Lensa AI terms and conditions prove to be dangerous

Nicholas Alexander on December 8, 2022

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Lensa AI: As the year draws to a close, the topic of artificial intelligence in art has become a hot topic.

Humans have also used artificial intelligence applications to transform themselves.

Lensa AI is one of the new AI selfie apps that are fast-growing.

However, people have warned users and pointed out scary details in the terms and conditions.

The news

Most people have gotten used to registering online without reading the terms and conditions properly.

Lensa AI, an app that lets users create AI-generated selfies of 10 to 20 images, is among the apps with skimmed terms and conditions.

Users who upload their photos will receive over 50 AI-generated selfies in various forms.

However, social media highlighted the terms and conditions, saying the deal allows Lensa AI to distribute and use its footage without compensation.

In addition, downloading user content signifies the user’s acceptance of the company license, which allows the app to use their photos.

Terms and conditions

Lensa AI’s terms and conditions reads:

“Lensa may allow you to upload, edit, store and share content, including photos and videos.”

“We do not claim ownership over your User Content,” it continues.

“However, in order to provide you with the services (e.g., to make our services accessible to you), we seek a legal permission from you to use your User content.”

“You give us such a permission by means of a Company License.”

Users then have to grant Lensa AI a long-term license so that they can perform the following:

Use
Reproduce
Modify
Distribute
Create derivative works

If they agree, users will not receive any additional compensation.

Furthermore, they are subject to their additional explicit content for use where required by applicable law in their privacy policy (corporate license).

Company License

The Lensa AI company license is intended to allow Lensa to operate and improve its current and potential products.

Users who agree lets Lensai’s AI train in the Magic Avatars feature user application.

“The Company License terminates when you delete the User Content from Lensa’s Library or by terminating your account.”

However, Lensa AI’s terms also state that they revoke the license by contacting the company’s email address. (contact@lensa-ai.com).

Reference:

People are warning others about using new AI selfie app due to scary detail

Rahmaan Statik brings Wakanda to Chicago with mural

Claire Peterson on November 17, 2022

Rahmaan Statik is a Chicago-born muralist and street artist who has made a name for himself with his vibrant art style in the graffiti scene.

While he is already an established artist, Statik’s latest work is turning heads online.

Statik

Rahmaan Statik grew up around street art and public murals in Chicago’s South Side.

He was inspired to delve in street arts early, which later led to an arrest for vandalism.

The event would end up instilling in him a mission to legitimize the production of aerosol murals in the art scene in Chicago.

From then on, Rahmaan Statik devoted his art to public murals, combining graffiti with the classical training he received at the American Academy of Art.

The mural

Last week, Statik painted a mural dedicated to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in the Woodlawn neighborhood.

Additionally, his latest work comes full circle, having been born near the mural site.

“I’m a comic book fanboy,” said Statik.

“Before I was doing murals, I wanted to be a comic book artist. I wanted to work for Marvel.”

In the Rahmaan Statik mural, M’Baku, Okoye, and Shuri are standing in front of a glowing, vibrant Wakanda.

Additionally, his mural is on the corner of 61st Street and Champlain Avenue in Woodlawn.

In addition, the neighborhood is a predominantly African-American community.

Statik hopes his mural will empower the people of Woodlawn.

Behind the mural

Rahmaan Statik highlights his artistic style on the mural and indicates the liveliness that befits his usual works.

“You can tell this is mine because of the color palette,” he said.

“Cyan, magenta, yellow. That way, it’s vibrant, even on a gray day.”

Additionally, the artist revealed his goal of inspiring others with his mural, saying:

“People want to see images that look like them, that are empowered and not alienated. And everyone deserves that – everyone deserves their own Mount Rushmore.”

In addition, Rahmaan Statik shared more about his work and discussed his hopes of inspiring the community to reach its highest potential.

“The main function, though, as far as why I’m going hard on this, in this area, is to bring museum standard painting to the streets,” said the artist.

“Maybe a whole neighborhood of kids will see this and be inspired.”

Reference:

Artist brightens up Chicago with ‘Wakanda Forever’ mural

CPAC’s Jan. 6 Exhibit Becomes the Central Attraction Over the Weekend

Claire Peterson on November 17, 2022

An exhibit took place the past weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas, and one performance art stood out among the arrangements.

