Added Nov 24, 2024
Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer has unveiled a groundbreaking book of photographs that redefines the relationship between photography and reality. With a bold departure from traditional techniques, his work raises profound questions about the essence of his craft. De Keyzer was initially tempted to label the book's cover "This is not photography," but decided not to do so because he felt it was "too obvious." However, his decision to make this collection entirely with AI-generated images sparked fierce reactions and flooded his inbox with criticism. De Keyzer, famous for his gripping visual stories, has shifted his artistic focus. Rather than documenting the world as it is, he explores how easily it can be imagined or made up. None of the images in this collection come through his camera lens. Instead, they are the product of artificial intelligence, with De Keyzer's lead role reduced to a single mouse click. For an audience rooted in an era when photography meant authenticity, this shift feels disorienting. De Keyzer breaks through the comfort of photography as unequivocal truth. His work sharpens the disturbing realization that images, once sacred vessels of truth, have lost their reliability. The old adage "Seeing is believing" no longer holds true. The era of relying on images as evidence is over and has been replaced by a deep skepticism. De Keyzer's AI experiments not only challenge the credibility of photography, but also force us to face a world in which truth itself feels malleable. Amid rising fake news and disinformation, his work underscores the fragility of visual journalism. The manipulated image, increasingly indistinguishable from reality, signals a societal shift where trust dissolves into doubt. De Keyzer's collection is not nihilistic, but a sharp reminder of vigilance in a rapidly changing visual landscape. He calls us to question both the images presented and the intentions behind them. For without truth, deception becomes power - a reality as oppressive as his lifelike, AI-created images. JanKeteleer.com