Artist Statement:
From a young age, I liked to be locked into my dreams—though perhaps "nightmares" is a better word. Their haunting, dystopian storylines fascinated me as I tried to uncover their archaic meanings of the collective unconscious. I made a habit of drawing them each morning. While the habit faded, the dreams never left. Over time, they evolved into nightmarish artworks reflecting the "algorithm ghetto"—an AI-powered, technocratic system rapidly encircling us. This system profoundly shapes how we think, behave, and assign value.
My work investigates the tension between classical values, imagery, and symbolism, and the contemporary mindset shaped by algorithms. These systems compromise our natural connection to the past and blur our instinctive grasp of truth. As the digital reality’s invisible walls—walls constructed by social media and machine-driven processes—are steadily closing in our perceptions of freedom, responsibility, and individuality are distorted.
To navigate and critique this absurd, algorithmic world, I use generative tools and custom programming. These technologies, ironically, feel like the most fitting mediums to express the very systems they critique, encapsulating the absurdity of living in a reality shaped by machines.
Technique:
To create these artworks, I employ a distinctive process blending digital generation with extensive manual refinement, specifically developed to achieve unusually large formats with intricate detail. Central to this is a custom-built Stable Diffusion program that I modify for each artwork and run using Google Colab. This generates complex, high-resolution visual structures serving as a detailed foundation. The crucial stage then involves a long meticulous work where I manually integrate, shape, and enhance these elements guiding the piece to its final form. Each artwork is realized as a completely unique fine art print (1/1 + 1 AP), reflecting this interplay between my custom digital tools and traditional artistic refinement.
Biography:
Born in Hungary, Alexandra Kinga Fekete transitioned from corporate law to photography after completing her studies in Budapest. Later, she pursued her passion at the Arts University Bournemouth in the UK, launching her photography career in London. Currently residing in Berlin and works under the name AKF812, offering a unique perspective on the challenges of our contemporary world using digital, mixed media, and generative art.
Exhibitions:
World Young Photographers, Ljubjana, 1997
Creative Review Award, London, 2000
American Fashion Award, New York, 2000
John Kobal Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery London, 2001
MEO Contemporary Art Collection, Budapest, solo show, 2002
Centro per l`Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato: Decoupages, Three European Photographers, 2003
Kogart Gallery, Budapest 2005
Kieselbach Gallery, Budapest. 2007
Institut Hongroise de Paris, fromELLEs in collaboration with Paris Photo 2011
Die Stadtische Galerie Ludenscheld 2011
Pavlov`s Dog 2013
Pavlov`s Dog, Pin Up, 2015
Frauen Museum Wiesbaden 2021
Blitz Gallery, Budapest, 2023