Daniel Weiss's 'Biological Performance Units' Explores Intensive Farming Through AI-Generated Imagery
The proposal 'Biological Performance Units' by Daniel Weiss received the second highest number of votes for the creAtIva AI Art Book Vol/9 titled 'ART: it is argument'. This series utilizes AI-generated visuals to investigate the harsh realities of intensive livestock farming, focusing on dehumanizing metrics such as economic efficiency and milk production. Weiss depicts animals as semi-mechanical beings in sterile environments, moving away from conventional farm imagery. The style resembles that of e-commerce photography, portraying bodies as mere functional parts. This work draws parallels to Damien Hirst's 'Mother and Child (Divided)' and Bong Joon-ho's 'Okja' (2017), both of which critique the meat industry. 'Biological Performance Units' emphasizes the normalization of violence through appealing visuals and is included in Vol/9, featuring a voice narrative and augmented reality video.
Key facts
- Daniel Weiss's 'Biological Performance Units' was the second most voted proposal by the jury for creAtIva AI Art Book Vol/9 'ART: it is argument'.
- The series uses AI-generated images to investigate intensive livestock farming.
- The title translates to 'Unidades biológicas de rendimiento' and introduces dehumanizing language.
- The work draws on visual codes from advertising, industrial design, and contemporary architecture.
- Images feature cow and horse heads, metal harnesses, milking equipment, modular containers, and meat fragments in clinical settings.
- The series eliminates traditional farm imagery, relocating animals to laboratory, warehouse, and processing center.
- The aesthetic is compared to e-commerce and luxury advertising photography.
- The work is related to Damien Hirst's 'Mother and Child (Divided)' and Bong Joon-ho's 'Okja' (2017).
Entities
Artists
- Daniel Weiss
- Damien Hirst
- Bong Joon-ho
- Wiktor V/R
- Victoria Arribas Roldán
- José Luis Martínez Meseguer
- Beatriz García Montalvo
- Arkadiusz Romańczuk
- Ikuo Yamamoto
Institutions
- creAtIva
- AI Art Book
- Plataforma de Arte Contemporáneo
- Tate Archive
- The Criterion Collection
Locations
- Spain