Digital by Nature: The Art of Miguel Chevalier at Kunsthalle München presents the artist’s largest solo exhibition in Europe to date, curated by Franziska Stöhr. The exhibition surveys Miguel Chevalier’s practice from the early 1980s to the present, tracing his sustained engagement with digital technologies as both tools and subjects of artistic inquiry.

Born in 1959 in Mexico City and based in Paris, Chevalier has worked with computers as a creative medium for more than four decades. The exhibition brings together approximately 120 works that reflect the evolution of his approach, from early experiments with pixels, binary code, and algorithmic systems to recent projects that explore the intersections of digital and analog processes, technology and nature, and human interaction with computational environments.

The presentation includes a wide range of media and formats, such as 3D printed sculptures produced in ceramic and recycled plastic, robot-generated drawings, machine-produced embroidery and tapestries, and video works created using artificial intelligence. Large-scale generative and interactive installations form a central component of the exhibition. In these works, algorithmic systems continuously generate visual compositions that respond to visitors’ movements, establishing a reciprocal relationship between human presence and machine-driven processes. These installations are accompanied by sound compositions by Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, which further structure the spatial and sensory experience.

Complex Meshes | music: Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, software: Cyrille Henry, Antoine Villeret, image: Thomas Granovsky

visualizing Interaction, Growth, and Transformation

Two works were developed specifically for Kunsthalle München. Complex Meshes Robot Drawings is a performative installation in which a robot produces drawings based on visual motifs from Chevalier’s interactive series Complex Meshes. The artist defines the parameters by selecting the paper and drawing tools, while the robot executes the marks. Originally designed for industrial repetition, the robotic system is reprogrammed to produce variable, gesture-like drawings that foreground the translation between programmed movement and hand-drawn expression.

The second new work, In Vitro Pixel Flowers, expands Chevalier’s ongoing exploration of digital botanical systems. The installation presents his largest virtual herbarium to date, allowing visitors to generate plant forms through an online interface and observe their development within a greenhouse-like environment. The digitally generated plants emerge, evolve, and disappear in continuous cycles, forming a shared, participatory landscape that visualizes processes of growth, variation, and renewal.

Across its diverse works, Digital by Nature positions digital technology not only as a means of production but as a framework for examining systems, transformation, and interaction. The exhibition emphasizes Chevalier’s long-term investigation into how computational tools can shape visual form, spatial experience, and collective participation within contemporary art contexts.

Complex Meshes | music: Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, software: Cyrille Henry, Antoine Villeret, image: Thomas Granovsky

The Origin of the World | music: Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, software: Cyrille Henry, Antoine Villeret, image: Thomas Granovsky

Complex Meshes | music: Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, software: Cyrille Henry, Antoine Villeret, image: Thomas Granovsky

Meta-Nature AI | music: Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, software: Claude Micheli, image: Nicolas Gaudelet

The Origin of the World | music: Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, software: Cyrille Henry, Antoine Villeret, image: Thomas Granovsky

In Vitro Pixel Flowers | software: Samuel Twidale, image: Thomas Granovsky

Complex Meshes Robot Drawings | industrial robot, felt-tip pen, paper, software: Ludovic Mallegol

The Eye of the Machine | software: Claude Micheli, image: Thomas Granovsky

In Vitro Pixel Flowers | software: Samuel Twidale, website: Ollie Smith, interface: Elise Michel

Fractal Flowers | software: Cyrille Henry, image: Thomas Granovsky

Euphorbia Alchimica Veritas of Rousseau 1 > 12 | image: Thomas Granovsky

Brain Corals Stratigraphy | image: Thomas Granovsky

project info:

name: DIGITAL BY NATURE – The Art of Miguel Chevalier Kunsthalle München / Munich
artist: Miguel Chevalier | @miguel_chevalier

location: Munich, Germany

museum: Kunsthalle München / Munich | @kunsthallemuc

dates: September 12th, 2025 – March 1st, 2026

curator: Franziska Stöhr

curatorial assistant: Jasmin Gierling

music: Jacopo Baboni Schilingi

director: Roger Diederen

exhibition production: Voxels Productions

exhibition design: Martin Kinzlmaier

photographer/videographer: Thomas Granovsky

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Skyward by Ezequiel Pini, the artist and designer behind Six N. Five, glimmers within the landscape of Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 as a composed encounter between material density and reflected atmosphere. The public artwork begins with a single gabbro stone extracted from the UAE town of Ras al Khaimah, positioned so its dark surface absorbs the desert sun while revealing fine variations in texture. Its presence feels anchored to geological time as it was first shaped by natural forces and then by weeks of hand refinement.

