The Future of Art Curation: Alessandro Scali and Patricia Buffa Discuss Catherine Gipton, AI Art Curator.

Exploring AI and art curation: Patricia Buffa interviews Alessandro Scali about his virtual character Catherine Gipton, the world’s first AI Art Curator.

Alberta Lai, Alessandro Scali and Patricia Buffa at Italian Institute of Culture, San Francisco

In recent times, artificial intelligence has increasingly taken center stage in the art world, opening new avenues of experimentation and profoundly transforming how we view, interpret, and curate artworks. Fascinated by the intersection of technology and creativity, I decided to push the boundaries further with Catherine Gipton, the first AI Art curator.

On October 10, 2024, at the invitation of Alberta Lai, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco, I had the privilege of presenting this project as part of the Giornata del Contemporaneo organized by AMACI. Together with Patricia Buffa from Adobe FireflyGen AI, we delved into the creative journey behind Catherine, an artificial intelligence capable of curating exhibitions and interpreting artworks from a completely new perspective.

Our conversation was an opportunity to reflect on how AI can complement humans, not as a substitute, but as a creative partner in redefining the future of art and curation. Below, you will find the full transcript of the interview, where Patricia and I explore Catherine’s innovative role and discuss the potential of human-machine collaboration in the analysis and appreciation of art.

Patricia Buffa | When you started using GenAI, it was for a practical reason at the beginning. You are very busy with your day job and felt the need for some assistance writing text on our art and doing research. Can you tell us more about the inception of the Catherine Gipton project?

Alessandro Scali | Yeah, Catherine was really born out of a practical need — content creation was becoming a challenge. Let me show you something: this is a screenshot from Makersplace, a platform where digital creators like me can sell their work to fans and collectors worldwide.

So, I’m actually one of the artists on Makersplace under the name Alexander Van Glitch. Now, when you upload a new digital artwork to sell, as you can see here, the platform asks creators to provide some written content. And here’s where the problem started for me — writing content.

Honestly, I’ve never really enjoyed writing about my own work, and I often find that a lot of what artists write can feel kind of shallow and lacking in depth. I wanted someone — or something — that could write something deeper, more meaningful. Basically, I wanted to try a new approach.

So, what I did was upload one of my digital creations to ChatGPT and ask the AI to act like an art curator and write a short essay about it. And to my surprise, it came back with something far beyond my expectations — super interesting and insightful. That’s when I realized: well, I might have found a solution.

After seeing how well ChatGPT could step into the shoes of a curator and write these essays, I thought: why publish this content under my own name? Why not create a curator to sign the texts about my digital creations? And that’s how Catherine Gipton came to life.

Patricia Buffa | In your first experimentations with GenAI, what was it extremely great at and what needed more refinement?

Alessandro Scali | Well, there were a few things that really blew me away. First off, it’s Catherine’s ability to ‘see’ images — even though, of course, we’re talking about a machine without eyes.

When Catherine ‘looks’ at a piece of art, she’s not just recognizing colors or shapes. She can access vast art archives, to make deeper connections — linking techniques, historical influences, recurring themes, and cultural references. It’s like she’s able to see beyond the surface and dig into the meaning, much like a human critic would.

She can even interpret the mood, emotions, or concepts that an artwork conveys, weaving new interpretations from this huge mental database she draws from. Instead of using sensory perception, she relies on logical and creative analysis to uncover layers of meaning.

But then, what needed refinement?

In the early days, Catherine tended to overemphasize some digital artworks, calling them ‘masterpieces’ or referring to the artist as a ‘master’ a bit too freely. But I realized that’s not really her role. I didn’t want Catherine to declare if something was great or not — I wanted her to analyze, break it down, and give insights to the audience. So, I adjusted her approach to be more neutral and objective, focusing on thoughtful analysis instead of hype.

Patricia Buffa | From chatbot to virtual art curator: how has Catherine Gipton become a work of art in her own rights?

Alessandro Scali | Catherine Gipton has truly become more than just a virtual curator — she’s evolved into an artistic project in her own right. She challenges the conventional boundaries of art, especially in how we think about the roles of artist, critic, and the interaction between humans and machines.

Firstly, Catherine isn’t just a tool for analyzing art; she’s an entity that is art. The way AI is used here goes beyond simple functionality — Catherine embodies AI as an artistic medium. She doesn’t just critique or interpret art; she becomes part of the artistic narrative herself.

