RAS Art Focus

Art in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

"Art and Architecture as Storytelling"

Tuesday, 27 May 2025

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Organized and curated by Julie Chun, Art Historian and Art Focus Convener, we continue our insightful 2024-2025 series China's Arts and Aesthetics of the Past by delving into the material culture of the recent and distant history to assess how objects ranging from imperial patronage to utilitarian handicrafts have shaped China's aesthetics through the ages.

For this month's session, we delve into the omnipotent, yet uncharted realm of Artificial Intelligence and Generative Modeling. How are the latest advances in technology affecting works of art, especially the genre of drawing and painting as well as sculpture that have traditionally relied heavily on the hand of the creator? How do certain software, including 3D printing, animation algorithms and ChatGPT add "creative" layers to artistic production in ways that could not have been imagined a few decades ago?

In this talk, Professor Jess YU shares her interdisciplinary journey at the intersection of architecture, art, and speculative storytelling. Blending her roles as artist, architect, and educator, she explores how hand-rendered drawings can move beyond basic construction into the realms of narrative, memory, and immersive experience. Jess will introduce key projects from her creative and teaching practice, including The Drowned World—a speculative vision of a submerged Shanghai inspired by J.G. Ballard's science fiction novel; the multimedia installation A Day with Emperor Qianlong created for Suzhou Museum; and her collaboration with Foundation DaST on cultural revitalization in rural Portugal. She will also reflect on her ongoing research into AI-assisted design and how emerging technologies are reshaping the way we imagine and represent space as well as the artistic space. Through drawing, animation, and cross-cultural practice, this talk invites audiences to see art and architecture not just as a discipline of building, but as a medium for storytelling, critical reflection, and creative exploration.

About the speaker

Jess Yu is a visual artist, architect, and assistant professor at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Her interdisciplinary work bridges architecture, art, and digital media, exploring speculative narratives, memory, and immersive storytelling.

She is the founder of Jess Yu Design, an award-winning studio known for projects across architecture, interior design, and installation, with work featured in platforms such as ArchDaily, Elle Deco, and Vision China. Her artwork has been exhibited internationally, including at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, Suzhou Museum, Roca Gallery, Design Shanghai and etc. In 2023, she was named to Forbes China's '30 Under 30' list.

Link: www.jess-yu.com

Instagram: Jessss.yu

小红书：Jess Yu