Across from the stone, a illuminated mirrored plane of digital art introduces an entirely different register. The surface gathers the sky and returns it to the ground, creating a shifting field that responds to weather, hour, and the quiet movement of visitors. This pairing forms the basic spatial rhythm of Skyward, one element rooted in the earth, the other oriented toward the open expanse overhead.

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

six n. five sculpts with stone and shimmering light

Six N. Five‘s placement of the monolith and mirror frames a passage that draws visitors to Skyward through a measured sequence. The gap between them serves as a calibrated threshold, where the mass of gabbro stone meets the immaterial clarity of reflected light. Ezequiel Pini’s work often dwells on elemental contrasts, and here the installation translates those interests into a built environment.

Digital projections shimmer across the mirrored surface, guided by constellations associated with Abu Dhabi. These animated sequences bring a sense of quiet movement to the installation, echoing traditions of navigation shaped by star patterns across desert and sea. The effect remains grounded in architectural experience: visitors read the surface at scale, observing how light behaves across its height and how the projection alters their perception of depth.

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

engaging abu dhabi’s desert landscape

As the sun shifts, Six N. Five’s Skyward mirror serves as an inclined horizon, folding portions of sky into the visitor’s field of view. This creates a subtle reorientation, encouraging upward attention while still maintaining a strong relationship with the ground plane. The installation’s alignment within the desert setting amplifies this effect, giving Skyward a steady presence amid open terrain.

The stone’s handcrafted finish invites close viewing. Faint tool marks remain at certain edges, offering evidence of the labor involved and underscoring the contrast between permanence and adaptation. In relation to the mirror, the stone’s matte density stabilizes the composition, heightening awareness of the changes taking place across the reflective surface.

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five), Skyward, 2025. Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi. photo by Lance Gerber

project info:

name: Skyward

artist: Ezequiel Pini (Six N Five) | @sixnfive

location: Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

client: Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, Public Art Abu Dhabi

completion: 2025

photography: © Lance Gerber © Stéphane Aït Ouarab / Saï

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The Pen Display 24+ from Xencelabs introduces the industry-first built-in Calman Ready hardware calibration to guarantee color fidelity for all professional workflows in digital drawing, spanning fields such as industrial design, animation, illustration, and visual effects. Calman Ready means the display can be hardware calibrated to exacting standards, including Pantone and SkinTone validation, with calibration data stored directly on the device. Collaborating with industry giants like Adobe, Corel, and Autodesk, Xencelabs is not just building tools, it’s fostering a community dedicated to refining what’s possible in digital art.

Xencelabs Pen Display 24+ | all images courtesy of Xencelabs

SENSORY-DRIVEN DESIGN REDEFINING PRECISION

Xencelabs offers premium digital drawing products designed specifically for professional artists. Tested and used by a global network of over 100 top artists including Disney Director Tony Bancroft and 3D artist Zhelong Xu, the brand’s devices combine studio-grade precision with uncompromising ergonomics, leaving the creator fully immersed in the work. Their user-centric approach has culminated in special functions and features like Super AG Etching anti-glare glass for a paper-like feel, fanless cooling for silent operation, and the inclusion of two customizable pens to fit any grip. The deep engagement with the creative workflow led to the Xencelabs Pen Display 24+, a device that introduces the industry-first built-in Calman Ready hardware calibration to guarantee color fidelity for all professional workflows.

The brand’s underlying philosophy is captured directly in its name. ‘Xence,’ a phonetic play on sense, reflects the essential human experiences like sight, sound, and touch, the core elements from which creativity flows. ‘Labs’ signifies a space dedicated to relentless experimentation and refinement. This fusion defines Xencelabs’ genuine commitment to co-creation, establishing a process where engineers actively observe the creative environments and daily challenges of professional artists, who then rigorously test the product for its efficiency. The brand’s goal is not merely incremental improvement, but to anticipate the smallest detail that impacts a workflow. For a deeper look into the creative minds that influence Xencelabs, explore the Artist Spotlight series, featuring intimate conversations with leading digital artists.

