Art News: MoMA adds Viral Digital Art “Unsupervised” by Refik Anadol

MoMA adds cutting-edge digital art by Refik Anadol and Ian Cheng. Discover how ‘Unsupervised’ and ‘3FACE’ are shaping conversations in the art world.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

MoMA now owns Refik Anadol's digital art piece 'Unsupervised' and Ian Cheng’s '3FACE.'

Anadol's 'Unsupervised' uses machine learning to reimagine MoMA's art collection.

Cheng's '3FACE' analyzes its owner’s blockchain wallet to make a "visual portrait."

MoMA’s New Catch: Refik Anadol’s Digital Art Sensation ‘Unsupervised’

Big news just dropped—The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York has added some fresh and digital spice to its collection. They’ve nabbed not just one but two digital artworks, and one of them is by none other than Refik Anadol. 

A Game Changer Called ‘Unsupervised’

So, what’s the deal with Anadol’s artwork named “Unsupervised”? It’s a cool, computer-made piece that scans MoMA’s own art collection to create something entirely new. It’s like the artwork is having a conversation with the museum’s other pieces. The piece first showed up last year and was so popular, they had to extend its stay until October 29.

The crowd’s loving it, but not everyone’s a fan. Some critics, like Jerry Saltz from New York, think it’s nothing more than a fancy lava lamp. However, Lloyd Wise from Artforum thinks it’s doing something more, like shaking up what we think modern art should be.

The Buzz Around Digital Art and NFTs

Refik Anadol’s piece even comes with its own NFT (Non-Fungible Token).Tech guy Ryan Zurrer donated it to MoMA, and he’s excited about the museum stepping into the digital age. Zurrer believes that MoMA is catching the “cultural wave” by featuring works that dig into hot topics like artificial intelligence.

Ian Cheng’s ‘3FACE’: A New Kind of Portrait

Ian Cheng’s ‘3FACE’ is also making waves. This piece is all about diving into your blockchain wallet and painting a picture of who you are. Sounds cool, right? It’s like having a mirror that shows not just your face, but your digital soul. Cheng is a New York artist who’s been playing around with what he calls “live simulations” for years.

The Artists Behind the Magic

Both Refik Anadol and Ian Cheng are no rookies. Refik Anadol, originally from Turkey, is a data wizard. He’s turned heads by using data to show the impact of climate change, among other things. Ian Cheng, based in New York, has been getting attention for his digital works that explore evolution and artificial intelligence.