Art in the age of AI: Interdisciplinary Arts division explores emerging technology in a one-of-a-kind multidisciplinary performance
Inspired by the concept of figure drawing, the performance will feature both student-created work and AI-generated elements.
This winter, Interlochen Arts Academy’s Interdisciplinary Arts division is exploring the creative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) through a one-of-a-kind multidisciplinary performance.
The event, which will take place Saturday, Jan. 25 in Phoenix Theatre, is inspired by the concept of figure drawing—a foundational visual arts skill that often serves as the first step on an artist’s journey. In addition to live student performers, the performance will feature music and a film generated by AI in response to student-created works.
“There’s a lot of concern in the world about AI taking the work of so many people and artists,” says Director of Interdisciplinary Arts Clyde Sheets. “We want to assure young people that AI is simply another tool in their toolbox.”
The original concept for the project was developed by Sheets in collaboration with dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker Michael Spencer Phillips (AS 95, IAC 96). Sheets and Phillips have collaborated frequently at Interlochen and beyond since meeting three years ago: Sheets has served as a lighting designer and production stage manager for Phillips’ dance company Site-Specific Dances, and Phillips has made regular appearances as a guest artist in both the Interdisciplinary Arts and Dance divisions.
“[Phillips] has made some really great work on our students in the past three years,” Sheets says. “He’s really great to work with, and he’s excellent with students. He brings real-world experience to us.”
Sheets and Phillips’ initial idea expanded to include AI after the institution received a gift from donors Oguzhan and Zeynep Oguz.
“We had the opportunity—through that generous donation—to engage with AI and to explore the possibilities of what creativity can become in the age of artificial intelligence,” Sheets says. “I worked with Sam Charnes and Camille Colatosti to fold AI into that pre-existing idea.”
The project began early last fall, when Interdisciplinary Arts student Paige Miller worked with Phillips to develop a series of 14 different poses. Those poses became the basis for two days of figure drawing sessions.
“Every interdisciplinary arts student participated in those sessions,” Sheets says. “The dancers held the poses, and everyone circled around them and drew them.”
Interdisciplinary Arts students then collaborated with students from the Dance Division to develop choreography based on the figure drawings. Students will perform that choreography live during the show, accompanied by an original piano composition written and performed by Interdisciplinary Arts student Bianca Chen.
The performance’s multimedia elements have been created by uploading student work into several different AI software—including RunwayML, AIVA, Viggle AI, Adobe, Magic Media, DALL-E, and Imagen—and asking the programs to generate their own interpretations.
“The presentation is a mix of creative output from the students—on the dance side, on the visual side, and on the music side—performed alongside AI’s interpretation of the same things,” Sheets says. “We’ll demonstrate AI’s interpretation through video projection.”
Ultimately, the project is a chance to create original work while examining the opportunities and ethics of emerging technology.
“I think—given the debate around AI, creativity, and originality—that it’s worth our students experiencing a project where their own work has been put into artificial intelligence and interpreted,” Sheets says. “Our biggest discovery is that AI is in the ‘stone age’ right now in terms of its ability to create original work.”
“We’re learning how to use the tools available to us to better understand the world around us and to react to it."
