viral spiral, one year on: F L A M I N not so G O N E
- Miles Astray
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
show your tribal affiliation with reality—merch out now
Always nice to put a face to the name. This awkward hero needs no introduction: it's FLAMIN GO, seen here taking a moment off from being F L A M I N G O N E. Exactly one year ago, my buddy went viral after winning two AI awards as a (sur)real living being. Its message resonated so well with people that large social media accounts are featuring it again these days, leading to YAY!-requests like a TV interview in the US and a Korean book. Read on for an academic take on this unlikely creature, and to find out how you can give it a lift back to the real world.
F L A M I N G O N E—merch out now
Organic. Renewable. Circular.
A natural glitch in the digital age. The icon of AI-resistance.
The creature that beat the machine, representing reality wherever you take it.
These products stand for responsible sustainability at reasonable prices. Challenging the status-quo of climate-changing and plastic-polluting hyper-consumption, they are made from certified organic materials, using renewable energy, and designed to be remade as part of a circular economy. From apparel that can be returned and recycled via QR labels to biodegradable phone cases and plastic-free packaging.
To me, F L A M I N G O N E is a beacon of nature in an ever-more-more-more artificial and digital world—a reminder to clutch at our roots as we progress. So much so that I wear this icon on my skin. If its message resonates with you, this merch is a way to show your tribal affiliation with reality.
something that festival fun and academic reads have in common: F L A M I N G O N E
F L A M I N G O N E is currently on display at the Getxophoto Festival in Bilbao, Spain. Do stop by if you get a chance! If not, you're in for a read (or two). Academic too. But fret not—these papers aren't as dry as, well, paper. Sylwia Szykowna's "When Machine and Human Meet - Art in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" traces the quirky history of computer interventions in the art world, while "Generative AI in Documentary Photography: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges for Visual Storytelling" by Martinez et al. centers around interviews with industry experts. You can download them here:
the latest
What else? My photo SILLY LOVE has been featured by The Eye of Photography for an article on the 2025 CEWE Award, the world's largest photo contest. CEWE had asked me to be the ambassador for its new Young Talent Award—a very humbling offer and a chance to dispense some tips these young photographers never asked for.
And I couldn't be prouder to share that two of my works were exhibited at the Exploring Risk Visual Arts Festival 2025 at Durham University in the UK. This year, the festival explored "how communities and individuals adapt, endure, and thrive amid complex global shifts from environmental to societal crises."
what's next
I'm still living in Salasaka—an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Andes—to work on a project that is dear to me both personally and professionally. This community is a bridge between the natural past we came from and the sustainable future we are headed for, assuming we want to hang out a little longer on this here planet. Stay tuned.
So long,
Miles