overture

mixed media artist. Synchrodogs
issue 5 – the unexpected

What does SYNCHRODOGS mean, and where did this name come from? Please share with us a bit of your background.
We are Synchrodogs, a duo of fine artists from Ukraine, Tania Shcheglova and Roman Noven, working together since 2008. ‘Synchro’ in our name stands for synchronicity of thoughts and ideas, while ‘dogs’ speaks for our love for nature. We started as photographers but proceeded working more as mixed media artists as we both have a technology background and education. We have always wanted to make some big global change both in Arts and in the World in general, so we perceive ourselves as visionaries endlessly creating interesting concepts.

2. Did you come to your profession in an unexpected way? or was this always the dream?
We both are very creative and lively minds, so it came naturally on the level of intuitive feeling. Over the years, we developed our own artistic genre which we call ‘Environmental Surrealism’, showcasing the new ways the Earth begins to look like as a result of human interventions into environmental processes, but with a surrealistic and optimistic point of view. All our ideas are usually derived from a nighttime meditation technique we developed over the years.

3. Many photographers capture the world as they see it, but you both have intertwined AI with your vision. Can you share the most unexpected moment or revelation you’ve had as a result of this combination?
We like to experiment with new technologies, and we were early AI deployers. However, we are not fans of the ‘Writing a prompt’ approach. What excites us more is deriving new forms of art from Synchrodogs artworks and photography, giving a more personalized art that still aligns with our artistic style.

4. You both have carved out a space together. How has working as a duo brought unexpected challenges or rewards to your creative process? Do you each have specific roles within your process?
Working as a duo brings new and unexpected things when two people come together to create. Different approaches merge, giving birth to something innovative. Currently, Roman focuses more on developing creative concepts in tech and gaming, while Tania experiments with neural networks, adopting a more multidisciplinary approach.

5. For every photograph, there’s an untold story. Can you recall a shoot where the unexpected happened, resulting in either a disaster or a masterpiece?
All Synchrodogs artworks often come with an element of risk. We’ve encountered various challenges, from getting stuck in the deep sand to almost running out of water in a desert. Yet, these experiences contribute to the unique stories behind our artworks.

6. How do you prompt?
We don’t prompt often. From the beginning, we wanted AI to be a continuation of Synchrodogs’ artistic style. For more than a year, we worked on merging our own photography and artworks, creating a base for projects like Overture.

7. If you could collaborate with any figure from history, be it a famous photographer or an iconic personality, in an unexpected time-travel shoot enhanced with AI, who would it be and why?
We welcome any interesting personality for collaboration, living or from history. It would be like a lottery – the World gives us a super interesting personality to collaborate with, and we accept it with gratitude.

8. Art is often a reflection of the artist’s soul. What unexpected revelations about yourselves have you discovered through your art?
We’ve discovered that intuition is the main guide in art and life. Following intuition, not trends, creates something truly unique, precious in the moment, and in the long run.

mixed media artist. Synchrodogs