Xencelabs consistently collaborates with world-class artists to refine each product element

SILENT ENGINEERING DETAILS THAT ELEVATE THE DIGITAL ART WORKFLOW

The Xencelabs Pen Display 24+ marks a significant leap forward in professional creative tools, notably being the first drawing display with Calman Ready built in. This ground-breaking integration provides precise hardware color calibration. Unlike typical software solutions, this ensures consistent reliable studio-level color across complex pipelines like VFX and photography with calibration data stored directly on the device. It is also validated by Pantone and SkinTone for true-to-life color accuracy.

The 4K UHD screen boasts Super AG Etching anti-glare technology on a fully laminated optical glass surface. This technology not only dramatically reduces studio glare but also provides a highly praised paper-like feel with minimal parallax for a natural, responsive stroke.

To maintain a serene workspace, Xencelabs engineered a fanless cooling system in both its 16-inch and 24-inch models. By using a high-performance alloy backplate for passive heat dissipation, the display remains cool and virtually silent during extended use. This attention to distraction-free operation is key to fostering an immersive creative environment.

The drawing instruments are equally thoughtful. The EMR pen technology is fine-tuned with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and an initial activation force of just 3 grams. To accommodate different grip styles and muscle memory, every display comes with two pens, a 3-Button Pen and a Thin Pen, allowing artists to switch instantly between tools for different tasks without breaking their creative flow. Both feature an eraser on the reverse end that can be customized to preference.

Xencelabs’ pen technology benefits from 30 years of EMR stylus innovation

Finally, the peripheral experience is optimized for speed. The highly intuitive Quick Keys remote features an OLED display showing up to 44 customizable shortcuts per application. It emerged from observing artists’ frequent app switching and the burden of memorizing shortcuts. The wireless, ergonomic design and physical dial reduce reliance on the keyboard. This allows users to confirm commands visually and position the remote naturally, supporting a comfortable, fluid posture for right and left-handed creators alike. 

Xencelabs also offers well-equipped bundles tailored to professional workflows

project info:

brand: Xencelabs | @xencelabs

product: Xencelabs Pen Display 24 Series

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Refik Anadol Studio presents DATALAND, the world’s first Museum of AI Arts, opening in spring 2026 at The Grand LA, a Frank Gehry-designed development in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. The project features art experiences blending human imagination and artificial intelligence, establishing a new model for artistic expression at the onset of the digital age.

The 2,320-square-meter institution is designed to feature five distinct galleries and serve as a hub for exploring the creative potential of data and generative systems. In anticipation of its opening, Refik Anadol Studio unveils a first look at Gallery C – Infinity Room, an evolved iteration of one of the studio’s most iconic installations. 

The museum marks a full-circle moment for Refik Anadol and Efsun Erkılıç, who founded Refik Anadol Studio in Los Angeles over a decade ago and have since exhibited their works in more than 80 cities on six continents.

all images courtesy Refik Anadol Studio

a groundbreaking proposal by Refik Anadol studio

Establishing DATALAND at The Grand LA, in the heart of Los Angeles’ cultural corridor, marks a symbolic homecoming for Refik Anadol, Efsun Erkılıç, and the studio. The business center is situated directly across the street from Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, where, in 2018, the team presented one of their defining projects to date, the ambitious and groundbreaking WDCH Dreams, celebrating the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Centennial. Using 42 large-scale projectors, the nightly live performances featured machine dreams of the LA Phil’s 100 years of digitized memories, mapped directly onto the undulating stainless-steel exterior of the iconic building. The museum will unfold steps from renowned cultural institutions: The Broad, MOCA, The Music Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, REDCAT, and The Colburn School in the cultural epicenter of Los Angeles.

