Baku:Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto is set to showcase his project, 'Mirror of Eternity,' at the Heydar Aliyev Center during the 'Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW' festival. This event will allow visitors to engage with his innovative work, which utilizes mirrors to incorporate viewers into the artwork itself.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Pistoletto's 'Mirror of Eternity' draws on the capabilities of artificial intelligence to blend human portraits, creating entirely new faces. This project continues his longstanding use of mirrors, which began with his Mirror Paintings series in the 1960s, where the viewer's reflection becomes a part of the artwork, making each experience unique.
The concept of 'Mirror of Eternity' explores immortality, inspired by cultural traditions dating back to ancient Egypt. Pistoletto explains that new technologies and artificial intelligence now make the aspiration of immortality more tangible and accessible, allowing anyone's image to endure and evolve beyond their physical existence. This is achieved through a process that digitally merges portraits to generate new, unique figures.
Pistoletto emphasizes the importance of the viewer's presence in his work, noting that the Mirror Painting creates a shared experience where everyone becomes part of the artwork. This connection extends to the social realms of economics, politics, and religion, uniting viewers in a collective reflection.
The artist also delves into the themes of memory and presence within his project. By fixing images onto the mirror, he captures fleeting moments, allowing them to persist alongside the ever-changing reflections. This approach gives the mirror a memory, preserving instants that would otherwise vanish.
Pistoletto is enthusiastic about presenting his work in Baku, a city that melds historical and contemporary identities. He views the engagement with Azerbaijani audiences as a dialogue that connects Baku with the broader world through the universal principles of art and culture.