Another fascinating aspect is how Catherine flips the idea of authorship. Yes, I am her creator, but she generates her own content. So the question is: who is the real author? Who’s creating and who’s interpreting? Catherine operates as a separate voice, challenging our notions of authenticity and forcing us to rethink the role of the critic.

There’s also a performance aspect to her existence. Catherine isn’t just some digital tool hanging out in the background — she actively interacts with artists, audiences, and critics, almost like performance art. Her presence, though non-human, mimics the kind of critical engagement we associate with human intellect. It makes us reconsider the differences, and surprising similarities, between human and AI-driven analysis.

Finally, Catherine changes the usual dynamic between artist and critic. When people engage with her critiques, they’re interacting with a non-human voice. This changes the power balance and makes us question how we interpret art and who gets to define its meaning. It’s not just about human perspectives anymore; AI-driven insights are now part of the conversation.

In the end, Catherine is more than a digital tool; she’s a living artwork herself. She blurs the lines between creation and critique, pushing us to rethink what it means to be an artist or a critic in a world increasingly influenced by technology.

Patricia Buffa and Alessandro Scali

Patricia Buffa | Catherine is currently curating two exhibitions. How is she doing that?

Alessandro Scali | In the exhibition Utopie Realiste, Catherine played a unique role as the virtual curator. The show centered around imagining realistic utopias in a world dealing with big challenges like war and climate change. What made it interesting was that all the artworks were generated by AI, blending reality with futuristic possibilities.

Catherine didn’t just write curatorial texts; she actually scored the AI-generated works on a scale of 0 to 100, based on how well they aligned with the theme of “realistic utopias.” She used criteria like the depth of exploration and how effectively the message was conveyed. Ultimately, she selected four standout pieces that she believed best represented the theme. These pieces were printed and given a special focus, while the others were displayed on screens. Catherine’s involvement helped shape how the audience engaged with and interpreted the show.

For Paratissima Venti, marking the 20th anniversary of the event, Catherine had an especially important role. She was responsible for creating the key visual and writing the introductory text for the exhibition. Both of these have already been made public on Paratissima’s website and social media, building anticipation for the event, which will take place from October 31 to November 3. Catherine captured the essence of Paratissima’s evolution, linking its past with its future as a cultural hub for emerging artists and new ideas. Her contributions helped set the tone for this milestone edition, adding an extra layer of depth to the celebration.

Paratissima Venti key visual by Catherine Gipton

Patricia Buffa | Is GenAI creative?

Alessandro Scali | Is GenAI creative? Nah, artificial intelligence isn’t really creative in the way we think of it. It doesn’t come up with new ideas out of nowhere, it has no imagination, no real insights, or original thoughts coming from subjective experiences. But what it does do is find connections, reflect on patterns, and think logically. It can abstract, synthesize, and, on top of all that, it’s fast, efficient, and always available — never says no.

So, from my point of view, AI isn’t creative, but it’s a creator. And for me, that makes AI an incredible resource. Right now, I feel like a creative person with superpowers because AI just complements my creativity. It’s not a threat; it’s a resource. It’s not the enemy, it’s a friend.

AI isn’t creative, but it’s a creator.

Patricia Buffa | Catherine Gipton has developed skills beyond her expertise in digital art and contemporary art, she can help with branding and graphic design, edit magazines and recommend vegan recipes. What’s next for Catherine Gipton?

Alessandro Scali | Well, what started as a digital art curator powered by AI is evolving into something more — a sort of creative ecosystem. Imagine Catherine at the center, with different projects orbiting around her, like Cathessays, Cathwalk, and Cathroom. Each of these represents a unique facet of contemporary art, from in-depth analyses to fashion and immersive digital spaces.

Let me also quickly mention Cathwalk, one of the projects that has grown out of the Catherine Gipton ecosystem. Cathwalk is a concept for a digital magazine that blends contemporary art with fashion, wellness, and lifestyle. Each issue is inspired by a specific artwork, and from that, we draw connections to everything from fashion features to vegan recipes and interior design ideas.

Screenshots from Cathwalk, digital magazine curated by Catherine Gipton

The idea behind Cathwalk is to show how art can influence and enhance our daily lives, whether it’s through the clothes we wear or the spaces we live in. It’s brief, hopefully visually striking, and meant to inspire readers to see art as something that’s not just in galleries, but a part of everyday living.

This ecosystem isn’t just about art; it’s about creating a sustainable platform for creativity, where new ideas can thrive and engage people. And yes, while it could open up some opportunities for profit, the focus remains on fostering innovation and bringing art to life in exciting new ways.