Bad moon rising: AI debate erupts over ‘colourised’ version of a classic Ansel Adams photo - The…

A controversy erupted in the fine-art photography world after a New York gallery displayed an AI-generated, colorized version of Ansel Adams's famous photograph, Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico. The piece was offered for sale at an art fair, raising questions about artistic integrity and the exploitation of an artist's legacy.

What happened

The Danziger gallery displayed a colorized version of Adams's Moonrise created using AI. The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust, which manages the artist's trademark, condemned the work, stating they were not consulted and that the piece exploited Adams's name and reputation without identifying a human artist. The gallery owner defended the decision, claiming the image is in the public domain and that AI was used as a tool for creativity. The AI prompt was described as: “Make a realistic colour version of Ansel Adams’s iconic Moonrise Over Hernandez”. The controversy ignited debate among photographers and industry figures, with some criticizing the use of AI to alter classic works and others defending it as a legitimate form of artistic expression. A photography industry organization stated they are taking the matter very seriously and it is being addressed by their board of directors and executive directors, and that they are committed to addressing the issues surrounding the use of AI.