Machine Vision Artist Feature: Maija Tammi
MACHINE VISION
March 3 – April 29, 2023
Join Candela Gallery over the next few weeks as we feature artists from Machine Vision, a survey of tech-based photographic works: Michael Borowski, Kurt Caviezel, Adam Chin, Rashed Haq, Noelle Mason, Drew Nikonowicz, Maija Tammi, and Corinne Vionnet.
MAIJA TAMMI
Throughout Candela's current exhibition, there is one persistent theme: where do we draw the line between human and machine; at which point is something considered "real?"
One of Them Is a Human, 2017. Set of Four Archival Pigment Prints, 24 x 24 inches, each. INQUIRE >
When entering the gallery, one can see a suite of four pristine studio portraits that split the entrance to the back room. Upon closer inspection, viewers become aware that something may be off with these portraits. The title, One of Them Is a Human, immediately validates that instinct.
Maija Tammi's conceptual work presents three androids, or human-looking robots, and possibly one human. The artist does not reveal which image depicts a human, if any. This information sparks playful detective work from viewers, but also serves as a reminder of the realities of technological advancement; the perceptible boundary between "us" and "them" has grown eerily thin.
Erica, from the series, One of Them Is a Human, 2017. Set of Four Archival Pigment Prints, 24 x 24 inches, each. INQUIRE >
Tammi notes that one of the images, Erica, won two awards at the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize Competition hosted by the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2017.
The mere shortlisting of the portrait as one of the finalists became a media event, not unlike Boris Eldagsen's recent first place win in the Sony World Photography Awards for an AI image.
The New York Times wrote: “Do androids dream about being featured in portrait competitions?” The rules of the competition state that the image “must have been taken by the entrant from life and with a living sitter.” Whether or not an android is a living sitter naturally depends how “alive” is defined.
“I know that some people believe very strongly that a portrait of someone shows the viewer a deep psychological insight of the person who isn’t in the camera,” ...Tammi said. “We make the story of what we see in the portrait.” -NYT
ABOUT MAIJA
Maija Tammi (b. 1985) is a Finnish artist and Doctor of Arts, whose photographs and videos examine the liminal areas of mortality and immortality, science and art. She regularly collaborates with scientists and musicians. Tammi’s work has been exhibited extensively internationally, among others in Paris, Berlin, Rome, London, New York, and Tokyo, and she has four published books. Tammi’s artworks are for example in the collections of Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, USA, Contemporary Art Museum Kiasma in Helsinki, Finland, and National Portrait Gallery in London, UK. Tammi currently holds the title Artist Professor for the years 2020–2024. Tammi’s background is in photojournalism. She has a Masters in visual journalism and she worked as a photojournalist for six years before her artistic career. She completed her practice-based doctorate from Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture in 2017.
