Call for papers - Art, design and technology - between creation and algorithm
The editorial team of Przegląd Socjologiczny invites authors to submit original articles for the thematic issue:
Art, design and technology - between creation and algorithm
Editors of the thematic issue: Karolina Izdebska, Joanna Szczepanik
Throughout history, the creation of art has been considered a uniquely human way of expressing original ideas, emotions and experiences. At the same time, inherent in the history of art is the influence of technology on the way artists create to express their thoughts and ideas. In fact, each era has brought with it new tools, materials and ways of using them. In the 20th century, a significant stage was the digital age, which gave rise to forms such as net art or algorithmic art. Today, in turn, we face dilemmas related to the marriage of art with artificial intelligence (AI), which is capable of creating audio, video and text content. The contemporary art world is changing under the influence of new technologies and trying to adapt to new rules at the same time.
Art using digital technology was first shown in computer exhibitions in 1965, both in Germany and the US, and pioneering experiments with artificial intelligence were started by a small community of artists as early as the 1970s. In a 1995 article entitled Artificial Intelligence Research as Art, Stephen Wilson traced the creative landscape of AI art. He acknowledged that artists' relationship with artificial intelligence went beyond technical boundaries into an exploration of the nature of being human, the nature of intelligence, the limitations of machines and our limitations as creators of artifacts. Since the second half of 2010, AI art has significantly expanded its reach, become more visible and begun to take on socio-cultural significance. It has also begun to influence the art market. Its content, methods and forms of presentation are closely linked to the various disciplines that are involved in AI research and application. As generative AI transforms visual, aesthetic, legal and economic culture, critical questions are being raised about the moral and aesthetic implications of AI-generated art.
Contemporary design and AI art encompass practices based on a variety of creative approaches and varying degrees of technical engagement. Like other new media art disciplines, AI art has an ambivalent relationship with mainstream contemporary art. On the one hand, by transgressing the traditional boundaries of art, it offers innovative possibilities for artistic expression, alters artistic processes and concepts, enriches the audience experience, and changes the ways and structure of presenting artistic creations. It can also be used not only for creative purposes, but also for art analysis and for implementation in digitised collections and archives. On the other hand, it raises ethical controversies, concerns and problems regarding creative originality, authorship and the uniqueness of the work. Critics accuse AI art of lacking emotion, authenticity and human experience.
All these dilemmas trigger the need for a deeper reflection on the role and future of artificial intelligence in art and design. The aim of the proposed thematic issue is to extend the existing critical discourse on AI-based creativity with new perspectives that can be used to explore innovative practices, their cultural and socio-political impact, and the ways in which they are served by the cultural sector.
We therefore invite submissions of scientific articles in the following (example) thematic areas:
- art, artists and designers in the face of technological change
- the problem of originality and innovation in design and contemporary art
- Artificial intelligence and the creative process
- the critical function of art in the context of AI and new technologies
- scope, methods, tools, possibilities and limits of using AI in artistic work
- contemporary ethical issues in creative work
- AI in art and design and copyright
- AI issues in the process of educating artists and designers
- reactions to AI in the art world - resistance or acceptance?
- AI and the experience of art audiences - personalisation, interaction, participation.
Due to the journal's profile, we expect articles that fall within a sociological perspective.
Please send submissions in English or in Polish until December 15, 2025 to the following email addresses:
przegladsocjologiczny@gmail.com
Please prepare your submission following the guidelines for authors:
https://journals.ltn.lodz.pl/Przeglad-Socjologiczny/information/authors