Developed by Related Companies, The Grand LA is home to the award-winning 305 room Conrad Los Angeles luxury hotel, more than 436 residences including affordable housing and will feature a collection of chef-driven restaurants, shops, and art-driven experiences anchored by DATALAND. As the world’s first Museum of AI Arts,  its opening follows a series of presentations from Refik Anadol Studio, including Living Paintings at Jeffrey Deitch Gallery, in Los Angeles; Machine Hallucinations at The Sphere, in Las Vegas; Living Architecture: Casa Batlló at Antoni Gaudí’s famed building, in Barcelona, Spain; Living Archive: Nature at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland; Echoes of the Earth at London’s Serpentine Galleries; and Living Arena at the Intuit Dome, in Inglewood, CA.

DATALAND by Refik Anadol Studio is designed in collaboration with architecture firm Gensler and global sustainable development consultancy Arup. Earlier in 2025, DATALAND introduced its founding digital collection, Biome Lumina, a series of 1,000 unique AI data sculptures that sold out in 34 minutes. The inaugural exhibitions at the museum will be expressed through the studio’s Large Nature Model, the world’s first open-source AI model trained exclusively on natural data.

a first glimpse at Gallery C – Infinity Room

INFINITY ROOM OFFERS FIRST GLIMPSE INTO the project

Originally conceived in 2014 at UCLA as Anadol’s first immersive data sculpture, Infinity Room envisioned a future for the Light and Space movement through the lens of media architecture. The work debuted physically in 2015 as a 3.66 × 3.66-meter mirrored cube animated by undulating black-and-white projections, transforming light into material and data into pigment.

Over the past decade, Infinity Room has traveled to 35 cities worldwide and been experienced by more than 10 million visitors. The new version at DATALAND incorporates AI-generated scents derived from the studio’s Large Nature Model and becomes the first immersive space to employ World Models, an advanced form of generative AI capable of understanding real-world physics and spatial dynamics. This multisensory environment offers a first glimpse into the perspective-altering experiences that will define the Museum of AI Arts.

Infinity Room has traveled to 35 cities worldwide and been experienced by more than 10 million visitors

ARTIST RESIDENCY WITH GOOGLE ARTS & CULTURE

Los Angeles has long held Anadol’s fascination, beginning when he was eight years old with the discovery of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, set in a futuristic reimagining of the city. He first ventured there in 2012 to attend a graduate program in Design Media Arts at the University of California Los Angeles, where he has taught for the last ten years. In 2014, Erkiliç joined Anadol in Los Angeles to establish Refik Anadol Studio permanently in the city. The Studio’s works have been exhibited worldwide in more than 70 cities on six continents and are beloved by millions of ardent fans. DATALAND brings this future-forward vision to a permanent home.

In alignment with DATALAND’s mission to expand public understanding of artificial intelligence and its creative applications, the museum announces the launch of its inaugural Artist Residency Program, in partnership with Google Arts & Culture.

Over six months, three selected artists will explore new frontiers of human–machine collaboration, supported by mentorship, funding, and technical resources. Their projects will culminate in a public showcase at DATALAND, featuring immersive installations, artist talks, and lectures examining AI’s evolving role in art and culture.

establishing a new model for artistic expression

DATALAND is set open in spring 2026

Refik Anadol and Efsun Erkılıç | image © Dustin Downing

The Grand LA | image © Weldon Brewster

project info:

name: DATALAND

location: The Grand LA, Dowtown Los Angeles | @thegrandla

artist: Refik Anadol Studio | @refikanadol

architects / collaborators: Arup, Gensler 

opening year: 2026

The post DATALAND by refik anadol to open in LA, spring 2026, as the world’s first museum of AI arts appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Village Numérique forms part of MUTEK, a festival that focuses on electronic music and digital arts with performances across Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles. Running between August 19th and 24th, 2025, the cultural event operates for six consecutive days with programs and shows on audio and visual presentations. Esplanade Tranquille serves as the central hub for outdoor programming, while there are three venues hosting the main indoor one, namely The Society for Arts and Technology building, Place des Arts’ Théâtre Maisonneuve, and the MTELUS functions for presentations. In the same festival, the MUTEK Forum also takes place, which functions as a marketplace and discussion platform for digital creation professionals. Then, the Village Numérique, a public digital art project that takes place in the Quartier des Spectacles, with a circuit of 23 digital art installations. 

