Meet Fia!
Introducing Fia from vibrant Berlin. Through her AI lens, @horrorvacuai curates a surreal, reality-bending tableau that pushes the boundaries of perception. The abstract realms she constructs elicit a spectrum of emotions, from puzzlement to pure horror, challenging spectators to confront and question. Each piece is a dance of absurdities, artfully illustrating her unique perspective. While Fia values the freedom and versatility AI provides, she's candid about its constraints. Join us in this interview to explore the depths of her imaginative prowess and her journey intertwining AI with her audacious artistry.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got interested in AI art?
Art has been a part of my life since I was born – both my parents are artists (my mother is a painter and my father is a writer and musician). I've always painted, been into music a lot, sang, gone to the theater a lot, and I make ceramics.
After school I wanted to study media arts, but failed after two semesters because the study included computer science and thus algebra and I have always been a total failure in math. After that, I studied what everyone with high career ambitions does: art history.
I got into HR through my student job and after university I took a job at a startup where I am both an editor and do HR. So, unfortunately, I have lost the professional proximity to art, but I always deal with it in my spare time.
Still, I haven't been involved with AI art for a long time. I just saw these generic perfect images that sometimes get flushed into your feed, which I find boring. Then I discovered Midjourney during an hour-long breastfeeding session and in the course of that also explored artists who do great things with it. I've been hooked ever since.
Who or what are your artistic inspirations, and how do they influence your work?
I am someone who loves everyday life and I'm somehow able to always discover new absurdities in it. For example, I walk the same path around the block with my dog several times every day and every time I notice something new. It feels like my curiosity knows no bounds (or I'm just quickly overstimulated). In any case, I adopt many things that I discover in everyday life in the pictures.
Certainly I am also consciously or unconsciously inspired by other artists. However, I am someone who reads quickly, rushes through exhibitions and can never remember names, so it's hard for me to name someone specific. The only one that comes to mind is the Austrian artist Stefanie Sargnagel, whose work I unconditionally adore.
How do you approach the creative process when working with AI?
In my opinion, AI Art is all about the idea. Really anyone can generate visually appealing images using AI, however not everyone is able to conceive and implement a good idea. Therefore, my creative process is mainly about finding and formulating ideas. Sometimes it goes relatively fast until you have a satisfying result. Sometimes you have to try things out for a while because the machine doesn't want what you want. I learned over time that you can somewhat predict the reaction of the AI and adapt ideas to their "language". In addition, you learn more and more buzzwords over time, which steer the results in the desired direction. It's a lot of learning by doing.
If I don't have an idea for the moment, then I try not to bother with it and do other things. I do AI art in my free time, without the pressure of having to perform or even generate money with it. So I can just let it rest and often the muse comes back quickly.
How do you balance your work in AI art with other professional or personal pursuits?
I often say to my family that I'm just going to go to the bathroom real quick, and then I stay there for a long time until little kid fists are banging on my door. I have also stopped sleeping. Before I discovered Midjourney, I took every nap, now I sneak out and prompt.
Currently, I still have the privilege of being on parental leave, however, it expires soon, so I don't have any best practices yet on how to balance work, care work, and being an artist. Probably like everywhere else in life, you have to set your priorities straight. (Sounds like I'll never sleep again!)
How has working with AI in art influenced your mental and emotional wellbeing?
It feels like I finally have an outlet for all the absurd ideas that have been building up in my head: absolutely wonderful! It makes me really happy to have this possibility for an output and also to meet other people who like the same absurdities.
Not good for my mental health is the social media part of it. I'm totally prone to addiction and it's extremely hard for me not to have fomo and leave my phone behind sometimes. Also, I feel like a lot of people want a piece of the "AI art pie" and not everyone is solidair. There is a lot of comparison and sometimes there are not so nice messages, because someone feels stepped on their toes. I try to take that with humor, to distance myself and not let it get to me. In the end, it's not real life, it's just the Internet.
What role do you think AI art can play in highlighting social issues?
AI art, like all other art forms, will and should address social issues. I see the fast creation process as an enormous advantage: you can react to current topics in record time and don't have to wait until the colors have dried.
On the other hand, you always have to keep in mind that the images that are generated are already pre-moderated in a certain way. You can't address certain social topics very well because AI doesn't give you a chance to do so. For example, I have not yet managed to portray Nazis badly. For some reason, the AI I use always portrays proud, blond guys in immaculate uniforms. This kind of thing makes it difficult to deal with certain topics.
What advice or encouragement would you give to aspiring women who are interested in pursuing AI art?
Make sure you try it! We need you urgently, because unfortunately AI is (like everything else) male dominated and as long as there are not many women who also promote women-related topics, it will remain so.
For more of Fia’s incredible work, make sure to visit her Instagram account: @horrorvacuai