“Women are still a minority within this space and many AI models tend to be trained on data that fails to encapsulate the experiences of women, people from the diaspora, and those often considered to be part of minority groups within society.”

Photographer Ayesha Kazim works at the boundary between traditional photography and emerging technologies, creating work that challenges our understanding of images in the digital age.

BRIDGING ANALOG AND DIGITAL

“As a photographer who works with both analogue and digital mediums, technology plays a key role in how I capture the world around me and develop my artistic practice,” Ayesha explains. Her approach spans traditional photography to AI-augmented digital manipulation, allowing her to “stretch the boundaries of the medium and the viewers' imagination.”

AI AS A CREATIVE TOOL

Ayesha has embraced artificial intelligence as an extension of her creative toolkit. “AI software such as Midjourney and Dall•E have been key to pushing the boundaries of my photographic practice,” she notes, “allowing me to experiment with combining authentic imagery and digital art to manipulate our understanding of ‘reality’ and ‘true’ photographs.”

WOMEN’S PERSPECTIVES IN WEB3

Working in Web3, Ayesha brings critical awareness to representation issues within both the community and the technologies themselves. “Women are still a minority within this space and many AI models tend to be trained on data that fails to encapsulate the experiences of women, people from the diaspora, and those often considered to be part of minority groups within society.”

This recognition has “emboldened me to consider how I can best contribute to and encourage other women to join this space and advocate for our creative voices to be seen and understood.”

INFLUENCES AND COMMUNITY

When asked about her inspirations, Ayesha specifically highlights fellow women artists working with technology: “Artists such as Linda Dounia, Lyonna Lyu, Nygilia, Abieyuwa and Rayan Elnayal have shown me how art can transcend mediums and be used to communicate multi-layered narratives.”

Her advice to emerging artists is, “Build community and don't be afraid to reach out to peers within your network for support and guidance. Explore other mediums and experiment, as that is typically when breakthroughs in our practice can emerge.”

THE POTENTIAL OF THE BLOCKCHAIN

Ayesha sees blockchain technology as transformative for photography's relationship with audiences and history. “I believe Web3 and blockchain technology will play a key role in strengthening the relationship between artists and their audiences, given that viewers will be able to trace the provenance and origins of an artist's work in real-time.”

“This is key when it comes to archival preservation and how historical records will be maintained and understood by future generations of digitally-native artists operating on-chain.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Ayesha plans to expand her practice beyond purely digital work. “I plan to begin shifting my work into new mediums including moving image and physical pieces that involve collecting found material so as to explore how shifting material alters how viewers interact with the visual image.”

Ayesha Kazim is a photographer whose work spans analogue and digital mediums. Follow her work on Instagram (@ayeshavkazim), and Twitter (@ayeshachasm) or visit her website at ayeshakazim.com.