‘The Most Contemporary Art Exhibition’: AI Visualizes World Trends In Real Time

AI art, current affairs, and Twitter trends are converging into one space as the Woods Art Institute (WAI) in Hamburg, Germany uses hashtags from the social media app as keywords to prompt AI-generated imagery. 
 

According to the institute, ‘The Art of Trending’ was a way to capture and cast the younger generation’s attention on world events. The project was also to broaden the limits of art and bring forward the question of whether creation is just inherently human anymore. 

Trending topics worldwide, from the rise of gas prices to the Queen’s death, were fed into OpenAI’s Dalle-E 2, and various pieces depicting current times were generated and presented in what was described as “the most contemporary art exhibition.” 

The creations will be displayed from September 19 on WAI’s social media channels, as well as billboards around Germany. The real-time art initiative was made possible with the help of creative agency INGO Hamburg and MAGIG Design + Technologies. 
 
Below are some of the pieces created and their corresponding hashtags. 
 
#QueenElizabeth
Perhaps one of the most historical events we will live through is tragically depicted as one of the Queen’s guards bows his head in honor of her. 

#EnergyPrices
The recent spike in gas prices worldwide has come at the heels of a planet suffering from climate change. 

#MahsaAmini
The recent killing of Mahsa Amini has sparked rage among women in Iran as her passing shines a harsh light on equality and tradition. A haunting rendering of her was produced as she cries while wearing her hijab. 

#PrideMonth
With Pride month just passing, this work portrays the progression society has made and how the internet has become a relatively safe place for members of the LGBTQ+ community to embrace themselves. A giant pride flag takes up most of the piece as people are seen marching below it. 

#ArielIsBlack

The recent release of Disney’s latest live-action movie, The Little Mermaid, has received polarising reactions as its stance on diversity divides fans. DALL-E captures the spirit and heart of the movement as a group of black mermaids are seen celebrating. 

As eloquently said by WAI’s founder, Rik Reinking, “I am less interested in the question of whether the result is art or not. I understand the experiment as a bridge towards art.” 
 
 
 
[via INGO Agency]