The art

The conversation on the show involved a mock dungeon with a barefoot artist in orange robes.

The artist also wore an easily recognizable red hat with “Make America Great Again” printed in white.

During the exhibition, the speakers were distributed to the general public. Recordings of the moving testimonies of the accused of the January 6 riots were then reproduced.

Reception

Michael Leuffone, director of the School of Education at St. Mary’s University in Minnesota, saw the exhibit and described it as “compelling.”

“It’s stunning, really,” Lovren said.

Freelance journalist Laura Jeeded attended the party on Friday to take over the MAGA booth. He called it “the most astonishing thing.”

Nied also said it was like a silent disco, but “instead of dancing, just stand there and watch this man cry.”

“What I need you to understand is that I stood here for about half an hour yesterday and this guy NEVER broke character,” Jeeded tweeted.

“He wept sitting on the bench. He wept sitting on the floor. He tallied on a chalkboard set up for the [sic] purpise.”

While the show’s theatrical rush sparked online ridicule, attendees reacted differently to the CPAC.

“The crowd was somber as they studied the man in the cage and listened to the audio of people arrested for Jan. 6-related crimes on the headset,” revealed Jeeded.

“No one else seemed to find it particularly funny.”

The concept

The artwork is believed to have been designed to appeal to those who believe that those involved in the January 6 riots should not be jailed for attacking the Capitol.

Despite a Justice Department investigation and committee hearing on Jan.6, many Trump supporters still believe the Mafia has done nothing wrong.

The artist

Behind the cell was Brandon Straka, a former New York hairdresser turned pro-Trump activist.

Straka is also the founder of the non-profit organization Walk Away, an organization that encourages people to leave the Democratic Party.

Earlier this year, Straka was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to being a member of a pro-Trump gang and encouraging attacks on the Capitol.

He underwent lengthy court oversight, but Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled that a three-year probationary period was necessary.

The judge also ordered him to be under house arrest for three months and to pay a $ 5,000 fine.

Despite his conviction, Brandon Straka has been described as a “snitch” and a “traitor” for his association with the FBI.

Straka provided vital information on pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” organizers Ali Alexander, Amy, Kylie Kramer and Cindy Chafian.

He also helped the FBI identify potential suspects who weren’t under their radar.

References:

Jan. 6 ‘prison’ exhibit at CPAC causes stir

Bizarre CPAC exhibit features Jan 6 ‘prisoner’ behind bars and silent disco headphones

A judge unleashed a tirade on a prominent Jan 6. Defendant for his post-plea comments

An AI-generated piece from Midjourney sparks the wrath of the art community after winning an art competition

Edward Anderson on September 6, 2022

While AI has been of great use in multiple industries, it became a source of controversy when a man won an AI-generated image in an art contest.

Jason M. Allen, 39, was the winner when he submitted an image that won the digital art/digitally manipulated photography category at the Colorado State Fair last week.

The work submitted

According to CNN, Allen was nervous about participating, but his decision earned him the win and the $ 300 prize.

The picture “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial,” which translates to Space Opera Theater, shows a scene seemingly taken from a science fiction fantasy concept and shows women in Victorian dress looking into a portal.

Jason M. Allen

Jason M. Allen, the man who sent the AI-generated image, is the founder and lead developer of the board game company Incarnate Games.

Based in Pueblo West, Colorado, Allen decided to take the opportunity of the competition.

“I’m fascinated by this imagery,” said Allen. “I love it. And I think everyone should see it.”

The tool that developed the image

While Jason M. Allen was delighted to win first prize on his first attempt at a competition, it turned out that he was using Midjourney.

Midjourney is a Discord-based AI art generator that has been making the rounds online recently.

It’s one of many AI image generators, like Google Research’s Imagen and OpenAI’s DALL-E 2.

The process

Although Allen didn’t go through the same processes as most artists, he said the image didn’t come easily.

He said there was a lot of work to be done.

Jason M. Allen said it took 80 hours to complete the job, playing with the phrases to create images of women wearing Victorian dresses and space helmets.

Allen developed over 900 iterations of the images sent by the women before disinfecting them in Photoshop.

He then ran the images through Gigapixel AI to improve the resolution and then printed the piece on canvas.