It runs beyond the event’s date, from August 14th to 28th, 2025, with digital art installations in several formats. In an interview with designboom, Alain Mongeau – the founder, artistic and general director of MUTEK – and Mikaël Frascadore – the executive producer of Village Numérique – explore the 26th edition’s theme on a new cycle of digital creativity, as well as some of the digital art installations presented at the circuit. ‘MUTEK has always been at the forefront of digital art dissemination, with special installation projects having been presented in the past. For this second edition of Village Numérique, we have expanded our offering with a greater diversity of media, more in-depth content, and more ways for the public to discover digital arts,’ Mikaël Frascadore tells designboom.

FLIP! by Troublemakers | all images courtesy of MUTEK and Village Numérique; photos by Tannaz Shirazi

Digital art installations around mutek’s village numérique

The digital art installations across Village Numérique include large wall projections showing digital images and moving visuals on building façades, interactive works that allow visitors to take part by moving, touching, or responding to sensors, virtual reality stations that use headsets and controllers to create digital environments, and immersive projects that combine sound, light, and moving images to surround the audience. At the festival’s Place de la Paix, The Door of the Refuge sets up an immersive passage that acts as an entry point for visitors, guiding them into a sanctuary-like space. Nearby at the Society for Arts and Technology, Astronomical Water mixes cosmic themes with water-inspired visuals and sound, using projection and movement to create flowing images.

The VS AI Street Fighting at Le Central allows visitors to engage in a simulated fight scenario where artificial intelligence responds to human movement, showing a contest between human players and machine systems. Moving underground to Saint-Laurent Station, ‘Wantastigan – what will remain still’ reflects on time and permanence through digital imagery, balancing static forms with shifting motion. In Le Parterre, a cluster of works appears. In Camera focuses on private perspectives, showing hidden or internal views through audiovisual sequences. I’M NOT A ROBOT examines the line between human and machine identity, asking viewers to engage with prompts about authenticity, while TETRA uses geometric design to project or display modular structures in three dimensions. 

Situational Compliance by Matthew Biederman and Lucas Paris

Technology-driven artworks on new cycle of creativity

The digital art installations at Village Numérique also showcase Situational Compliance, which responds directly to its surroundings, adjusting visuals and sounds based on audience movement. Public Space, Latent Space contrasts the visible city environment with hidden digital layers, connecting shared physical space with coded systems, while For You I Will Be An Island presents a narrative of separation, creating an enclosed environment where the visitor feels isolated within the work. Then, there’s FLIP!, which introduces constant reversals and rotations, using visual shifts to alter orientation and perspective. At Hexagram’s experimentation room, HEXAPHONE delivers six-channel sound, placing the audience inside a controlled audio field. Going to UQAM’s Agora, three works are staged: Éco-sonorités du vivant reproduces soundscapes from natural and biological sources, Storms immerses audiences in visual and sonic turbulence, and OPAL explores refraction, scattering light and color across surfaces. 

In the mezzanine of UQAM, NEST: Colony constructs an organic digital structure that simulates growth and collective form. Back to the Place des Arts, Dialogues invites interaction through conversational exchanges, with inputs creating shifting outputs, while Labyrinthe builds a maze-like path, encouraging physical navigation through digital corridors. Then in UQAM’s Chaufferie, Reflections uses mirrors and projection to create surfaces that invite contemplation and play with repetition of images. Some of these digital art installations at Village Numérique use high-resolution projectors, motion sensors, cameras, pressure plates, LED systems, and real-time rendering software, falling in line with this year’s theme on the new cycle of digital creativity. Our conversation below with Alain Mongeau and Mikaël Frascadore further unpacks the 26th edition of MUTEK festival, the curatorial process for selecting the presenting artists, and the over twenty digital installations in the Quartier des Spectacles.

detailed view of Situational Compliance by Matthew Biederman and Lucas Paris

Interview with Alain Mongeau and Mikaël Frascadore

Designboom (DB): This year marks the 26th edition of MUTEK, with the festival embarking on a ‘new cycle of digital creativity.’ What does this new cycle represent in terms of programming, vision, and MUTEK’s place in the global (electronic) arts scene? What kinds of experiences have you shaped for the attendees?

