Explorations in Art and Artificial Intelligence – Future Earth Journal (2025 Special Issue)

Faculty/Staff: Peter Tsigaris and Twyla Exner
Platform: Open Journal Systems (OJS)
Site link (if applicable): https://publishing.bceln.ca/index.php/future-earth/
Services provided: Site setup and structure on the OJS platform, OJS training for stakeholders, copy editing, production design in InDesign, editing and HTML and PDF galley creation, site maintenance
Description: Future Earth: A Student Journal for Sustainability and Environment is a student-driven platform supported by TRU Open Press that showcases innovative and interdisciplinary work on sustainability and the environment. The journal’s first special issue, Explorations in Art and Artificial Intelligence, was led by Editor-in-Chief Peter Tsigaris with mentorship from Twyla Exner, and features the work of ten students from Exner’s Fall 2024 course, Experiments in AI Art. As Peter writes in the foreword:

“When I first entered the TRU Art Gallery to view Explorations in Art and AI, I was captivated by the novelty, originality, vision, and significance of the displays co-created by talented students with the aid of general artificial intelligence tools… Within minutes, I knew this exhibition deserved to live beyond its temporary home at the TRU Art Gallery. It needed to be shared more widely and made permanently accessible to the world. That realization inspired this special issue of Future Earth.”

The issue highlights how students approached AI not as a shortcut, but as a tool for bold experimentation—challenging assumptions, reflecting on ethical, cultural, and environmental implications, and extending their creativity in ways that align with Future Earth’s mission to amplify student voices and facilitate innovative inquiry. From AI-assisted comics and screen prints to sustainable architecture and textile art, each contribution demonstrates a unique perspective and vision, blending technology, creativity, and critical thinking. Special thanks to Twyla Exner for her mentorship, and Nicole Favron, R.A., for the curatorial context for producing this special issue. The work also benefited from editorial assistance using ChatGPT-4o, while all final interpretations remain Peter’s and the artists’ own.