Brandon Stephenson

Difficult Prompt, 2024

As generative AI tools become more sophisticated and prevalent, I am driven to examine my identity as a graphic designer and what makes my approach to image creation unique and valuable. Difficult Prompt is a series of digital compositions created using collected material (images, objects, and ephemera) as "training data" from the imagined perspective of how image generators might "think" if they had my lived experience and responded to this prompt:

"Create art from the perspective of a man who spent 25 years feeling confused about his sexuality and have it slowly emerge as an increasing interest in the colour pink."

The images presented offer an examination of process, exploring how subconscious themes of identity reveal themselves over time through collecting and editing material. As I make decisions about which images to include and how to manipulate them, I am often reminded of how AI might approach this challenge I have set out for myself.

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Brandon Stephenson (b. 1988) is an artist and graphic designer living on Salt Spring Island. He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Nanaimo and Vancouver and has been working to integrate himself into the creative community on Salt Spring Island. Recently, he collaborated with the City of Nanaimo on a 2,260 sq. ft. mural and with Salt Spring Arts for this year's "Art On The Hall."

Brandon maintains a dedicated studio practice, currently focusing on drawing Salt Spring's landscapes. As a graphic designer, he often partners with cultural institutions such as Ballet BC, The Vancouver Biennale, and The Polygon Gallery.

brandonstephenson.ca
Instagram: @brandon.stephenson.draws
Instagram: @brandon.stephenson.designer