Alain Mongeau (AM): The idea of a ‘new cycle of digital creativity’ embodies both continuity and renewal. After celebrating our 25th anniversary last year, we felt it was the right moment to open a new chapter, one that recognizes how profoundly digital arts and electronic music have evolved and how MUTEK can continue to serve as a laboratory for what comes next. In terms of programming, this means delving even deeper into the intersections of music, immersive audiovisual works, and emerging technologies – AI, spatial sound, and beyond – while keeping live performance at the very heart of the festival. At the same time, we are broadening the ways in which new works can be presented, exemplified this year by the return of the Digital Village for its second edition. 

In camera by Ying Gao

AM (continues): Our vision is to reaffirm MUTEK as a meeting ground where experimentation, diversity, and critical reflection converge, offering audiences a singular aesthetic experience filled with discovery and wonder. On the global scene, MUTEK has long acted as a bridge: between generations, between local and international creators, and across disciplines. This new cycle reinforces our role as a platform where ambitious projects can find a stage, and where audiences can experience these innovations firsthand. 

This year, we have crafted a wide spectrum of experiences: intimate concerts, large-scale immersive performances, an open-air program in the bucolic setting of Théâtre de Verdure, thought-provoking daytime talks and workshops, and the serendipitous encounters that only a live, collective festival context can spark. Our aim is to inspire curiosity, engage multiple senses, and nurture a sense of community around the exploration of digital creativity.

The Door of the Refuge by Normal Studio

DB: This year’s lineup includes the North American premiere of Max Cooper’s Lattice 3D/AV and performances from Kevin Saunderson’s E-Dancer. What’s your curatorial process for selecting both global names and emerging voices? In what ways does the team’s selection allow the attendees to see, feel, and experience the relationship between the music and digital art?

AM: Our programming approach is rooted above all in the search for balance and dialogue between the different facets of the festival. On one hand, we are committed to inviting renowned figures such as Max Cooper or Kevin Saunderson, whose work in electronic music and digital art is exemplary. Their presence provides a strong anchor for the lineup, giving audiences the opportunity to experience ambitious projects by established artists in a live setting. At the same time, MUTEK has always been dedicated to discovery and to giving space to emerging artists who are pushing boundaries in their own ways. 

Storms by Quayola

AM (continues): We scan projects internationally, but we also place particular emphasis on the local scene, which is especially vibrant this year, for instance, our open call targeting Canadian artists received around 450 submissions. By placing young talents alongside established names, we create a dialogue that highlights both continuity and innovation within this artistic field. At the heart of it all is the focus on the live, sensory relationship between music and digital art.

We are drawn to works that engage audiences beyond sound alone: immersive audiovisual performances, experiments with 360° projections and spatialized sound, or hybrid formats that challenge conventional stage dynamics. The goal is to create an ecosystem of experiences where festival-goers don’t just listen, but also feel, see, and truly inhabit the artistic universe that each creator brings to life.

VS AI Street Fighting by Dimension Plus

DB: Village Numérique was launched in 2024 to celebrate MUTEK’s 25th anniversary. What was the original inspiration behind creating a standalone digital art circuit within the festival, and how has that vision evolved for this second edition?

Mikaël Frascadore (MF): MUTEK has always been at the forefront of digital art dissemination, with special installation projects having been presented in the past. However, we felt that there was a real enthusiasm, but also an opportunity to showcase the enormous talent of local creators in a more formal context. Quebec is the birthplace of many highly innovative projects, artists, and studios. For this second edition, we have expanded our offering with a greater diversity of media, more in-depth content, and more ways for the public to discover digital arts. We want to develop audiences and contribute to the success of the industry.

NEST: Colony by Iregular

DB: This year’s Village Numérique features over twenty digital installations across Quartier des Spectacles. Can you walk us through how these works are presented? What kinds of tools, platforms, or experimental tech are being used by artists in this year’s program, if you can name a few, and how do they encourage interaction with the viewers, including those unfamiliar with digital art?

MF: There are indeed 28 installations spread across 23 venues. This year, several projects have been made possible thanks to university research projects. For instance, AI agents are used to generate content, analyze gestures, and translate them into actions. Audiovisual, networking, and computer integration are now at the heart of the means by which artists express themselves. The projects offer more targeted experiences, where people can interact directly with the content. Even when the works have multiple layers of complexity, newcomers can still find something to enjoy because the means of interaction remain intuitive. Users who want to go deeper can also do so.

