“This monumental acquisition, featuring a three-part digital artwork by Refik Anadol that harnesses the power of generative artificial intelligence to reinterpret and transfigure over two centuries of art from MoMA's extensive collection, has been made possible through the generous support of two remarkable benefactors: RFC Collection, led by Pablo Rodríguez-Fraile and Desiree Casoni, and 1of1, under the guidance of Ryan Zurrer. In "Unsupervised— Machine Hallucinations – MoMA," Anadol presents an extraordinary and unparalleled exploration of the intersection between technology, creativity, and modern art. The installation continually generates fresh forms on a grand media wall, dynamically responding to its environment, and its significance, as the first tokenized artwork to join MoMA's permanent collection, is forever etched onto the blockchain. This acquisition marks an extraordinary milestone in the realm where art, technology, and philanthropy converge.”

Refik Anadol's "Unsupervised" exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in New York is an exquisite fusion of artificial intelligence, art, and the rich history of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Anadol, renowned for his groundbreaking media works and public installations, invites us on a transformative journey that challenges our understanding of technology, creativity, and modern art.

Anadol's artistic process is deeply rooted in the past while propelling us into the future. By harnessing the power of machine learning, he speculates about the present and near future through a multidimensional exploration of time. This Newtonian approach to art prompts us to ponder whether knowing the origins of a creation can help us predict its future. As we traverse the exhibition, we feel the resonance of every location in latent space, mirroring how we perceive and construct our own lives.

In a world where AI is both creator and collaborator, "Unsupervised" prompts us to reflect on the synergy between human imagination and artificial intelligence. Anadol's works serve as a testament to our ability to touch and reconstruct memories, transcending the boundaries of human cognition. By contemplating historic masterpieces through the lens of AI, we gain access to a richness and complexity that our minds alone could never grasp. Anadol's remarkable fusion of technology, art, and memory allows us to witness the entire spectrum of real color, a vibrant archive that represents both the past and the future of artistic expression.

At the heart of "Unsupervised" lies a digital artwork that unfolds in real time, a constantly evolving tapestry of otherworldly forms that envelop viewers within a large-scale installation. Anadol achieved this feat by training a sophisticated machine learning model to interpret the extensive data from MoMA's collection. As this digital muse "walks" through its interpretation of over two centuries of art, it not only reimagines the history of modern art but also dreams of what could have been and what the future may hold. Anadol further elevates this immersive experience by incorporating site-specific input from MoMA's Gund Lobby, where changes in light, movement, acoustics, and weather affect the ever-shifting imagery and sound. In this way, the history of modern art is profoundly reshaped by the dynamism of the present.

"Unsupervised" represents a profound shift in the relationship between the physical and the virtual, the real and the unreal. Unlike conventional AI applications that often strive for realism, this visionary exhibition delves into the realms of fantasy, hallucination, and irrationality. It offers an alternative understanding of artmaking itself, one that challenges established norms and conventions. The installation is not just an artistic endeavor but is also encoded on the blockchain, a distributed digital ledger, immortalizing it as a public record. Anadol's hope is to breathe new life into collective memories, fostering a dialogue about new possibilities and potential futures.

“meditation on technology, creativity, and modern art. AI is often used to classify, process, and generate realistic representations of the world. In contrast, Unsupervised is visionary: it explores fantasy, hallucination, and irrationality, creating an alternate understanding of art-making itself. The installation is based on works that are encoded on the blockchain, a distributed digital ledger, which stands as a public record of Anadol’s art. “I am trying to find ways to connect memories with the future” MoMA

Organized by Michelle Kuo, The Marlene Hess Curator of Painting and Sculpture, and Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator of Architecture and Design and Director of Research and Development, with Lydia Mullin, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Painting and Sculpture.

With thanks to Refik Anadol Studio (Alex Morozov, Carrie He, Christian Burke, Daniel Seungmin Lee, Dave Hunt, Efsun Erkılıç, Imaginary Friends, Kerim Karaoglu, Linda Berke, Mert Cobanov, Pelin Kivrak, Ho Man Leung, Kyle McLean, Nidhi Parsana, Raman K. Mustafa, Rishabh Chakrabarty, Simon Burke, Toby Heinemann, Yufan Xie), Casey Reas, Sean Moss-Pultz, and Michael Nguyễn.

Installation view of “Refik Anadol: Unsupervised,” The Museum of Modern Art, New York, November 19, 2022–October 29, 2023.