As technology is gradually taking over multiple domains in human lives, including its wide introduction in art, hybrid projects emerge to explore the changing role of human creativity. One of them is AI Hokusai, a new project categorized as a radical research and residency initiative. It builds on the revolutionary ideas and legacy of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), fusing them with contemporary tech capabilities.
About the Project
The idea behind the AI Hokusai project is Katsushika Hokusai’s revolutionary approach to art and education. The artist is regarded as a pioneer of the world-famous Wave painting style and a unique algorithmic approach to art education. As a talented creative who sought to link Western and Eastern art, Hokusai was behind the systematic methodologies of manga instruction and algorithmic division of complex artistic processes into manageable educational materials.
The project started in 2024, when its creators issued an open call for artists to partake in AI model training on the legacy of Katsushika Hokusai. The initiative presupposed the use of the project’s residency and laboratory facilities, with eight winners chosen from 400 contenders for participation. The output of that joint creative and research work yielded a unique virtual space that blends AI storytelling and digitally recreated landscapes, inviting visitors to reflect on the visual poetics of the virtual exhibition.
A Hub for Arttech Research
The selected artists created artwork using AI aids, while the project’s team analyzed their creative processes from cultural, philosophical, and technological angles. The resulting exhibition space is a fully immersive digital experience that viewers can embrace on computers, tablets, smartphones, and with the help of VR headsets. The virtual pavilion was developed jointly by NADK.io team and architects from Bechu & Associates to combine traditional Japanese woodblock images and AI-powered visual and sound narratives. The outcome of their collaboration erases the boundaries between epochs and geographies, serving as an emotional tribute to Hokusai’s enduring legacy in Japanese culture and art.
AI Hokusai: Legacy Encoded
“AI Hokusai: Legacy Encoded” is a multiplatform exhibition that represents a joint brainchild of Evgeny Merman, Vladimir Opredelenov, and Anna Shvets. Opened on May 15, it features works by SARES, Tomo Sone, Saint Denis, Oksana Fedchyshyn, Alex May, and other creatives who contributed their unique cultural and artistic perspectives on Hokusai’s legacy. The visual part of production and communications was handled by TAtchers’ Art Management. The German IKONOSPACE was responsible for the artwork integration work and the project’s UI.