Celebrated British pop artist Philip Colbert is taking on artificial intelligence with a new exhibition at Saatchi Gallery. The Battle for Lobsteropolis opens this Friday and sees Colbert’s lobster embark on a journey through time, confronting artificial intelligence in a series of reimagined historical battle scenes. At the heart of the show are two monumental AI-assisted paintings, with Colbert’s lobster taking on the tech world in epic face-offs. Famed for his hyperpop-style history paintings, this is the first time Colbert has shown his AI-based works in London.
The Evolution of AI and Art
While AI experts caution that we are unknowingly heading toward a dangerous future, Colbert’s perspective takes a more subtle approach to the impact of AI, creating a world where art history and digital innovation are in constant flux. Instead of sounding an alarm, Colbert engages with the conversation around AI and art, highlighting how our definition of art has evolved.
History meets Technology
As AI-generated art challenges traditional norms in the art world, Colbert’s works explore the ongoing tension between history and technological progress. He underscores this monumental theme by revisiting a 2,000-year-old masterpiece from Pompeii. In his new piece, After Battle of Issus Mosaic, he has reimagined the iconic “Alexander the Great” mosaic, which is currently housed at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, where Colbert also showcased his work earlier this year.
The artist reimagines the composition, relocating it to his dystopian Lobsteropolis—a realm that evokes both nostalgia and unease. The clash between Colbert’s lobster and a rising army of AI avatars challenges viewers to reconsider the enduring influence of art history as it confronts the digital age directly.
The exhibition also features a series of sculptures that powerfully convey the intensity of the battle scene, inspired by classical mythological figures such as the Centaur, Minotaur, and Medusa. Colbert’s unique reinterpretations of these iconic characters emphasize the timeless relevance of mythology and its lasting impact in the contemporary world.
The Battle for Lobsteropolis will run from 29 November 2024 – 13 January 2025 at Saatchi Gallery. www.philipcolbert.com
