WHAT DARWIN MISSED, created specifically for the Alfred Ehrhardt Foundation, was developed by the internationally renowned Catalan photographer, curator, and essayist Joan Fontcuberta (*1955). Known for his exploration of the boundaries between reality and fiction, Fontcuberta critically examines photography’s role in representing truth. His work often questions scientific imagery in fields like botany and zoology, employing a humorously provocative approach.
For this series, Fontcuberta utilized artificial intelligence as an essential creative tool, intentionally blending fact and fiction to challenge viewers’ perceptions. By employing AI, he underscores the illusionistic nature of the images, prompting the audience to question what they see and recognize the importance of close observation.
In developing this project, Fontcuberta engaged with the Foundation’s archives, reviving an unfinished research assignment from 1938. This project, initiated by Alfred Ehrhardt for the Natural History Museum in Hamburg, aimed to document Hamburg’s coral collection in celebration of the centenary of Charles Darwin’s publication THE STRUCTURE AND DISTRIBUTION OF CORAL REEFS. However, the project was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
Fontcuberta’s AI-generated works, which incorporate elements from various European natural history museums and remote marine locations, depict a variety of coral species, including a newly conceptualized species he calls CRYPTOCNIDARIA. These fictional corals exhibit radical, accelerated adaptations, casting doubt on Darwin’s theory of gradual evolution. Their existence suggests the possibility of rapid genetic change due to environmental stressors, such as chemical exposure or radioactivity, thereby challenging traditional assumptions about evolutionary timeframes.
Through a fusion of New Objectivity and scientific photography, Fontcuberta’s AI-generated images reveal strange, otherworldly forms that invite viewers to scrutinize and question established scientific paradigms. WHAT DARWIN MISSED offers a fascinating dialogue between science and art, encouraging audiences to consider the boundaries between truth and speculation and to recognize the illusionary power of photography.
Presented by Photo Edition Berlin as part of REIMAGINE TOMORROW, 1954-2024: AI in Context #2, 17–24 November 2024, at Heilig Geist, on the occasion of the AI Biennale in Essen, Germany.