In An Other Point of View, we bring together the lens of art and the lens of artificial intelligence, not to perfect what we see but to see differently.
When we treat a photo of the everyday as a work of art, the ordinary becomes vivid. Details we once passed over start to speak. Nuance emerges. Perception shifts. And suddenly we’re not just looking. We’re noticing.
How does it work?
Take a photo of anything around you with your phone, and interact with that photo (and your thoughts) in an AI chatbot to find new ways of seeing what’s around you.
The activity
Step 1. Take a photo.
Look around the room you’re in and snap a photo of something that catches your eye. Can’t decide? Just take a photo of the first thing you see!
Step 2. Pretend it’s art.
Open an AI chatbot on your phone that accepts images (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini).
Upload your photo and enter this prompt: “What makes this piece of art interesting?”
We’re pretending that whatever you photographed is a piece of art—even if it’s not a piece of art (unless, of course, it is a piece of art!). Either way, use the same prompt.
Step 3. Read and reflect.
Carefully read the AI’s response.
- What new details or interpretations do you notice?
- What shifted in how you see the object?
- What surprised you?
This isn’t about the AI giving you the “right” answer.
It’s about your interaction with AI helping you see the ordinary in extraordinary ways—expanding your perception and your creative muscle of noticing.
Step 4. Keep playing.
Try other prompts to spark even more curiosity.
Examples:
- What story might this object be part of?
- What might someone from 200 years in the future think this is?
- What emotions could this object evoke in someone else?
Step 5. Reflect.
Jot down a few notes or record a quick voice memo.
- What stood out to you?
- What surprised you?
- What did you notice that you hadn’t before?
A note from the creator . . .
"At the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco, I came across a piece of abstract expressionist art that made me think, "There's something about this piece, but I just can't put my finger on it." On a lark, I took a picture of it and asked an AI chatbot, "What makes this piece of art interesting?" I was surprised by how my reaction to the output sparked other thoughts for me, so I tried using the same prompt with pictures of things that wouldn't be considered "art." Let's just say... it was interesting."—Glenn
LICENSE: CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL
