A captivating scene takes place in the heart of the serene park. People move with an inexplicable energy, a mesmerizing blend of exuberant joy and desperate rush. Some of them sway to a silent rhythm, their bodies flowing with contagious euphoria, as if dancing to the tune of life itself. Laughter and smiles are carried in the wind like the dulcet tones of a symphony. 

However, among the revelers, some seem to run with urgency. Their faces express concern, their eyes locked on an elusive destination. Are they running from an unseen ghost, forever racing the looming storm, or simply caught at the bottom of life’s turbulent waters? 

Bathing in speckled sunlight, the park becomes a theater of contradictions. The line between joy and despair blurs, and the viewers contemplate these two emotions, which are intertwined in the human experience. In the chaos of the commotion, the park stands as a mirror that reflects the complexity of our lives, where moments of joy and despair paint a portrait of our shared existence. 

Itai Lifshitz (b. 1994) grew up in many places, a fact that he claims has led to a mixed sense of belonging and alienation in every new environment. In his works, he explores how everyday life imagery had developed and influenced society until the twenty-first century. He is particularly interested in the relationship between people and technology, employing diverse media to reflect the complexity of our social structure. 

 

Kudos, AI 

AI prompt: A forest party, a crowd fleeing from a disaster scene into the forest, a mass brawl at the edge of a forest. One plastic chair for beating if the need presents itself, dress code: (almost) black and white, the front of the figures is missing except for one instance, perhaps a security guard, skip facial features, I don’t want them, blend the people for me, body with body, blend the organs for me but maintain mobility. Like folk dancing, like sports, like a struggle frozen a second before violence erupts. Keep the humans around, close to nature but separated from it. What do you say? Got it? 

 

AI: Got it. 

AI feedback: It came out very strong, totally makes sense, real. Like a lot of works I know from the history of photography, it is really hard to tell that it was made by AI, kudos. 

 

Tamar El Or 

Prof. Tamar El Or is a researcher of material culture and local style. She is a professor in the Sociology and Anthropology Department at the Hebrew University.