Interweaving the practical duality of composer, designer and researcher Matthias Puech and the vision of philosopher and researcher Morgan Morcel, On Art, Agency and Artificial Intelligence: a reflection on modern artistic creation deconstructs the link between Artificial Intelligence algorithms and artistic creation methods. Firstly, Morgan Morcel introduces the session with the presentation “Machine as creator?”, focusing on the legal recognition of the machine as a creative agent. Starting from the conceptual definition of creativity, the philosopher proposes the term “mechanical creativity” and questions the new legal approach to human creativity in the face of the role of generative artificial intelligence in copyright law. This discussion paves the way for a second moment: a round table, moderated by researcher and curator Ana Carvalho, which brings together Matthias Puech and Morgan Morcel to discuss the use of technology as a creative engine in the contemporary art scene.

Matthias Puech
Composer, instrument designer, researcher and teacher born in Paris in 1983. He is a research and development scientist at INA GRM, where he leads the development of GRM Tools, and associate professor in Computer Science at CNAM Paris.
He pursues a dual interest for natural phenomena and the mathematical and computational concepts that let us apprehend our world, and intend to disturb the distinction between sound synthesis and field recording, transporting the listener amidst imaginary ecosystems, fruits of the symbiotic relationship of the machine with its environment.
His modular synth instruments (4ms Ensemble Oscillator & Tapographic Delay, Mutable Instruments Parasites) are available and used worldwide. His music was released by labels Hands in the Dark, Hallow Ground or Nahal, and was performed notably at Cafe OTO (London), GRM Akousma (Paris), Sonic Acts (Amsterdam) or Kaserne (Basel).

Morgan Morcel
Alumnus of the École Normale Supérieure Paris, Morgan Morcel is currently completing his Ph.D. thesis in philosophy entitled (English title): “The Un(as)signed ideas: legal demarcations and criticism by Deleuze, Guattari, Derrida and Lyotard” at Université Nice Côte d’Azur. He explores metaphysical bases of what one could call the ownership of ideas, and proposes a normative perspective adapted to contemporary changes. He wrote several scientific papers and took part in conferences where he presented his work which interweaves philosophy of law, history of ideas, aesthetics, and metaphysics. He has been granted, inter alia, a research stay at the Center of Ontology, Università di Torino, and a grant by the German Academic Exchange Service.

Ana Carvalho
Professor, researcher and curator. Her research interests intersect art, technology and contemporary social issues. Her curatorial work includes the group exhibition on technological surveillance Omniscience Strategies of Fracture and Escape (2021) and Mark Amerika’s exhibition Abducted Realities (2023). He organizes the annual Meeting of Expressions between Sound and Image (2016- ). He is a founding member of the Earthsea Association.

On Art, Agency and Artificial Intelligence: a reflection on modern artistic creation is an activity developed by Braga Media Arts in partnership with gnration and Institut Français.

support portuguese republic – culture / directorate-general for the arts. rtcp – network of portuguese theatres and cinemas. institut français.