Childhood Dream
Video, 2023
About the artwork
Beneath the surface, the fish swim as if brought to life from a childhood dream. Their shapes are playful and imperfect, as though imagined in the limitless creativity of youth, where fish could be any color and the water a swirl of magic. In this dreamlike world, they drift and dart through a painted sea, unbound by reality, embodying the wonder and innocence of a child’s vision.
Sound design by Bruno M. Miranda
Audio explanation
Listen to Elsa Carvalho discuss this work.
Elsa Carvalho is a Portuguese software engineer and artist based in Portugal, who embarked on her visual art journey in April 2021. She holds a PhD in computer science, earned in 2012. Carvalho’s artistic practice is defined by the fusion of creative coding and artificial intelligence, as she explores the interplay between nature and organic forms, using code-generated images as initial inputs for AI to expand upon.
Through her work, Elsa navigates the intersection of technology and artistic expression, pushing the boundaries of traditional visual art. As she delves deeper into her practice, she is currently exploring the creation of immersive video art, seeking to further intertwine these dynamic mediums and expand her creative horizons.