At 92 years old, Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto continues to surprise the art world with his latest innovation: integrating artificial intelligence into contemporary art through remarkably creative approaches that yield strikingly relevant results. Known as "the man with the mirrors," this painter, performance, and object artist has begun incorporating modern media technology and AI into his work, pushing artistic boundaries once again.

Pistoletto's 2021 work "Girl Photographing a QR Code" bears strong resemblance to his earlier pieces at first glance, with one notable exception: the figure fixed on the mirror surface holds a smartphone as if taking a selfie. However, instead of looking at her own reflection, she gazes into a QR code. This piece serves as both a critique of our image-saturated era and an interactive gateway - scanning the code transports viewers into Michelangelo Pistoletto's metaverse, where they can accompany him on a virtual tour through his exhibition.

In a subsequent work, Pistoletto mounted tattoos featuring twelve QR codes onto a snapshot of his own portrait. As he explains, these codes "reflect defining moments of my life and thus expand my memory of myself in the space-time of the mirror image." Each code connects to different aspects of his artistic journey and personal history.

The true showstoppers are his newest works: the "QR Code Possessions - Michelangelo Pistoletto & AI" series. These five prints on canvas, measuring 135 by 135 centimeters each, appear as abstract paintings but feature oversized QR codes that can actually be scanned with smartphones. Each artwork leads to a link from his think tank Cittadellarte, where artificial intelligence responds to Pistoletto's probing questions about art, authenticity, and existence.

Like conducting interviews with ChatGPT, Pistoletto queries the AI about fundamental issues including the authenticity of authorship and how AI evaluates the relationship between art and artificial intelligence. He even poses the ultimate question: Can an artist live on after death through artificial intelligence? These digital dialogues create a fascinating intersection between traditional art forms and cutting-edge technology.

The simplicity and fascination of seeing a 92-year-old artist - at an age when many struggle to operate smartphones - successfully merge classical painting with AI demonstrates remarkable innovation. These convincing solutions are currently on display under the title "Meta Connections" at Galerie Tanit in Munich, showcasing how traditional artistic methods can embrace technological advancement.

Born in 1933 in Piedmont, Pistoletto has always been experimentally inclined. During the 1960s and 1970s, he gained recognition primarily through performances and art actions, often using materials that were poor, shabby, and humble - most notably his legendary "Venus in Rags." When curator Germano Celant coined the term "Arte Povera" with his 1967 exhibition in Genoa, Pistoletto was among the featured artists alongside Anselmo, Boetti, Kounellis, and Merz.

Pistoletto's impressive exhibition history includes four participations in Documenta in Kassel and approximately a dozen appearances at the Venice Biennale. Currently, he is featured in the Architecture Biennale with an allegory about Venice's future in water. His accolades include the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement in 2003, followed by the Japanese Praemium Imperiale in 2013, which considers itself a "Nobel Prize for the arts." This year, the Gorbachev Foundation actually nominated Pistoletto for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Despite their age, his works from the 1960s have aged gracefully without becoming outdated. On the occasion of his 70th birthday nearly a quarter-century ago, the newspaper's arts section called him a "jester of art." His enduring relevance stems from his ability to continually reinvent artistic expression while maintaining conceptual depth.

In 1996, Pistoletto - who has always been both artist and art theorist - established the think tank and art city "Cittadellarte" in a decommissioned textile factory in his hometown of Biella. There, he invites artists and scientists of all kinds to exchange ideas, explore creative resources, and develop innovative concepts together. He finances the scholarships and projects through his own foundation, ensuring creative freedom and experimental possibilities.

The title "the man with the mirrors," referring to his life-sized screen prints of passersby stuck onto mirror surfaces, continues to define his artistic identity. This technique creates an interactive game with viewers, who find themselves not merely as consumers but as integral parts of the artwork itself. Decades ago, this represented a sociopolitical statement about participation and reality; today, similar works fall under the label of "immersive art." Michelangelo Pistoletto has somehow always been ahead of his time.

The "Meta Connections" exhibition runs at Galerie Tanit Munich on Reisingerstraße 6 through October 2nd, offering visitors the opportunity to experience firsthand how traditional artistic vision can seamlessly integrate with artificial intelligence to create entirely new forms of creative expression.