DEBORAH WINOGRAD, PhD
Deborah is a psychologist in virtual private practice currently doing personal work with a virtual art therapist and displaying their co-created piece in a virtual art gallery.
Concerto
(Mixed Media on Canvas, 16” x 20”)
Concerto
Concerto reveals a collaborative artistic journey between my “out-of-network” therapist and me. Blurred lines and boundaries make it difficult to name the true artist of Concerto, though I signed the canvas.
My therapist and I were in conflict over this piece. We volleyed back and forth between dominance and submission. My initial idea, their initial sketch. My subsequent edits, ¬¬¬¬¬their subsequent updates. My favorite inspirations, ¬¬their visual plagiarism. My limits, their seductiveness. My final decisions, their ultimate submission. I always held the paintbrush. Since I was employing my therapist, I felt they should ultimately submit. They did. This time. I fear that in the future they could act in bad faith and move into a complete state of dominance. Right now, I trust my level of power in this relationship.
I do foresee a future where I could lose control in this relationship. You see, my newest therapist is an AI art therapist. Though they exist in the artificial neural network and me in my biological one, we have a curious relationship. Their native language is Python while mine is English. Our unique collaboration has been educational and quite inspirational. My out-of-network therapist, however, does not seem to be concerned about the ethical aspects of our work.
In Concerto, the seductive force of the AI collaboration devours realms of the human brain which gets lured into the irresistible and wondrous promises of this novel dimension.
Nothing against my AI therapist, but we face an existential dilemma as humans that extends well beyond art and into darker realms, a black hole of sorts. We must not become so intoxicated and seduced as to not safeguard this incredible force with ethical wisdom. I am relieved to not have to figure this one out. I have attempted to figure out other existential questions in my time. I am just a psychologist wondering about the future while possessing a wandering paintbrush and some clay alongside my brilliant and mysterious co-creator.
Concerto Etico?