The Eastern Promises: Preserving Orientalist Painting Through Data Science invites us to consider the role of technology in art and the ways in which it can be utilised to engage in new forms of artistic expression. Art as a meta-discipline is “an umbrella encompassing history, philosophy, nature and science.” The AI-powered paintings presented by Mammadov offer a fresh and innovative take on a timeless artistic tradition, provide a glimpse into the future of art-making in the digital age, and raise crucial questions about polarisation, redefining our rapidly developing world as well as exploring and preserving the social and cultural heritage of humanity, with its own intricacies, in a way that has yet to be decoded by future generations.
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Portraits were a significant aspect of Orientalist art, and the representation of individuals in this genre of art reflects the broader cultural, political, and ideological context of the time. In general, the representation of individuals in Orientalist art can be analyzed in several ways, including:
- Stereotyping: Portraits in Orientalist art often reinforced Western stereotypes about the East, including the portrayal of individuals as exotic, sensual, and primitive. These images reflected the Western fascination with the East as a place of mystery and exoticism, and often served to reinforce the power dynamic between the West and the East.
- Racial and Ethnic Characteristics: Portraits in Orientalist art often emphasised physical features that were believed to be characteristic of people from the East, such as dark skin, long beards, and large eyes. These images were often used to reinforce the idea of the East as a place of difference and otherness, and often perpetuated harmful and inaccurate stereotypes about people from the region.
- Gendered Representations: Portraits in Orientalist art often portrayed women as passive and sexually alluring, while men were depicted as powerful and exotic. These images reflected the Western fascination with the East as a place of sensual and erotic pleasure, and often served to reinforce patriarchal and gender-based power dynamics.
- Social and Economic Status: Portraits in Orientalist art often depicted individuals from the East in ways that reflected their social and economic status, including depictions of wealthy rulers, merchants, and intellectuals, as well as depictions of laborers and rural peasants. These images reflected the Western view of the East as a place of stark economic and social differences, and often perpetuated the idea of the East as a place of poverty and inequality.