Digital F(r)ictions is an interactive installation that reimagines Colombian territory as a dynamic hybrid of art and nature. By fine-tuning Stable Diffusion on four Colombian museum collections, the project crafts an alternative cartography that aligns each artwork with Colombia’s diverse ecological layers. Using models like BLIP to extract textual descriptions and CLIP to embed these narratives, the installation maps museum pieces onto specific geographical features, revealing how each painting resonates with its environment. The concept of f(r)ictions plays a central role in the work. The term embodies a dual meaning: it suggests both the friction that arises when different narratives and perspectives collide, and the fiction that is created through this collision. By introducing intentional tensions between competing interpretations, the installation invites viewers to navigate a space where multiple, coexisting truths are not only possible but celebrated. This deliberate intermingling challenges the singular, homogenizing gaze of mainstream AI, offering instead a pluralistic vision of cultural identity. Grounded in Latin American theoretical frameworks, the project critiques the homogenizing “data colonialism” inherent in conventional AI systems. Drawing on ideas from thinkers such as Bhabha and Mignolo, it advocates for a “third space” where diverse narratives can flourish. Reinterpreting artworks through four distinct AI-curated lenses—spanning colonial, modern, pre-Hispanic, and street art styles—the installation foregrounds the multiplicity of Colombian identity while challenging Western-centric perspectives. Ultimately, Digital F(r)ictions not only revitalizes Colombia’s cultural memory by merging art with ecological data but also champions an inclusive, decentralized approach to digital cultural heritage.

Team: Ana Zapata Guzmán, Iacopo Neri, Ludovica Schaerf, Darío Negueruela del Castillo