Ghibli Art and the War of Existence

Artificial Intelligence's Ghibli-inspired art madness has divided the internet, reigniting the age-old war between soul and software, nostalgia and code, manmade labour and the machine's mimicry. TMS finds out what Delhi has to say—in defence or defiance of the craze.

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is relatable, you naturally try to put yourself in their shoes. That's literally what happened—within a few clicks.

Vibes over value

A common argument in favour of AI in art is its role in making it more accessible for anyone to generate and enjoy art. "People are doing this just to get a cute portrait of themselves—without having to go to an actual artist for a portrait," says digital marketer turned artist, Ruchika. People who could never afford original artworks can now create something in the same style within seconds. But this, too, raises concerns. "It opens the door for widespread mimicry without valuing the labour that takes to truly animate in that way. In the end, it reduces something rare and deeply personal into just another clickbait trend," says Verma.

Self-taught artist and founder of the Delhi-based art community Freestrokes, Huda, also echoes this concern. "Making art accessible is one thing. Finding ways for people to own and appreciate artwork without having to pay an exorbitant price is also understandable, but there should still be value attached to it," she says. Huda cites the example of painter Raja Ravi Varma, who used the oleograph technique to produce affordable prints of his original paintings.