Reaction to the win

Allen’s use of AI to complete the work sparked outrage over the price, with many saying it took away the hard work people put into creating physically real works of art.

“Jason Allen, you are NOT an artist. You have never used actual tools. Just texts,” one Twitter user wrote.

“Midjourney can be fun, but it should never be used to cheat other artists.”

“That’s ridiculous,” another wrote to the Colorado State Fair’s tweet. “Makes your whole art competition less prestigious to the point where it’s laughable.”

“This is the literal definition of ‘pressed a few buttons to make a digital art piece’,” a user tweeted. “AI artwork is the ‘banana taped to the wall’ of the digital world now.”

Meanwhile, Jason M. Allen remains unmoved at the front desk, saying:

“I’m not going to apologize for it… I won and I didn’t break any rules.”

Despite his victory, Allen agrees with others that AI-generated art should be placed in a separate category in the future.

“I’m okay with that, there’s no problem with that,” said Allen. “But someone had to be first.”

References:

AI won an art contest, and artists are furious

AI-generated art won a fine arts competition – and artists are up in arms

Controversy erupts over prize awarded to AI-generated art

NFT Project Looty Launches Unique Digital Art Heist to Reclaim African Artifacts

Claire Peterson on May 30, 2022

Technological innovation has made it possible to restore artifacts, landscapes, and even mummies to their original state. Still, one man has utilized it to recreate stolen artifacts and sell them as non-fungible tokens or NFTs.

In Nigeria, Chidi Nwaubani launched a unique project that reclaims African artifacts stolen by European colonizers, recreating them into 3D images and putting them on the blockchain. Naming the project Looty, Nwaubani has described it as an alternative form of repatriation, wherein technology is used to reclaim a measure of control and ownership of articles far from Africa.

“Imagine a world where these items were never looted,” said the project founder. “We’re just trying to reimagine that world and bring that world into the digital form.”

The project aims to use its proceeds to fund young artists and takes its name from the act of looting. Looty is also a playful homage to the dog Looty, found by a British captain after troops looted the Summer Palace near Beijing in 1860. The loot was then taken back to London and presented to Queen Victoria.

The Looty website launched on May 13, but the sales didn’t pick up overnight. However, the project’s mission piqued the interest of people worldwide, and Nwaubani received plenty of messages. Looty’s first NFTs are based on an image of a Benin Bronze, some artifacts that were looted by British troops in 1897 from where Nigeria now stands. The artifacts are currently held in the British Museum in London.

“Knowing that it’s Nigerian but it lives outside Nigeria has always troubled me,” revealed Nwaubani. “So I felt that there’s something we could do to change that.”

The Looty collection was conceptualized in a process Nwaubani called “a digital art heist.” It is a perfectly legal procedure that involves a Looty team member entering the museum and scanning the target object with technology that is often utilized to create 3D images.

Chidi Nwaubani and Looty plan to shift their focus on an Ancient Egyptian item as their next big project, but they declined to elaborate on their plans.

She’s Changing the World of Art and Fashion from Her Arizona Garage: Painted Citizen’s Diana Price Calls It “The Art Of Empowerment”

Leah Cooper on November 2, 2020

Supermodels Jordyn Johnson and Sydney Falkner being transformed into living masterpieces.

Supermodel Jordyn Johnson @jordynjohnsonn is lying on the studio floor, wearing nothing but a smile. With Lady Gaga booming overhead, an abstract rainbow of non-toxic paint is being meticulously applied all over her body, as a photographer captures every pose. The vibe is joyful. How does Jordyn feel?

“Liberated,” Jordyn says. “I would do this again a million times. Diana makes me feel so beautiful.”

She’s talking about Phoenix artist Diana Price, who, at 28, is fast becoming a fashion darling who’s taking the art world by storm. Her curated street couture is designed to appeal to everyone from Kim Kardashian to kids on the corner. Because they feature one-of-a-kind works of art she creates by painting…on her clients.

“I’m living my truth,” she says, brushing back her soft blonde hair with a paint-splattered hand. “Which is to turn people into works of art. Seeing them feel good about themselves. That’s what I love most.”

Nude Painting…Revolutionized

“It’s definitely spiritual,” says Diana Price, “There’s something divine in making people feel so free.”

