Maya Man Redefines Aesthetics and Authority in ‘twentynine’ Magazine

Her utilization of AI beyond mere convenience, encompassing tension, frustration, and discovery, so rendering the process as significant as the outcome.

twentynine magazine, conceived by artist Maya Man (@mayaontheinternet) and designer Isabelle Lalonde (@BeepyBella), reinterprets the polished realm of fashion editorials and advertising via the perspective of AI. The periodical, endorsed by Lenovo and Intel’s Make Space program, reinterprets conventional magazine cliches into surreal contemplations on gender, media illusions, and self-performance. The project fundamentally interrogates the construction and consumption of beauty while expanding the limits of digital art.

For Man, whose work frequently explores identity in digital environments, the project provided an opportunity to analyze how fashion publications and advertising influence self-perception. “Generative AI models, due to their training methodologies, essentially reflect a distorted representation of existing realities,” she elucidated. “Utilizing AI to generate a genre of imagery that I have predominantly engaged with throughout my life—advertising—was captivating.” By refining models based on her own appearance, she obscured the distinction between aspirational representation and digital identity, examining the extent to which self-presentation may be manipulated.

Collaborating with AI did not streamline her creative process. Conversely, it rendered the situation more complex in significant respects. “I find it most surprising that collaborating with AI as an artist does not significantly reduce my workload,” Man acknowledged. Rather than functioning as a shortcut, the procedure evolved into a laborious endeavor, necessitating time and deliberate effort. She characterized it as simultaneously exasperating and gratifying: a means to reveal the concealed biases of the technology while aligning it with her creative objectives.

Collaborating with Lalonde and utilizing the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, conceived with Intel, introduced a new level where design and object creation intersected with Man's expertise in coding and performance. Bella excels. She is intrepid. She encouraged me to explore concepts that were initially beyond my comfort zone,” Man stated. Their mutual interest in femininity, language, and networked culture fostered a natural synergy, although their divergent methodologies maintained the project's dynamism. Lalonde's propensity for rapid experimentation complemented Man's more deliberate, concept-oriented approaches, resulting in a final product that was both innovative and polished.

Throughout the project, Man maintained a profound awareness of the implications of integrating AI in art. “It is essential to inquire whether one is utilizing AI as a mere expedient or as a genuine medium,” she elucidated. For her, the latter is crucial: exploiting or scrutinizing systems such as AI serves to expose their limitations and ramifications. Instead of opposing the technology, she says that artists should engage with it directly, revealing its mechanisms and cultural ramifications.

Man perceives the function of artists as crucial in addressing the ascent of AI. “Artists consistently discover methods to unveil the intricacies of emerging technologies,” she contemplated. She believes that neglecting AI poses greater risks than interacting with it, as only via creative inquiry can its impact be comprehended. The emergence of new artistic mediums does not eliminate existing ones. Rather, they create genres of production that enable art to authentically engage with modern existence. For twenty-nine, that honesty resides in presenting beauty, identity, and control not as immutable ideals, but as dynamic performances in the era of algorithms.

Twentynine is an integral component of Make Space, a partnership project by Lenovo and Intel that provides budding artists with access to sophisticated tools, collaborative opportunities, and creative platforms—including workshops and digital activations—to explore and expand the boundaries of artistic expression.