Artists Push Back Against AI: The 'New Renaissance' in New York
The intersection of artificial intelligence and the art community is shifting, with creators emphasizing human traits such as memory, body, and imperfection over the sleekness of AI. In New York, this cultural dialogue is evident in major museums and galleries. The New Museum's upcoming 2026 exhibition, 'New Humans: Memories of the Future,' will showcase the work of over 150 international artists who investigate evolving definitions of humanity in the face of technology. Interest in handmade techniques is rising, with flaws signifying human touch. The issue of authorship in AI-generated art remains contentious. Jingna Zhang, a photographer, co-founded Cara to safeguard artists from unauthorized AI training and created Lantern to assist in identifying and removing images from AI datasets. The 2026 FOCUS Art Fair New York will feature a 'Technology & Human Creativity' section, while Underdonk's exhibition 'I Will Never Enter This Room' employs AI as a curatorial instrument. The 'New Renaissance' idea underscores a transition toward creativity defined by human values. The future may see a blended approach to AI, prompting discussions about copyright and artistic rights.
Key facts
- The New Museum will hold the 2026 exhibition 'New Humans: Memories of the Future', featuring over 150 international artists, writers, scientists, architects, and filmmakers.
- Photographer Jingna Zhang helped build Cara, an artist-focused platform to protect artists from unauthorized AI training, and later developed Lantern, an open-source tool for identifying and removing images from AI datasets.
- Cara faced multiple data-scraping incidents, including a reported August 2026 breach involving millions of images.
- FOCUS Art Fair New York 2026 includes a dedicated 'Technology & Human Creativity' section for artists working with AI, VR, robotics, and digital media.
- The exhibition 'I Will Never Enter This Room' at Underdonk in New York's Lower East Side was curated by an AI system, with the process transcript displayed.
- The art world debate has shifted from 'Can AI make art?' to 'What makes something art—and who gets to be called the artist?'
- Artists are increasingly emphasizing handmade practices and physical imperfections as markers of human presence.
- The article suggests a 'New Renaissance' where human qualities like memory, physical experience, and intention become more valuable as AI imitates creative surfaces.
- New York is positioned as a natural testing ground for competing ideas about AI and creativity due to its concentration of museums, galleries, and tech companies.
- The future may see artists selectively using AI, with a new definition of authenticity based on transparency and creative process.
Entities
Artists
- Jingna Zhang
Institutions
- New Museum
- FOCUS Art Fair New York
- Underdonk
- Cara
- Lantern
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Lower East Side