Diving Back To The Future | Sea Through Sound | Nick Wilkinson | Phelt Pheatures

While we all quake in our boots awaiting the AI apocalypse, audio-visual artist Nick Wilkinson is harnessing this new technology for more wholesome means.

Beginning his artistic journey as a DJ and music producer around six years ago, Nick soon became disheartened with the form and, while adrift in a sensory deprivation tank seeking inspiration he masterminded his new project Sea Through Sound.

This project combined three of Nick’s loves; music, photography and the ocean and saw him step into the realm of multimedia. Sea Through Sound pairs Nick’s ocean photography and videography with his own music and that of artists he admires. By attaching a new creative outlet to his music production, Nick brought himself fresh inspiration which led him to begin writing tunes outside of his usual genre.

The coming five years saw Nick exhibit twice at The Other Art Fair at The Cutaway in Barangaroo, earn a finalist position on the Monster Children Photo Comp and show his work at Gaffa Gallery.

Then in walks Nick’s newest creative addition, AI.

After a friend posted about putting on an AI-themed exhibition, Nick hit the ground running with the concept of blending his audio-visual work with AI. This led to Nick’s first AI exhibition, Memory Waves.

Using his images of club scenes and ocean photography as the AI’s source, Nick has created art that melts our perception of reality. The seemingly sudden emergence of AI has thrown many of us into a frenzy of questioning whether it be questions about morality, art, intellectual property or the future of the human race.

We’re caught up in what is and what isn’t real, but does it matter?

Memory Waves begs this question by reminding us that our memories are fallible, often altering or filling in details from fragments to construct a neater story for us. So, if a moment is captured on camera, what does it mean to fill in the moments before and after with AI? What is a more real reflection of the human experience of memory?

Nick has now turned his sights further toward the ocean with his upcoming exhibition Tidal Traces which will run at Bondi Pavilion Balcony Bar from 10 am-4 pm Saturday the 23rd and Sunday the 24th of March. This exhibition will incorporate Nick’s signature melancholic sounds, underwater photography and AI to promote sustainability for the sake of future generations, a concept known as generative action.

Generative AI for generative action, now there’s a dynamic duo.

If you’re eager for more of Nick’s work, he’ll be back at The Other Art Fair Sydney in May merging fan footage from Fred Again’s recent Australia shows with shots he’s captured in the big blue.