‘Baguette anyone?’ - MONICA MENEZ presents you her AI editorial for SCHÖN! Magazine Switzerland and talks with GoSee about her path to AI
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Monica Menez, known for her quirky and unusual visual concepts, is once again focusing on innovation and AI. For Swiss magazine SCHÖN!, Monica created a photo spread that asks questions you might not have even thought of: **Baguette anyone?**
The spread created with the assistance of artificial intelligence combines avant-garde style with a pinch of absurd humor – exactly what Monica is all about. With her tongue-in-cheek approach, she stages the seemingly mundane and transforms it into visual art. A baguette becomes a symbol of something much bigger – a piece of everyday culture that, in Monica’s world, becomes a stage for creativity and eccentricity.
If Monica’s personal path to AI had a name, it could be something along the lines of ‘Between Frustration and Fascination’. “I have always been someone who likes trying new things – which is why making the switch from photography to film has been so much fun for me. I love to constantly evolve the way I work and to experiment.
When I first started experimenting with artificial intelligence in early 2023, I was, however, deeply disappointed. My initial attempts at Midjourney were nothing short of frustrating – the results were too unpredictable, and I couldn’t express my ideas the way I wanted. So I put the tool away and didn’t touch it for a year.
Then, in early 2024, I took a new shot at it – et voilà: thanks to a lot of updates, so much had changed. Suddenly, I realized the enormous potential AI actually has. Since then, I have spent nearly 500 hours with it, trying to figure out how to generate images in my signature style. Slowly but surely, I think I have gotten the hang of it. For me, AI is now just another creative tool I like to experiment with.
In March 2024, Monica Menez and retoucher Ivonne Veith founded the collective ‘SyntheticStyles. We wanted to know, what exactly is her mission? “Showing creatives – above all photographers – how they can use AI in their work. For the beginning of next year, we’re planning a small but exquisite SyntheticStyles Festival in Stuttgart – there will be exhibitions, talks, and plenty of opportunities for exchange and networking.
Of course, I also see the challenges that AI brings with it for our industry. Big changes are definitely coming. Which is why Ivonne and I have recently held a keynote for the BFF, which we called ‘Between Skepticism and Innovation – Why Photographers Should Try AI’. Our goal: we want to encourage photographers and creatives to explore this brave new world before deeming AI a threat.”
GoSee : monicamenez.de
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