Monica Menez, renowned beauty and fashion photographer, director, and AI artist, merges photography with artificial intelligence – from viral videos and exhibitions to hands-on creative workshops. Always curious, she actively shapes the future of visual creativity while exploring how AI influences the creative process.

In recent months, she has been a guest at the ADC Design Conference in Stuttgart and at the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. One of her short AI videos, featuring a destroyed cake on an escalator, went viral and has been viewed across platforms around 45 million times. A major feature on her was also recently published in the Frankfurter Rundschau.

In April, Monica will present a new solo exhibition at the Leica Galerie Konstanz, where she combines photographs with AI-generated images. “I’m showing a deliberate mix of photographic works and AI-generated images. For me, AI is not about effect – it’s a tool to bring ideas to life,” she explains.

Since 2024, she has been working as an AI artist. A notable project is her collaboration with Object Carpet for the Neuland collection, developed with the Ippolito Fleitz Group. Monica combined AI visuals with augmented reality to reimagine the space – not as a tech showcase, but as a visual storytelling experience.

“Currently, I’m exploring how AI can be used as a visual language for various luxury clients. It’s not about efficiency, but about understanding how AI can be integrated into their own brand identity. It’s about creativity, attitude, and developing new visual worlds. It’s extremely challenging – and equally exciting,” Menez says.

She is particularly fascinated by what AI can create anew. “I feel that creativity will become even more valuable in the future. AI can produce average results perfectly. Anyone can quickly generate mediocrity with AI. But truly good ideas remain the hardest part – and AI doesn’t give you those.”

Many clients assume that AI can replace experienced photographers or designers. Monica disagrees: “In practice, there’s a clear difference between someone using AI with decades of visual experience and someone without it. Interestingly, I’m seeing the strongest results from more experienced creatives.”

At the same time, she co-founded Synthetic Styles AI with Ivonne Veith to bring practical, creative AI knowledge to artists. “Our goal is to share knowledge – especially with colleagues in photography – to show that AI is not an opponent. But our workshops aren’t just for photographers; illustrators, art directors, stylists, and makeup artists also participate. This diversity leads to particularly exciting results. It’s amazing to see the strong, independent work our participants develop – a lot of the future is being created there.”

“We deliberately work in small, intensive groups at Synthetic Styles AI – over nine weeks, totaling about 45 hours. We cover image and video generation, hybrid shoots, real workflows, and most importantly, creativity – not tools. This is complemented by topics like legal aspects, usage, and positioning, supported by a specialized lawyer. Together with AI experts like Nina Lemm and international AI artists such as Yasmin Gross aka x.machina.flora, who openly share their practices, we explore the key tools – from MidJourney to Nano Banana Pro and Weavy. In the end, it’s always about developing your own attitude and visual language with AI.”

Monica is currently working on a short film and preparing a larger exhibition project for the fall. “Whether I’m photographing, filming, or using AI, the result is what matters. AI doesn’t replace creativity – it opens new ways to express it,” Monica Menez concludes.

monicamenez.de
syntheticstyles.ai

 
12.02.2026 show complete article

On Thursday, April 24, Monica Menez & Ivonne Veith (Synthetic Styles) and Anja Haas Haas (Pudel Unlimited) invite you to the White Noise Bar in Stuttgart to discuss the role of AI in creative work. In a rapidly changing digital world, one thing is clear: creative work requires not only talent and vision, but also the right tools – and the knowledge of how to use them effectively.

'WONDER PANIC – Between Skepticism and Enthusiasm: Why Creatives Should Try AI' is aimed at anyone interested in exploring the opportunities and challenges of AI in the creative industry. Between practical talks, honest discussions, and fresh perspectives, it's about more than just tools – it's about attitude, responsibility, and inspiration.
 
Participants include: Bianca Mack (SVP at WONGDOODY), who, with her team, develops immersive experiences at the intersection of technology and creativity. Nina Klein (artist manager, coach, and author), who has successfully supported creatives for over two decades and provided new impetus for the industry. Jeannette Bergen (Creative Director & AI Artist), whose work combines generative AI with high-quality aesthetics—honored as one of the Top 50 Women in AI Design 2025. And Susanne Vetter (illustrator & multimedia artist), who tells immersive stories using AR, web technologies, and projections. International AI art will also be shown on screens, including by @x.machina.flora.

After the panels and talks, starting at 10 p.m.: Get-together, music, and drinks—no set program, but plenty of room for conversation and creative exchange.

Tickets are available here.

For those who can't make it to Stuttgart, we recommend PROMPTLY NEWS from Synthetic Styles AI – a regular look into the world of AI. In collaboration with the BFF Academy, we provide online updates every two to three months on the most exciting developments in the AI ​​world.3Sa7YB


 
01.04.2025 show complete article

On February 20, the exhibition "Specimens of Creativity – The Museum of Dead Professions" by fashion photographer, director, and AI pioneer Monica Menez opened in the spaces of the communication agency Pulsmacher in Ludwigsburg. With over 200 guests, the evening was filled with intense discussions and inspiring encounters, raising the central question of the exhibition: How is Artificial Intelligence changing the creative world? At the heart of the exhibition was the exploration of professions threatened by the digital transformation – with the hope that they would not disappear, but reinvent themselves.

The works will be on display at Pulsmacher throughout the year, and there will be several events and tours on the topics of AI and creativity. Additionally, the images are available for purchase in a limited edition of 25 pieces.

Monica Menez: "The creative industry is at a crossroads. Professions that were once considered irreplaceable – photographers, stylists, copywriters, or models – are disappearing or radically changing. But what remains of them? And what is emerging anew? 20 images and a short film specifically address this question. The protagonists are creatives who have become 'specimens' – not as relics, but as witnesses of change. Dressed in animal-like costumes, they carry the tools of their former craft, a subtle reference to the extinction of species. But these professions haven’t simply disappeared – they are evolving.

Augmented reality brings them to life: The copywriter continues typing on his ideas, the model holds their pose, the photographer searches for the perfect moment. There is no standstill – only change. The exhibition asks not only what is lost, but also what is created. Does AI mean the end of human creativity, or its next stage?
These questions have been with me for a long time – and I know many in the industry feel the same. That’s exactly why I founded the collective Synthetic Styles together with Ivonne Veith. Our goal is to inform, inspire, and show creative freelancers how AI can be used as a tool – not as a replacement, but as an expansion of their own possibilities. Creativity has always been a process of change, and we want to help shape this transformation."

Monica Menez has not only created an exhibition with "The Specimens of Creativity" that encourages reflection, but also opened a space for engaging with the role of artificial intelligence in the creative future. She challenges us to recognize the possibilities of technology without losing the essence of human creativity. The exhibition will be on display at Pulsmacher in Ludwigsburg throughout the year – a visit is definitely worth it to dive into this future of art.

Monica Menez: "The old ways are gone. Creativity must evolve. It always finds a way." In the quiet of this museum, between glass and fur, the future unfolds – the future of art, work, and life.

Without the incredible team at Pulsmacher, this exhibition would not have been possible. A huge thank you to the managing directors Jens Kenserski, Jochen Schroda, and Thorsten Weh for the invitation to be part of the series "Great Moments." A special thank you to Silke Schorr and Nils Bittner, who supported me with so much passion in curating the exhibition – you really brought it to life! And of course, a big thanks to the entire Pulsmacher team for their dedication and creativity behind this project."

www.syntheticstyles.ai
http://pulsmacher.de

 
13.03.2025 show complete article