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Fulya Ertem Başkaya, Izmir Institute of Technology, TurkeyAbstract
In the 19th century, when photography was first invented, there was a debate about its value as an artistic representation, as the camera was seen as a mechanical tool of reproduction, devoid of any individual expression. Today, in the 21st century, a parallel debate emerges with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), compelling us to reassess the ontology of the photographic image, as AI can generate images that mimic photography without any reliance on light, lenses, or physical referents. This paper examines the impact of AI on the art of photography through the work of four contemporary Turkish artists: Can Büyükberber, Alper Yeşiltaş, Refik Anadol, and Sarp Kerem Yavuz. Through diverse approaches, these artists reveal how the concept of photography is transformed through a generative, data-driven medium. Büyükberber constructs immersive environments that dissolve the boundaries between real and virtual space, engaging viewers in imaginary perceptual fields. Yeşiltaş creates AI-generated portraits that meditate on temporality, remembrance, and imagined afterlives. Anadol’s work transforms raw data into aesthetic experience, situating machine learning as a tool for expanded visuality. Yavuz mobilizes AI alongside analog processes, foregrounding tensions between authenticity, heritage, and digital manipulation. Through close analysis of selected works, this paper argues that these artistic approaches challenge traditional definitions of photography and contribute to its redefinition in the age of AI. In doing so, they offer critical insights into how visual culture is being reshaped by artificial intelligence while raising questions about reality, identity, and the nature of creativity.
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