BAYOL-THEMINES, Lionel. War AI.

[France]: Lionel Bayol-Thémines, 2023. First edition. Hardcover, 30.3 × 21.5cm. 92 pages. A striking artist’s book conceived as a follow-up to Bertolt Brecht’s ABC de la guerre. The volume is generated by submitting the same sentence continuously to an AI system over several consecutive days, with one or two variables introduced to produce alternative images. The images are subsequently accompanied by captions generated by the AI system from descriptions of the photographs. An interesting work engaging directly with generative artificial intelligence, photography, mechanical image-making, and the documentary representation of war. A very good copy in photo-illustrated boards, housed in the publisher’s thin card box. Box with some light staining. Published in an edition of just 25 copies, numbered and signed by the artist. Each copy is enhanced with an original 17 × 17 cm pigment print on Canson baryta paper, also numbered and signed.