Realities in the Contemporary age

Aleena Akbar Khan reinvents impossibility

In this contemporary age of technology, art has seen many shifts. From digital paintings to NFTs, creatives today have so much access and resources to expand their experiments. What is astonishing is that every time an experiment is in progress, we see something extraordinary that pushes our imagination way out of the box. Seeing that this revolution is yet to continue, the question here is, To what extent will the shifting technologies force artists that utilize traditional materials to reinvent? NOW deeply interacts with technology at every level. Will it be cruel if we stick to our old processes and don’t invent something spectacular?

Aleena believes in reinvention and exploring the impossibilities made possible by new media. The idea that you can create another universe, even multiple universes and, metaverse might be astounding to the mind back in the day. AI has pushed the boundaries of imagination by amalgamating realities. Aleena composes different experiences in her technological-neuro world to form a new reality. This new reality bridges the bits and pieces of multiple realities. Aleena has collected the imagery of the metaverse by using gadgets and, in a way, collaborated with the AI to find ways to bring them to life.

To execute a mini-setting of her new reality in this world, Aleena has used materials found in her surroundings. She projects new perspectives on all that she and the people around her have experienced. What came as shocking to a viewer was how different the nature of things and objects were on display, contradicting how we see them every day, as they have never existed before.

The notions of reality and imagination are tied in Aleena’s work. Her installations represent neuron cells of many brains that combine, form connections and build new brains. To understand the new brains, one must understand the brains involved, individually and then collectively. This appropriation of AI and this world allows new ways to comprehend connection, existence and reality.

Written by Muhammad Awab Nouman

Image: Playground (First Iteration), Aleena Akbar Khan, installation, all copyrights retained by the artist 2022.