Clients who spend an afternoon inside Diana’s Phoenix, Arizona studio, (AKA her garage), say they love it too.

“The experience was life-changing, empowering,” says Sydney Falkner (@sydneeliana), another supermodel who adored her day with Diana. “Diana made me feel strong, feminine, and beautiful. She made me feel ‘seen.’”

Reviewing the latest images and video from a mid-October shoot, Diana does her best to describe the ethereal process.

“Once I lay down a base coat, I add two or three more colors. Then I let the energy dictate what happens next. It’s extremely collaborative.” The confidence her clients feel gives her confidence, too. “There’s definitely technique involved, but there’s plenty of spontaneity too. No shoot is exactly the same.”

So far, Diana has painted 30 clients, who all echo the same sentiments. More confidence, fewer inhibitions, total joy. “The Art of Empowerment,” Diana says, “is really all about beauty and truth.”

Phoenix Phenom

Born and raised in Phoenix, Ms Price finds inspiration from Andy Warhol, Betsy Johnson, Jackson Pollock, and Lady Gaga. Like them, she was known to be somewhat rebellious.

“Growing up, I was a rule bender, for sure,” she says, smiling and shrugging. “Once at a high school football game, on a dare, I ran onto the field and swiped the ball. I gave the crowd a story they’re still talking about,” she laughs. The story perfectly captures her brand’s motto: make your mark.

“I want people to feel the things that I once struggled with, things I wanted to feel in my life. The need to be recognized, feel beautiful, and feel good enough. I like making clients feel seen, noticed, and adored,” Diana ponders. “I like making them know that in my studio, they really are all of those things.”

Finding her way to Painted Citizen was not easy.

“It’s not lost on me that the word ‘pain’ is embedded in the word ‘paint,” Diana says, smiling. “It was hard, overcoming what life tossed at me,” she says, keeping the specifics private. “Coming out of my pain, all I could think of was, ‘The answer is in the paint.’ I’m fortunate I listened to my heart. That’s something I encourage in my clients. They get to carry their newfound confidence, in their hearts and in their souls, for the rest of their lives.”

Body of Work

Painted Citizen’s founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, Diana Price, in her work clothes.

She dreams of bringing her fashion and its message of empowerment all over the world.

“This has become my life’s passion,” Diana says. “And it’s so rewarding. Giving clients once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and letting them relive in those moments forever, through beautiful photography and high-end street couture.”

It’s one thing to own a work of art. But to be one? Diana confirms the spiritual side to it.

“There’s something divine that happens,” Diana muses, “when I’m painting on someone’s body, that I didn’t plan on happening. It feels perfectly imperfect. I don’t know how it all happens in this garage, but it does. What can I say? I’m blessed.”

Painted Citizen is accepting new clients. To book a session or purchase couture, go to PaintedCitizen.com.

Ric Conn Using Art to Speak on Important Social Issues

Nicholas Alexander on October 8, 2020

Contemporary artists today play an integral role in culture and society. Apart from contributing to the creative sphere, artists can also be thought leaders who share valuable insight into critical social issues. One such artist is the award-winning expressionist artist, Ric Conn.

Ric Conn is internationally known and primarily focuses on symbolic depictions of women’s challenges and issues nowadays in Western culture. He uses his art to speak for women’s rights and against the adverse actions taken against them.

A leading voice in the realm of inequality, Ric hopes that his work would spark positive social change when it comes to women’s rights. He also uses his art to advocate for other important social movements such as empowerment and mental health. “I believe in equality and empowerment, and I want my work to reflect that,” shares Ric. “The stories in my paintings are situations that can happen to anyone. I attempt to show equality because the stories can, and sometimes have, happened to me as well.”

Although mostly self-taught, Ric Conn’s art foundation comes from exposure in the Corcoran College of Art in Washington D.C. and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Many art enthusiasts have described the artist’s work as unconventional and fresh. With his work, Ric looks to create a “new avant-garde.” His mediums of choice include oil, acrylics, gouache, charcoal, and ink to create various compositions and textures. Ric is best known for his works in the figurative art and modern expressionism genres of fine arts.

Ric draws from the traditional and contemporary. His work exhibits a bold texture and highly-calculated use of light to bring subjects to life. The expressionist artist constantly explores the contrasting natures of reality and abstract perception. Ric Conn’s inspirations include artists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Edvard Munch, Picasso, Matisse, and the German Expressionists.

