The Art of the Unexpected –  Francesco Bertelli’s Dance with AI

In the quiet hum of his New York studio, Francesco Bertelli, third placed contestant of Numéro Switzerland’s second Photography competition, embarks on a journey into the unseen: Through the lens of AI, he steps into a space where art and technology intertwine. Each AI-generated image is a roll of the dice, transforming his ideas in ways he could never fully predict.

Francesco’s work is a testament to the beauty of creation that exists at the edge of human imagination and technology. In each image, Francesco reminds us that sometimes, the most breathtaking discoveries are the ones we have yet to discover.

His journey into photography began in a Milanese studio, where he worked as an assistant, mesmerized by the precision of 8×10 cameras – their ability to capture images in breathtaking detail.

As he moved into digital, he found himself capturing 360° objects for fashion catalogs, a process that felt more like sculpting with light than traditional photography. This exploration of form and perspective gradually led him toward a career in design.

“Photography captures what has already passed,” Francesco explains. “I’m only interested in images that have never existed, not just moments in time. AI is transforming how we think about images, freeing us from the mechanics of creation.”