In 2012 in the Sanctuary of Mercy church near Zaragoza, Spain, Cecilia Giménez (i) gained international attention for her unauthorized and botched restoration of a fresco of Jesus Christ titled "Ecce Homo".
Despite the initial criticism, Giménez's version became a cultural sensation, redefining portrait art and becoming a major inspiration for “Ecce Venenum” a series of portraits of toxic (ii) humans.
"Ecce Venenum" (Behold the Poison) is a series of 99 digital portraits that aims to highlight individuals whose actions are considered detrimental to the planet. This collection categorizes its subjects as 'toxic' due to their negative impacts across various domains such as ecology, society, politics, and culture. It features portraits of polluters, climate deniers, individuals perpetuating hate speech, internet trolls, racists, and other harmful actors.
For "Ecce Venenum" each portrait is created from a process involving 1536 AI-generated images. The prompt for these images is derived from the activities and behaviors of the portraitee, ensuring that each portrait is deeply connected to its subject. The final artwork emerges as a single overlay, a composite image that integrates all the AI-generated works, providing a multilayered representation of the individual deemed toxic for their impact on ecological, social, political, or cultural realms.
(i) Cecilia Giménez's restoration of "Ecce Homo" celebrates irrationality, absurdity, and the rejection of traditional aesthetic norms, and could be viewed as a spontaneous act of anti-art, inadvertently embodying Dadaist principles by challenging the sanctity of classical art forms and evoking a radical re-evaluation of what constitutes art. This interpretation could frame Giménez’s work as a disruptive, albeit accidental, contribution to contemporary art discourse, aligning with Dada's subversive ethos.
(ii) Individuals or entities that negatively impact the planet across different areas.
Drrn Wds, Chairman and CEO of XxnMbl, Arrested in Environmental Scandal…
