The Contemporary Art Museum of Uzbekistan (CAMUZ) welcomed visitors for the much-anticipated opening of “Hello Uzbekistan/ Techspressionizm 2025,” a month-long showcase dedicated to the global movement merging technology and expressionism. Among the featured works, cari ann shim sham*’s evocative digital series, ~ body waves ~ smoked 60/107 morph, drew crowds for its mesmerizing exploration of embodiment and healing through AI-powered art.
Techspressionism: Where Technology Meets Emotion
Techspressionism, the driving force behind the exhibition, challenges conventional boundaries by integrating digital tools with the emotional intensity of expressionism. Since its inception in 2021, Techspressionism has united artists worldwide, fostering discourse in monthly online salons and amassing over 80,000 Instagram posts under the #techspressionism hashtag. The movement champions subjective, often abstract works that channel personal perspectives through modern technology.
~ body waves ~: Gazing, Meditation, and Digital Alchemy
At the heart of shim sham*’s contribution is a radical reimagining of self-portraiture. In ~ body waves ~ smoked 60/107 morph, the artist deploys a range of generative tools—including TouchDesigner, Luma, Garden of Eden, Stable Diffusion/Emprops AI, and Adobe Premiere—to morph a self portrait photograph of her own body into ethereal, amorphous forms. The result is a series of glitching, shifting structures designed not only to mesmerize but also to invite meditation and foster internal movement towards healing.
“Embracing AI as a mystical oracle and the body as an interface, ~ body waves ~ is a self-portraiture initiative that transmits messages through non-verbal expression,” shim sham* explains. The work transcends the body’s representational limits, transforming it into a vessel for emotion—communicating beyond language and forging new pathways for dialogue about digital embodiment.
From Body Landscapes to Digital Healing
The origins of the photographs lie in shim sham*’s “body landscapes” series, a practice of using the human form as terrain for artistic exploration. In ~ body waves ~, these landscapes undergo a technological metamorphosis, becoming diaphanous creatures that beckon viewers to immerse themselves in contemplation and healing.
The exhibition, which ran through October 25, 2025, situates ~ body waves ~ alongside other works that exemplify Techspressionism’s ethos—leveraging technology not as a mere tool, but as a collaborator in the creation of emotionally charged, deeply personal art.
A New Era for Digital Expression
“Hello Uzbekistan/ Techspressionizm 2025” marks a pivotal moment for the intersection of art and technology in Central Asia, highlighting the power of digital innovation to shape new aesthetic and emotional landscapes. shim sham*’s ~ body waves ~ stands as a testament to the movement’s ability to transform the familiar—our own bodies—into mystical interfaces for healing and connection in the digital age.