The I is the smallest unit of subjectivity. The emergence of individual will, that is, the formation of self-awareness, constitutes what defines humanity. For the young artists participating in this exhibition, this I often serves as the foundation of their creative practice. Their starting point typically stems from personal experiences and their extensions-personal physical experiences, personal memories, personal family backgrounds, and those subtle, concrete perceptions inherent in everyday life situations. These experiences are neither abstracted nor elevated to grand narratives; yet they embody the subjects entire perceptual framework of the world. In this sense, the I remains the primary field of inquiry and an indispensable cognitive starting point.
AI has become a technological reality that has rapidly permeated daily life in recent years, and has emerged as an indispensable medium in contemporary artistic practice. Among the participants in this exhibition are practitioners who create images using algorithms, as well as creative groups that employ AI as both a key tool and conceptual framework. Their relationship with AI is neither adversarial nor subservient, but rather characterized by a symbiotic and mutually enriching dynamic. As machines develop capabilities akin to those of creators and the boundary between generated images and human intent becomes increasingly blurred, the definition of "humanity" once again becomes a question that demands exploration. For these artists, AI serves not merely as a tool but also as a reference point-its supra-individual computational power highlights the limitations and uniqueness of human consciousness.
Anthropology, by its very origins, is a discipline concerned with the Other; its classical paradigm involves Western scholars observation, documentation, and classification of non-Western groups. However, contemporary anthropology has undergone a significant epistemological shift: fieldwork has moved from distant locations to immediate contexts, from the Other to the self, and from primitive tribes to modern society. Daily rituals, media practices, and technological dependencies can all become subjects of field investigation. Anthropology is no longer merely a discipline focused on studying "other cultures"; it has evolved into a method for self-examination.
The three words in the exhibition title form a structural counterpoint. Anthropology once focused its research on "primitive cultures," while todays AI surpasses human capabilities in certain dimensions yet is often viewed through a lens of scrutiny-marked by curiosity, vigilance, both approach and caution. Meanwhile, folk arts, handicraft traditions, and local knowledge once central to anthropological studies have acquired new significance in the AI era: they serve as a counterbalance to technological homogenization and provide tangible evidence of how humans once lived and created.
The young artists participating in the exhibition stand at the intersection of these diverse perspectives. As digital natives, they developed their technological understanding before formal theoretical training. Many also employ traditional materials and craftsmanship-practices deeply rooted in physical labor and temporal context-that contrast sharply with AIs algorithmic logic. Their work does not present a binary opposition between AI-generated content and handmade creations. A typical afternoon workflow might involve first generating dozens of sketches using AI, then meticulously refining the raw materials through manual work. In this process, technology serves as an extension while handcrafting represents a selective approach; the two elements engage in a practical dialogue.
This exhibition does not aim to offer any definitive conclusion about "humanity" or "AI." Instead, it showcases how a group of young creators respond to a rapidly changing world using their bodies, memories, technological tools, and materials brought from their hometowns. Each individual is concrete yet limited; yet each one seriously explores their relationship with technology, tradition, and the future. This exploration itself constitutes a contemporary anthropological practice-one that employs artworks rather than academic papers as field notes.
The core essence of anthropology has always been understanding-understanding another way of life and another system of meaning. In this exhibition, young creators seek to understand themselves: as digital natives, inheritors of various arts and crafts, and individuals immersed in an algorithmic environment, what does their lived experience truly signify. "Me, AI, Anthropology" ultimately revolves around this question: how each specific individual can document, comprehend, create, and become their own field researcher in an era of profound technological transformation.
I, AI, Anthropology
CAFA School of Experimental Art and Technology Art: Exhibition of Creative Works 2026
Curator: Bao Dong
Duration：July 10 - August 9, 2026
Venue: PIFO Gallery, B11, 798 Art Zone, Beijing