Review: Refik Anadol exhibition

Originally posted as a Twitter/X thread

1/ Last weekend, I spent a considerable amount of time discussing (digital) art with two web3 friends (@NonFugii and @HOXID_). Besides looking at our cell phone screens and desktops, we visited the Kunsthal (a museum) in Rotterdam to see Refik Anadol’s show.

2/ Kunsthal Rotterdam hosts the first solo exhibition in the Netherlands by the well-known Turkish artist Refik Anadol. His installations explore the symbiotic relationship between humans and machines, using AI, data visualization, and algorithms to 'paint with data'.

3/ Anadol, born in 1985 in Istanbul, earned his Master of Fine Arts at UCLA’s Department of Design Media Arts, where he currently teaches. He lives and works in Los Angeles, California, leading the Refik Anadol Studio.

4/ His work has been exhibited globally at venues including Centre Pompidou-Metz, National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne, Venice Architecture Biennale, Hammer Museum Los Angeles, Dongdaemun Design Plaza Seoul, Ars Electronica Festival Linz, Istanbul Design Biennale, Art Basel, and MoMA New York City - with the latter having also acquired his artwork Unsupervised.

5/ The exhibition in Rotterdam, 𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒, provides insights into Anadol's methodology and inspirations, featuring the 𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝐼𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑅𝑜𝑜𝑚 installation. This 3D, kinetic, architectural space immerses visitors in a virtual spectacle, enhanced by light and sound.

6/ The audiovisual elements stimulate the senses, creating the illusion of being in an environment that doesn't actually exist in reality. The exhibition also includes twelve data paintings that highlight nature’s significant role in Anadol’s work.

7/ These artworks utilize millions of public images and data of landscapes and natural phenomena, transforming them into undulating, mesmerizing pieces.

8/ While I must say that Anadol’s works are very attractive and compelling, the display method matters significantly. I had hoped for a more immersive presentation of the data paintings. The high-quality screens were relatively small for experiencing the landscapes. One could easily be distracted by the adjacent moving screens. A floor-to-ceiling screen would have been preferable for absorption into the work.

9/ Additionally, the museum visitors, though numerous (which is good of course), were also very noisy [sound on with video below to demonstrate].

10/ This detracted from the immersion. The ability to watch each artwork for the full 16 minutes without peace and quiet was challenging. Comfortable chairs and a quiet sign would have been beneficial. Ideally, each work should have its own enclosed space, creating an environment conducive to absorption in the landscape and reflection on the art.

11/ The exhibition did feature one immersive room, aptly named 𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝐼𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑅𝑜𝑜𝑚, but it too had its drawbacks. Firstly, it was very hot inside (a general issue throughout the exhibition space – air conditioning would have been wise considering the number of screens). Secondly, the screen quality seemed low resolution when viewed up close. Additionally, the chatter of other visitors hindered full engagement with the work.

12/ I also want to mention the exhibition’s title, 𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒. I feel it’s a bit uninspired and too generic for Anadol’s complex work. Anadol's artistic practice stems from his desire to express new concepts of collaboration between humans and machines in art. His installations aim to explore how our perception of time and space is changing in a technology-dominated world. However, I’m not entirely sure if these concepts were clear to visitors unfamiliar with his work.

13/ Anadol speculates about machines' ability to learn, develop consciousness, and eventually dream. By utilizing machine learning, he develops algorithms that enable machines to process information, discover new things, and present alternative realities. This is an important topic to address in this digital age.

14/ His work challenges and redefines our understanding of art and the role of technology in shaping it, but the technology displaying it must be used optimally.

15/ Overall, I enjoyed seeing Anadol’s work in real life for the first time, especially the variety of pieces, including his most recent work from 2023. These newer point cloud-type works, which evolved into different landscapes, were particularly interesting. They had more recognizable shapes and forms than his earlier landscape data ‘paintings’ and morphed beautifully from one ‘place’ to another.

16/ I found myself wishing to see monochrome works by Anadol, believing they could be compelling in focusing on the shapeshifting aspect alone. Although he did some in his early days, revisiting this style with his current data and forms would be intriguing.

17/ I am glad that Kunsthal decided to host a solo show with Anadol. More space and focus on the overall viewing experience would have enhanced it, but the visit was enjoyable nonetheless.