KAOHSIUNG.- Von Wolfe : The Garden Fortress marks the British artist Von Wolfe’s first large-scale exhibition in Asia. Bringing together 70 works spanning nearly two decades, the exhibition reveals an extraordinary fusion between artificial intelligence and traditional oil painting—inviting viewers into a realm where the classical and the digital converge.

Born into a family of artists, Von Wolfe possesses a profound foundation in both art and philosophy. The exhibition begins with early works that merge the influences of Picasso and Japanese ukiyo-e, extending to re-interpretations of classical masters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt. Rooted in traditional oil techniques yet composed through visual collage and cross-cultural appropriation, these works reconfigure iconic images from art history. Within each canvas, cultural languages intersect, challenging fixed boundaries between East and West while prompting reflection on the intertwined relationships among art, history, and creation.

The exhibition reaches its climax with Von Wolfe’s recent collaborations with AI. By training AI models on his own visual corpus, the artist allows the system to internalize his painterly syntax and rhythm. The AI-generated images are then meticulously repainted by hand, resulting in a distinctive aesthetic that unites brushwork with algorithmic logic. These paintings, both refined and intense, weave together historical allusions, contemporary imagery, and surreal motifs to explore themes of technology and humanity, power and dignity, vision and gender—ultimately echoing the human desire for freedom and self-definition in the age of intelligence.

The exhibition title, The Garden Fortress, carries layered significance. The “garden” reflects the museum’s lush surroundings while evoking the beauty and temptation of Eden; the “fortress” alludes to Taiwan’s pivotal role in global geopolitics and the technology industry. The titular painting portrays a classical garden encircling a quantum-AI supercomputer—a symbol of both the promise and peril of future knowledge.

Beyond paintings, the exhibition also features AI-generated moving images that bring the figures within the works to life. These animated pieces not only mesmerize the eye but also provoke a question central to our time: as creation crosses the boundaries between computation and perception, how will we learn to see the world anew? Whether a seasoned art viewer or a first-time museum visitor, each audience member is invited to find their own perspective and spark of insight within this immersive and thought-provoking journey.

British artist Von Wolfe was born into a family of artists of German and Polish descent. Trained in philosophy, he approaches artmaking as a form of inquiry and reflection. His works are rooted in classical oil painting techniques yet intricately intertwined with artificial intelligence, creating images of remarkable precision and psychological depth.

Moving fluidly between the digital and the material, Wolfe reconfigures brushstrokes and screen-born imagery alike to construct a distinctive visual language of his own. His works have been exhibited in major international institutions, including the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.