Alexander Kluge: The Dragonfly’s Eye My Virtual Camera (AI)

In The Dragonfly’s Eye, renowned author and filmmaker Alexander Kluge delves into the creative potential of AI image generation through Stable Diffusion. At 92, Kluge brings his decades of expertise in visual storytelling and his deep understanding of cinematic vision—so distinct from human perception—to explore the groundbreaking images produced by this technology.

Through an insightful essay, Kluge reflects on the peculiar nature of these AI-generated images, where randomness and errors give rise to new possibilities. These “open images,” difficult to anchor in traditional frameworks, invite viewers to embrace ambiguity and reimagine the role of the artist. Kluge develops principles for using the “virtual camera” and contributes to a broader discourse on the ethical and artistic implications of artificial intelligence in creative fields.

The book also features a series of compelling image-text stories that traverse diverse themes, from false pregnancies in East Germany to the mythological tale of Philemon and Baucis, and even the enigmatic life of mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin. Through these narratives, Kluge demonstrates how the “virtual camera” can open entirely new imaginative spaces for storytelling.

Alexander Kluge (*1932 in Halberstadt) is a scriptwriter, filmmaker, television producer, philosopher, and one of the most influential figures of New German Cinema. The Dragonfly’s Eye is a must-read for anyone curious about the intersection of AI, art, and the evolving possibilities of visual storytelling.