For You I Will Be An Island by Chun Hua Catherine Dong

MF (continues): The artists have taken care to make their installations accessible in a variety of ways, despite the denser content or messages. For example, artist Matthew Biederman presents a project that repurposes the game ‘Simon Says’ to explore, with humor and insight, the mechanisms of public surveillance. Using AI and computer vision, the work stages a system that observes, interprets, and directs the actions of the audience, making visible the power dynamics at work in our digital environments. 

Participants are invited to follow simple instructions. Each posture performed becomes both an act of individuality and a negation of identity in a digitally mediated environment. The device places the body at the center of a game of control, between autonomy and algorithmic injunction.

view of a light-driven installation in the public space

Labyrinthe by students from UQAM’s School of Visual and Media Arts

project info:

name: MUTEK | @mutekmontreal

founder and general director: Alain Mongeau

location: Quartier des Spectacles in Montreal, Canada

dates: August 19th and 24th, 2025

circuit: Village Numérique | @village.numerique

executive producer: Mikaël Frascadore

dates: August 14th to 28th, 2025

photography: Tannaz Shirazi | @natourstudio

The post walk around mutek festival’s village numérique, a circuit of digital art installations in montreal appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Yuge Zhou’s hypnotic work Trampoline Color Exercise takes over 95 billboards in New York City’s Times Square. The moving-image collage depicts leaping gymnasts whose uniforms and identities shapeshift as they flip and tumble on pink gridded trampolines. Created by manipulating aerial vantage points from archival broadcasts of Olympic Games footage, the artwork is a bird’s-eye meditation on the human form and the athletic pursuit of perfection. The mass of figures also reads as an abstract play of primary colors — a timely yet subtle nod to global national flags and fluctuating affiliations in an ever-changing geopolitical climate.

all images by Michael Hull unless stated otherwise

yuge zhou considers complexities of allegiance

Yuge Zhou left her hometown of Beijing for the United States right around the time of the 2008 Olympic games – a monumental event for China. The artist began conceptualizing Trampoline Color Exercise between 2021 and 2024, a period marked by intense political and international divisions. Drawing from personal memories of watching the Olympic Games as a family ritual, being captivated by the athletes’ pursuit of perfection as well as the powerful symbolism of individuals representing their nations, competing on a shared global stage. ‘The Olympics, to me, have always mirrored the dynamics of international relations, especially the tensions and rivalries between global superpowers,’ Zhou notes.

She revisits the visual language of athleticism and pageantry, using it as a lens to explore shifting ideologies and cultural identities. The Olympics, long viewed as a stage for both collaboration and rivalry between nations, here become a symbolic terrain for examining the complexities of allegiance. Working with archival Olympic footage as the starting point, Zhou extracted aerial views of athletes mid-performance and reassembled them into a dynamic visual field as they’re leaping and tumbling on pink gridded trampolines. Their uniforms and identities change as they move across a shifting tapestry of motion and color. Collectively, the mass of figures becomes an abstract composition of primary colors — subtly evoking the national flags of countries that have played outsized roles in shaping recent geopolitical events. The work is currently on view as part of the Midnight Moment program presented by Times Square Arts, the world’s largest public art venue, and plays nightly from 11:57 PM to midnight through June 30th.

Yuge Zhou unveils Trampoline Color Exercise

the hypnotic work takes over 95 billboards in New York City’s Times Square

image by DeShaun Craddock

created by manipulating aerial vantage points from archival broadcasts of Olympic Games footage

the artwork is a bird’s-eye meditation on the human form and the athletic pursuit of perfection

Zhou extracted aerial views of athletes mid-performance and reassembled them into a dynamic visual field

the work is on view as part of the Midnight Moment program presented by Times Square Arts

project info:

name: Trampoline Color Exercise
artist: Yuge Zhou | @yugezhou

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

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In 2026, Hamburg debuts the UBS Digital Art Museum, a cultural landmark set to become the largest institution in Europe dedicated exclusively to digital and immersive art. Founded by tech entrepreneur Lars Hinrichs and led by Artistic Director Ulrich Schrauth, the museum is backed by UBS as naming sponsor and lead partner. Nestled in the city’s HafenCity district, the 6,500-square-meter space launches with a permanent teamLab exhibition, marking a notable addition to the cultural scene of Hamburg and the international evolution of digital art.

