A solo exhibition by Gretchen Andrew exploring how AI-generated beauty standards impact self-image. Using oil paint and robotics, the artist exposes the tension between real and algorithmically “perfected” identities.
Heft Gallery presents Facetune Portraits: Universal Beauty, a solo exhibition of new works by American artist Gretchen Andrew. The show explores the influence of AI-generated beauty ideals and how they affect self-perception in the digital age.
The paintings are inspired by international beauty pageants, with figures dressed in ornate ball gowns. Each work pairs authentic portrayals of women with their AI-altered versions, referencing the pervasive use of beauty filters on platforms like TikTok and Zoom. These side-by-side representations draw attention to how AI promotes standardized aesthetics that can obscure individuality and cultural difference.
To create this work, Andrew used custom-built robotics to physically translate digital beauty edits into oil paintings. The result is a body of work that makes the normally invisible "touch-ups" of algorithmic beauty visibly tangible on canvas.
