DUBAI: On the second day of Art Dubai, renowned auction house Christie’s launched the Art+Tech summit, inviting international speakers to dive into a hot topic of the contemporary art world — the intersection of art and ever-evolving technology. The fair itself is running for the second time its Digital section, presenting non-fungible tokens and video art by artists from the US, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
One of the discussions at the summit, entitled “The Role of Technology in the Lives of Creatives: Collecting, Curating and Creating,” invited three panelists to discuss the impact of technology on art: generative art collector AC; Lukas Amacher, the managing director of 1of1 Collection Gallery; and Turkish-American artist Refik Anadol, who is showcasing at the fair his artificial intelligence-generated immersive room video installation, “Glacier Dreams.”
Embracing the new, all three panelists showed enthusiasm for the digitization of art.
“This is kind of a new era, where collecting and creating (have) evolved. I’ve never seen another better period,” said AC to the audience.
Amacher pointed out its controversial aspect, weighing it against traditional and physical art. “It feels that the art world – the world in general – is kind of divided,” he said. “There’s the fraction that doesn’t pay attention, and then there’s the fraction that is generally curious and generally interested in what could be.”
One of the discussions at the summit was entitled “The Role of Technology in the Lives of Creatives: Collecting, Curating and Creating.” (Supplied)
He made a point of how digitization has revolutionized access to art. “The fact that we all have mini computer screens in our pockets that we carry around — and that it has surface area and accessibility to all kinds of artwork everywhere — that is what excites me, that I have a museum in my pocket,” he added.
Anadol wowed the audience with his video presentation, showing his digital art projected on the facade of the iconic Casa Batlló (designed by Antoni Gaudí) in Barcelona, watched by thousands of people in the city. He concluded the talk with his advice for digital artists, who might meet resistance along their journey.
“You will always find people who are skeptical,” he said. If artists face rejection, it is likely that they are “making something new…(and) opening doors for new people and new generations.”
