This workshop proposes a dynamic intersection between art, science, and technology. Not only will the broad possibilities that emerging technologies offer to the artistic field be explored, but also homage will be paid to a visionary who crossed these boundaries long before they became a trend: Eusebio Sempere.

Sempere was a pioneer in his time, an artist who ventured into the world of calculation and programming to bring his artistic visions to life. His time at the Computing Center of the University of Madrid in the 1960s positions him as one of the precursors in the experimentation of art and technology. Using computers and algorithms, Sempere explored new forms of expression that challenged the artistic conventions of his era, always from a critical distance and logical prudence in an incipient stage of computer use in art.

Today, in a world where artificial intelligence, robotic assistance, deep learning, virtual reality, and other advanced technologies are reshaping the way we experience and create art, it is more relevant than ever to look back and learn from those who broke down the barriers between these seemingly disparate worlds. Each of these technologies presents its own ethical and practical challenges, but they also offer enormous potential to expand the boundaries of what is possible in the field of art.

The objective of this workshop is to update this dialogue and contextualize it in our contemporary reality. The aim is to foster an artistic practice that reflects both the concerns and opportunities of our time, using current technological tools, just as Sempere did with the technologies of his era.

Challenges and Critiques: The Double Face of Collaboration between Art, Science, and Technology

While we celebrate the possibilities that the union of art and technology brings us, it is crucial to also address the challenges and limitations inherent to this collaboration. We live in an era where technology not only facilitates creation, but also raises ethical and philosophical questions that we cannot ignore.

First, there is the issue of accessibility. Advanced technologies, while increasingly available, remain limited resources that can exacerbate existing inequalities in the art world. Who has access to these tools and who decides how they are used?

Furthermore, the incorporation of artificial intelligence and other technologies in art raises questions about authorship and originality. In a world where an algorithm can "create" a work of art, where do we draw the line between the machine and the human artist? Do we risk dehumanizing art, a field traditionally associated with the deepest expression of humanity?

We also face ethical dilemmas related to privacy and data exploitation. Many of these technologies depend on large datasets that often include personal information. How do we navigate this ethical terrain without compromising the integrity of our artistic work?

Finally, but no less importantly, there is the risk of excessive commercialization. With large corporations investing in the development of artistic technologies, how do we ensure that art does not simply become another commodity, stripped of its ability to provoke, question, and transform?

These are difficult questions with no easy answers. But these are discussions we need to have, especially in a workshop like this, where we seek not only to create, but also to critically reflect on what it means to be an artist in the digital age.

"Every Prompt Matters" Hamelin 77, a Spanish short film, wins first prize at the V edition of the ROS Film Festival

By consensus, the jury of the V edition of the ROS Film Festival has chosen a Spanish short film, Hamelin 77, as the winner. It is the first short film to address prompt engineering and its importance in the new communication between humans and machines. The announcement of the winners took place at the Teatre Arniches last weekend, presented by comedian Raquel Sastre and composer Alfonso Vilallonga.

The jury, whose deliberation took place at MACA, highlighted the relevance of the subject matter, as well as the different tools used in its development and the quality of the performances. "Every prompt matters," warn its creators.

The second prize was awarded to the British short film Doll+: Body Transmigration. Through the surreal spectacle of plastic dolls spinning in the sky to the rhythm of electronic music, the film reflects on capitalism, virtual existence, and the very essence of the human body.

The third prize was awarded to In too Deep, a disturbing short film in the style of Black Mirror proposals, which addresses the use of artificial intelligence to achieve the immortality of loved ones.

We highlight the mention awarded to an anti-war short film created by an Iranian director, Sprayer, the mention given to a short film made entirely with artificial intelligence, Ambient Piano No. 1. And the mention to Things were better before as best music video. The jury's vote was unanimous in all categories.