Omnia Ludens, 2023 - Present

Swallow Every Image Beauty in the Breakdown Neural Nostalgia A Brutalist Poem in Two Parts Pre-Packaged Body Conception Beyond The Screen's Reach We Need New Noise Point Break

Omnia Ludens—a poetic translation from Latin for “Everything Playing”—is a reflection on authenticity and artifice in the age of image creation and artificial intelligence. In this project Southworth seeks out the essence of AI diffusion models, which are trained on vast image datasets. His process involves repurposing printer test images—those ubiquitous mosaics of generic photographs, colors and shapes designed to maintain color accuracy—into AI prompts to generate new works. This intersection of mechanical reproduction and neural network appropriation reflects a new paradigm where anything imaginable can be manifested.

The printer test images serve as both a tool and a metaphor. They embody the technical pursuit of perfection in reproduction while also symbolizing the fragmentation and reassembly inherent in AI-generated art. By juxtaposing these test patterns with the concept of infinite generative possibilities, the project explores the tension between precision and randomness, control and chaos.

Having worked as a Photo Retoucher in the advertising and beauty industries, Southworth often utilizes aspects of image manipulation and digital imperfections to touch upon notions of self perception and authenticity in his artworks. Omnia Ludens is no exception as he looks towards the detritus of printers and the vast image dump of AI generation as a portal for conceptual exploration.

To navigate the spectrum between authenticity and artifice is to explore the dynamic interplay between what is perceived as genuine, original, or real, and what is constructed, imitative, or fabricated. It suggests a movement through the tension-filled space where these ideas intersect, overlap, and blur. In art, this might mean questioning the origins of creativity: Is a piece authentic because it stems from human intention, or does the process of fabrication—whether mechanical, digital, or conceptual—imbue it with artifice? It reflects how authenticity often carries a sense of truth or sincerity, while artifice might invoke the deliberate construction of appearances, illusions, or narratives. 

This doesn’t imply choosing one over the other; rather, it involves engaging with both as equal parts of the creative process. It’s about examining the ways in which the authentic can feel manufactured, and the artificial can evoke sincerity. Through Omnia Ludens, Southworth invites viewers to contemplate the implications of a world where every image, idea, and concept is accessible and mutable. It’s an exploration of how technology redefines creativity, challenging us to consider what it means to create when “everything” is at our fingertips and “all things are in play.”