Isaac Nydegger - 2024

Artist's Statement

I don’t normally like to speak on my art, as I believe that everyone has the right to their own interpretation. This piece represents a near future dystopia in which our species has completely ignored its impact on our planet. The robot on the left represents a misaligned AGI who exacerbates the problem by lighting people’s farts on fire. One of the people in the front can be seen handing over a set of keys to the robot in a desperate attempt to be rescued, but to no avail.

I’m not sure where my ideas for this piece came from, but it is quite similar in style to most of my drawings. I knew I wanted to represent the pollution problem somehow, and farts were the first thing that came to mind. The robot was a later inclusion, as I was inspired by our recent discussions on AI and the problem of alignment. This drawing represents the worst case scenario, and I hope we end up nowhere near my prediction. Also, if you’re wondering why they’re naked, I just hate drawing clothes.