Sheldrick connects his work to a lineage of artists who transcended world orders—from Da Vinci and Hieronymus Bosch to modern visions found in 20th-century propaganda art and the dreamlike abstractions of today’s digital art culture. He focuses on identity in a post-colonial world, all through the glossy, mesmerizing lens of contemporary K-Pop culture.

The Relentless March of the Present

Sheldrick intricately weaves Adam Curtis’ concept of hypernormalization into his creations, using Korea as a canvas for a societal narrative hurtling toward an extreme reality where the authentic and the simulated blur. His art mirrors this shift, pushing the boundaries of what visual art can convey in an era defined by perpetual acceleration. Within Sheldrick's intricate tapestry, the tension between tradition and rapid modernization in Korean society surfaces as a central theme, becoming a poignant commentary on the disregard for historical neighborhoods in the name of progress, symbolizing the perpetual struggle between the past and the relentless march of the present.

Engaging with the Machine

In a nuanced dialogue with artificial intelligence, Sheldrick positions himself as both creator and conduit. By plugging his memories into the machine, he conjures new worlds that defy traditional artistic boundaries. AI helps to zoom into his dreamlike realms, revealing scenarios that showcase the bliss and abyss of industrialization and culture, the beauty of nature, and a focus on the mechanisms, rhythms, and orders of society. His compositions, coated with visual precision and magnitude, shift the focus from the individual to the interweaving patterns of society—a distinctly Asian perspective emphasizing the collective good over the radical individualism prevalent in the West. Influenced by thinkers like Jean Baudrillard, Sheldrick explores the intricate relationship between humanity and technology, transcending traditional artistic confines in surreal vastnesses of landscapes, populated by humans, nature, and futuristic sculptural elements that signify human involvement even in its representational absence. His work questions who truly drives the world: our intentions or the powerful pull of technology that has been steering us toward an unknown future for decades.

Positivity Amid Complexity

Departing from the dystopian aesthetics often prevalent in AI art, Sheldrick deliberately infuses his creations with positivity and fascination. The sprawling energy radiating from his images becomes a metaphor for societal shifts and accelerations, offering viewers a lens through which to navigate the complexities of the present with a sense of inspiration and reflection.

Text by Hendrik Lakeberg