Not only is Ric’s work highly inspired, but it is also internationally renowned and awarded. Rich has received various awards from the Art Tour International Magazine, including Top 60 Master of Contemporary Art for 2020, Artist of the Decade, Artivist of the Year for artists dedicated to Human Rights in 2019 and 2020. Ric Conn has also appeared on summer, autumn, and winter issues in the publication Art Tour International magazine and was the back cover of one. He’s also the winner of the Face of the Queen Anne’s County medal. Ric has also appeared in various publications, including Art in America’s issue on galleries and artists in America. Many local and network television programs have also interviewed the artist.

In his career as a fine artist, Ric has put up multiple solo, and group shows all across the country. He’s had exhibits in Baltimore, Columbia, Annapolis, Frederick, Stevensville, and Centreville, MD; Washington, DC; Manhattan and Chelsea, New York City. His works have also entered many private collections in several states and also reached as far as Australia.

When Ric isn’t busy working on his latest masterpiece, he teaches in painting and drawing workshops in various schools and art councils. He also offers private lessons in his studio.

In the many years to come, Ric hopes to continue being a voice for all the oppressed women in the world through his award-winning talent and work. His work inspires many and sparked many conversations that lead to more progressive reforms and positive change.

Ric Conn’s works are exhibited at The Grimandi Art Gallery in New York, who represents the world-renowned artist. Most recently, he received the ARTYA (Artivist of the Year Award) from ArtTour International Magazine for his commitment to bringing social awareness. To learn more about Ric, visit his website, Instagram account, and Facebook page.

DVLVD Apparel Fosters Acceptance to Fight Social Injustice

Jason Robinson on September 24, 2020

One of Texas’s youngest full-time artists is taking a stand against social injustice. Cade Kegerreis is a twenty-three-year-old artist and founder of DVLVD Apparel. Through the art he makes for his clothing line, he hopes to spread awareness and bring understanding to others through knowledge and personal investigation.

Hailing from Waco, Texas, Cade Kegerreis graduated with a degree in studio art in 2017. After college, he sought to find his place in the industry by taking on a variety of creative jobs. It was then that he learned how to create art for a living and how to conduct business in the creative world. This experience inspired him to become an independent artist and to launch his own clothing line, DVLVD Apparel.

Amid increasingly alarming social injustice and political turmoil, Cade Kegerreis wants to use art to send a message of acceptance and unity in a time of discord. His DVLVD line of shirts and masks serves as a way to make his art more affordable and accessible. Rather than focusing on making profits, the brand is focused on maximizing its positive impact on society by making wearable art that can spark conversation and elevate the discourse.

Alongside the launch of DVLVD, Cade is also holding his debut solo art exhibit, Devolved: Unity through Evolution, Diversity, and Connection. The show is down to its last few days at the downtown Waco gallery Cultivate 7twelve (on view until Sept. 26). Eager to show his work to more art lovers, Cade is working on booking more galleries to show the series.

Being an artist and the brand owner of DVLVD gives Cade Kegerreis the unique position of producing large quantities of pieces of art that can propagate a very strong message. His evocative art is for all who wish to introspect and assess their individual effect on society. “I believe anyone and everyone can benefit from seeing my art and diving deeper into themselves,” he said.

Launching DVLVD was an eye-opening experience for the young artist. Cade has since learned that full-time artists are not only creators of art but also entrepreneurs. As artist-entrepreneurs, they not only sell a product but also sell a product linked almost completely to one’s name and identity.

In his pursuit of establishing DVLVD, Cade faced many hurdles that commercial artists often have to take on to market themselves. “Without gallery representation or an agent partnership, I could only be as big as I build myself up to be. There is a loss of desire to explore and find the truth in our world today. I’m motivated to bring easier understanding and knowledge through art. One must seek truth themselves before they truly accept it,” he explained.

Cade’s art and apparel lines are a testament to his endeavor to foster a sense of unity in these trying times. “My purpose, my call to life is bringing people together and showing things in a new way,” he said. “We all have differences, but there’s no reason for separation.”

The artist is currently working on more art and developing his brand. Learn more about what Cade Kegerreis is up to on the DVLVD website and his personal Instagram.