Bård Ionson (born 1969) is an American artist who engages with computer, electronic, and physical objects such as code, artificial intelligence, electronics, and the blockchain. He frequently transitions the output across various technologies.

BARD IONSON

ARTIST

Bård Ionson | Naked Flames

"Summer 2022 – We traveled from LA to Anaheim, Santa Monica, Bakersfield, Monterey Bay, Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Point Reyes, Guerneville, Mountain View, and San Francisco, taking pictures all along the way. It was a family trip capturing the vision and vibes of California. The roads, deserts, fields of artichokes, strawberries, chickpeas, and vineyards of grapes; the ocean, wildlife, and the trees—oh, the trees. The great redwoods. Over 2,000 images fed the model. The abundance of open space and nature has eliminated man-made objects and people from the model, despite the multitude of vehicles photographed."
– Bård Ionson
<meta charset="utf-8">Presented by MakersPlace as part of REIMAGINE TOMORROW, 1954-2024: AI in Context #2, 17–24 November 2024, at Heilig Geist, on the occasion of the AI Biennale in Essen, Germany.

BÅRD IONSON | CALIFORNIA COLLECTION

Influenced by a background in software programming and various tech roles, as well as a lifelong interest in the arts, particularly literature and philosophy, Bård Ionson discovered a deep connection to art during college. An encounter with Nam June Paik's sculpture INTERNET DWELLER in 2012 sparked a significant shift in perception. Inspired by Paik's approach of creating art from pre-made objects and ideas, Bård Ionson, previously considering himself more of a writer and coder than a visual artist, began exploring art creation through code, electronics, and eventually artificial intelligence. The experience with INTERNET DWELLER served as an epiphany, prompting a decision to embrace the identity of an artist and marking a transformative moment in their artistic journey.

In a conversation with Anika Meier, Bård Ionson discusses early GAN art and the current status of AI art, training models, working with prompts, and shares how he transitioned from a software programmer to an artist.




EARLY GAN AND AI

BARD IONSON: AI AND THE UNCANNY VALLEY

MAGAZINE

The exhibition THE PATH TO THE PRESENT, 1954–2024 will showcase artists from different generations, from the early 1950s until today, working in the field of generative art and AI.

GROUP SHOW

THE PATH TO THE PRESENT, 1954–2024 | GALLERY

Curated by Anika Meier, the exhibition IMAGINE TODAY, 2024 showcases 12 artists who are working with AI today, imagining stories and exploring AI's creative potential.

IMAGINE TODAY, 2024 | SHANGHAI, CHINA

AI BIENNALE, ESSEN

REIMAGINE TOMORROW, 1954–2024

EXHIBITION

"Summer 2022 – We traveled from LA to Anaheim, Santa Monica, Bakersfield, Monterey Bay, Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Point Reyes, Guerneville, Mountain View, and San Francisco, taking pictures all along the way. It was a family trip capturing the vision and vibes of California. The roads, deserts, fields of artichokes, strawberries, chickpeas, and vineyards of grapes; the ocean, wildlife, and the trees—oh, the trees. The great redwoods. Over 2,000 images fed the model. The abundance of open space and nature has eliminated man-made objects and people from the model, despite the multitude of vehicles photographed."
– Bård Ionson
Photography by Bård, Jennifer, and Liza Grace. Model constructed with StyleGAN2. Output has been selected and manipulated by the artist.
Presented by MakersPlace as part of REIMAGINE TOMORROW, 1954-2024: AI in Context #2, 17–24 November 2024, at Heilig Geist, on the occasion of the AI Biennale in Essen, Germany.

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Bård Ionson

VINEYARD MOUNTAIN WORLD

ARTIST

ART

MAGAZINE

EXHIBITION