Inside Sy Goldstein’s Alternate Reality
Nov. 14, 2024
Toronto, Canada
Introduction
Sy Goldstein has rapidly emerged as a notable figure in the realm of AI-generated art, particularly through his vivid portrayals of an alternate 1980s New York City. With a professional background in video production and photography, Goldstein's artistic journey took a transformative turn when he discovered AI tools like Midjourney during a period of burnout from his full-time job. This serendipitous encounter allowed him to explore new creative avenues, leading to the creation of bizarre yet captivating characters that inhabit his imagined urban landscapes.
Goldstein's work is heavily influenced by 1980s street photography, infusing his AI-generated images with a sense of nostalgia while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of traditional portraiture. His characters, often described as "not-quite human," evoke a surreal blend of reality and fantasy, resembling attendees at a gathering reminiscent of dystopian narratives. Since launching his Instagram account to showcase these creations, he has garnered significant attention and built a dedicated following, all while emphasizing the joy of creation without the constraints of commercial pressures.
Through his art, Goldstein advocates for the therapeutic potential of AI in fostering creativity and personal expression. He views this medium not just as a tool but as a liberating force that reconnects artists with the pure joy of making art for its own sake. As he continues to explore this evolving landscape, Goldstein remains committed to sharing his unique vision and inspiring others to embrace the possibilities that AI offers in their own artistic journeys.
Interview
Q: How did you first discover Midjourney, and what drew you to AI-generated art?
Sy Goldstein: “I first discovered Midjourney through Mr Monster Sauce. I'd seen some AI art before, but it was only when I came across his work that I started to become really interested. This was in late fall of 2022 so most AI art up until then didn't really look very interesting to me. But his work and aesthetic really spoke to me — very 1980s horror. Once I finally signed up for Midjourney, I was hooked. I spent the next few days doing nothing other than generating images, and that's basically been my life ever since!”
Q: Who or what are your biggest artistic influences, both in traditional and AI art?
Sy Goldstein: “My background is in film and video production, and my influences for that are Martin Scorsese, PT Anderson, Coen Brothers, Greta Gerwig, Sam Raimi, Noah Baumbach, early Tim Burton, Charlie Chaplin... the list goes on.
But since my AI work is based on street photography portraits, I have to list photographers like Diane Arbus, Meryl Meisler, Richard Sandler, Andy Sweet, Pieter Hugo, and Vivian Maier.
Then there's the caption aspect to my work, where every series has a backstory. I think a lot of that humor comes from movies and comedians I've always loved. Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Jack Handey, and Naked Gun.
I don't really take inspiration from any of these artists on purpose, it just sort of happens.”
Q: How has your artistic journey evolved since incorporating Midjourney into your practice?
Sy Goldstein: “In a lot of ways, it's quite similar, actually. I've always been interested in telling stories, especially ones about characters that I find interesting. So this is really just an extension of that. Obviously the huge difference is that now I can explore way more ideas with much more ease. But if you were to look at my earlier work, either things that I've produced, written or even just pitched, they all exist in a very similar world.”
Q: Can you walk us through your typical workflow when creating a piece with Midjourney?
Sy Goldstein: “Once I get and idea, I'll start experimenting with prompts in Midjourney. Sometimes I'm happy with the results pretty quickly, and other times it takes a while to get what I want. I actually often find myself pivoting when I get another idea. I think you just have to be open to new ideas. Unless I'm doing something specific for a client, the story or idea can go wherever I want it to. And then once I'm happy with where it's at, I'll start bringing in some variety to build on the idea.
I tend to edit the images themselves a bit in Midjourney if needed, but I know I can always just do it later in Photoshop, so it depends on what I need and whether Midjourney would be a stronger tool for it or not.
Once I have a series of images, I'll edit them down to about 10-15, then I upscale and bring them into Photoshop. There I'll color grade, fix parts of the images, add or subtract elements. Midjourney can make a mess out of background elements, so I try to spend time looking at small details to see what I can fix.”
Q: How do you approach prompt crafting? Do you have any specific techniques or strategies?
Sy Goldstein: “The biggest thing for me is experimenting. Mix it up and see what happens.”
Q: What's the most challenging aspect of working with Midjourney, and how do you overcome it?
Sy Goldstein: “Sometimes — or seemingly most of the time — it doesn't really get what you're asking for. I see this as neutral, since it's fun to lean into the AI hallucinations.
So I either roll with it or come up with a different way of prompting what I want, sometimes using my own images as reference.”
Q: What themes or concepts do you find yourself exploring most often in your AI-generated art?
Sy Goldstein: “The absurdity of life and humor in the mundane. I can't remember who said it, but the idea that comedy is logic applied to the absurd is something that's behind pretty much everything I do.”
Q: How do you balance your artistic vision with the unpredictability of AI-generated results?
Sy Goldstein: “I find it quite similar to working with crews on a film or video shoot. As the director, I have a vision, but I have to be open to other people's interpretations. Whereas a painter, for example, is a solo artist, a filmmaker has to work with other people. So while the end result is "a film by *ONE PERSON*", there were many people involved in the process, with lots of input.
Filmmaking can be unpredictable. I've dealt with weather issues, location changes, actors leaving last minute. You just have to understand the story you're trying to tell and work it out from there.”
Q: How has working with Midjourney impacted your overall artistic practice or career?
Sy Goldstein: “Well, to be blunt, very few people knew about me before I started working with Midjourney! Like I said, the practice is very similar in a lot of ways. Obviously I'm working alone more often now. I find this all very freeing, so there's a liberty to do whatever I want.
There aren't any deadlines to my personal work, and I can come up with an idea, work on it, and put it out there. I'm very lucky to have an audience for my work, and it's been lovely connecting with them and receiving immediate feedback.”
Q: What excites you most about the future of AI-generated art?
Sy Goldstein: “I'm excited and scared about the same thing — not knowing where it's headed.”
Q: How do you view the role of the artist in the age of AI-generated art?
Sy Goldstein: “Same as the role of a director, which is someone with a creative vision and a story to tell.”
Q: What do you say to critics who argue that AI-generated art isn't "real" art?
Sy Goldstein: “I just don't. I find the argument to be really lazy and boring.”
Q: How do you ensure your Midjourney creations maintain a personal touch or signature style?
Sy Goldstein: “I literally have no idea how they can't have a personal touch. I think as long as you express what's in your heart, you'll always have a personal touch.”
Q: Have you collaborated with other artists using Midjourney? If so, how was that experience?
Sy Goldstein: “I've only had one Midjourney collaboration, which simply involved coming up with a visual theme and blending our images together in Midjourney. It was fun, since I basically never use the blend tool on its own.”
Q: What advice would you give to artists just starting out with Midjourney?
Sy Goldstein: “Experiment and find your voice! It's so easy to just do what other people are doing, but it takes something special to just be yourself.”
