Estimated Reading Time: 6 min. | Videos: 16 min.
Text: Nilüfer Pınar Kılıç & Ergin Şafak Dikmen | Page Design: Ergin Şafak Dikmen
Contents: Artificial Intelligence and Art | Digital Art | An Ottoman Ambassador’s Digital Journey to France | Yirmisekiz Çelebi Mehmed Efendi
The Faculty of Communication (İLEF) at Ankara University, in collaboration with the Institut Français Turquie (French Cultural Center), organized events on March 26, 2026, through the NETlab New Media Research Laboratory, where the role of artificial intelligence in art production was explored from various perspectives. Throughout the day-long program, academics, artists, and students came together. The events were held at Ankara University’s Cebeci Campus and the French Embassy in Turkey.
The 11th Netlab Technology Seminar Series: “Painting with Code”
The series of events began in the morning at the MTÖ Cinema Hall of the Faculty of Communication at Ankara University. Netlab Teknoloji Seminerleri ve Atölyeleri’nin 11. buluşması kapsamında “Kodla Boyamak – Sanatta Yapay Zeka ve Sanal Gerçeklik” semineri, öğrencileri ve akademisyenleri bir araya getirdi.
The seminar’s guest was French video artist Jérémy Griffaud, who is internationally renowned for his works that merge virtual reality - AI and projection technology. Griffaud shared his works—including “Under the Sky,” “The Power Plant,” and “The Garden,” which have been exhibited in various countries—with the participants, explaining how artificial intelligence is integrated into creative production processes. Following a discussion on the technical tools and software he uses, the artist’s digital game-based interactive designs were experienced by the audience through virtual reality (VR) headsets.
Watch the Video Interview with Jérémy Griffaud
“Art and Artificial Intelligence” Conference at the Embassy
The afternoon session of the program continued at the French Embassy in Turkey. The conference, titled “Artificial Intelligence, Creation and Controversy: The New Horizons of Digital Art,” began with opening remarks by Isabelle Dumont, the French Ambassador of Türkiye, and Pascale Boeglin-Rodier, the Executive Director of the Institut français in Türkiye.
At the conference, Jérémy Griffaud and Ergin Şafak Dikmen, Coordinator of the ILEF NETLab, gave presentations. Assoc. Prof. Dikmen addressed the historical development of digital art, the role of artificial intelligence in art production, and current debates regarding the “uniqueness” of artworks. Griffaud, meanwhile, shared his works exhibited in various countries and discussed his experiences regarding his creative processes. The conference was attended by academics and students from various universities in Ankara.
Exhibition Opening: “Encounter – A Digital Journey of an Ottoman Ambassador to France”
The final stop of the day was the exhibition opening, which took place at 6:00 p.m. at the ambassador’s residence. Organized with the support of the French Embassy and the Institut français, the exhibition “ENCOUNTER: An Ottoman Ambassador’s Digital Journey to France” was hosted by the French Embassy and presented to art lovers.
In the exhibition, the <Fransa Sefâretnâmesi< —written by Yirmisekiz Çelebi Mehmed Efendi, whom the Ottoman Empire appointed as ambassador to France in the 18th century—was brought to life through AI-powered visual narratives. Numerous scenes—ranging from Çelebi’s journey to France to the quarantine he entered due to plague fears and the social events he attended—were visualized using AI modeling. The paintings were created in the style of the 18th-century French painter Charles Parrocel.
Speaking at the opening, Isabelle Dumont, France’s Ambassador to Turkey, emphasized that the project was carried out with a commitment to historical accuracy and that the AI-generated outputs underwent a rigorous historical verification process. She thanked Prof. Dr. Filiz Yenişehirlioğlu, who served as the historical consultant during this process, and the teams whose efforts made the project a reality. It was also announced that the exhibition would be moved to a digital platform in the coming days and made accessible to all interested visitors.
The Embassy Report of Yirmisekiz Çelebi Mehmed Efendi
Çelebi’s *France Embassy Memoirs* has been brought to life through AI-powered visual narratives. The illustrations were created in the style of the 18th-century French painter Charles Parrocel.
This article was prepared by Ergin Şafak Dikmen and Nilüfer Pınar Kılıç. Various AI tools were utilized in the production of visual and written content. The use of these tools aims to directly experience, through a critical practice, the possibilities offered by AI and the risks it entails, in line with NETlab’s experimental research mission. Some of the photographs used in this article are used with the permission of Jeremy Griffaud. https://jeremy-griffaud.fr/work website.
Tags: DigitalArt #ArtificialIntelligence #JérémyGriffaud #ErginŞafakDikmen #YirmisekizÇelebiMehmedEfendi #Encounter #NETlab #İLEF
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