the museum is set to open in Hamburg’s HafenCity district | image © Heide und von Beckerath

teamLab Borderless Hamburg realizes a vision born in tokyo

The opening exhibition of the museum, teamLab Borderless Hamburg, introduces a monumental, interactive art environment by the acclaimed international art collective. Spread across the entire building, teamLab Borderless in Hamburg will be an immersive ecosystem where digital artworks move freely between rooms and transform with human interaction. Ceilings soar to 12 meters, offering a cathedral-like canvas for teamLab’s algorithmic landscapes, animated waterfalls, and responsive light forms.

The origin story of the UBS Digital Art Museum began in Tokyo, when Hinrichs visited teamLab Borderless for the first time and was inspired to bring a similar experience to Hamburg, Germany, and Europe. That vision took shape in 2019, culminating in the selection of HafenCity, a waterfront development known for its experimental architecture and cultural ambition, as the ideal location. Positioned between the Elbphilharmonie and the maritime museum, the site situates the museum within Hamburg’s new axis of innovation and public life.

a milestone for the cultural scene of Hamburg | image © Studio Bauer, Thorsten Bauer

where art is meant to be touched, felt, and co-created

While UBS lends its name and strategic support, the UBS Digital Art Museum remains a private initiative – artist- and audience-driven, rather than corporate-owned. As stated by Ulrich Schrauth during a Digital Art Mile panel discussion at Basel, the museum is intended to be a ‘platform for digital and immersive art that makes this new genre accessible and tangible for everyone.’ Breaking with traditional museum models, teamLab Borderless Hamburg will invite visitors of all ages to explore without physical or conceptual barriers. No ‘do not touch’ signs here, as photography, interaction, and even co-creation are integral parts of the experience.

Beyond its inaugural exhibition, the museum will operate with the long-term mission to showcase the full spectrum of digital art, support emerging practices, and foster public dialogue around art and technology.

teamLab, Universe of Water Particles on a Rock where People Gather, Courtesy teamLab Borderless Tokyo © teamLab

teamLab, Forest of Flowers and People: Lost, Immersed and Reborn © teamLab

teamLab, Crows are Chased and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as well: Cosmic Void, Courtesy teamLab Borderless Jeddah © teamLab

teamLab, Forest of Resonating Lamps – One Stroke, Fire, Courtesy teamLab Borderless Jeddah © teamLab

teamLab, The Way of the Sea: Crystal World © teamLab

teamLab, Light Vortex, Courtesy teamLab Borderless Tokyo © teamLab

teamLab, Infinite Crystal World © teamLab

set to become the largest institution in Europe | image © UBS Digital Art Museum

visitors of all ages can explore without physical or conceptual barriers | image © UBS Digital Art Museum

the museum’s long-term mission is to showcase the full spectrum of digital art | image © UBS Digital Art Museum

project info:

name: UBS Digital Art Museum | @digitalartmuseum

location: HafenCity, Hamburg, Germany

founder: Lars Hinrichs

CEO: Caren Brockmann

artistic director: Ulrich Schrauth | @uschrauth

lead partner / naming sponsor: UBS | @ubs

inaugural exhibition: teamLab Borderless Hamburg

artist: teamLab | @teamlab, @teamlab_borderless

opening year: 2026

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From June 16 to 22, 2025, Basel becomes home to the inaugural edition of Digital Art Mile— a new and ambitious initiative by ArtMeta that transforms the historic Rebgasse district into a vibrant epicenter for digital creativity. This week-long event runs in parallel with Art Basel and offers a curated alternative that addresses a conspicuous absence: digital art. Spread across Space25, the 4th Floor, and Kult.Kino Cinema, the fair gathers an international network of artists, curators, collectors, and technologists to explore how digital media reshapes the canon of contemporary art. With exhibitions, robotic installations, and conferences led by global voices in art and culture, Digital Art Mile invites both industry professionals and curious publics to rethink the boundaries of art in a digital age.

For first-time visitors, Digital Art Mile offers a paradigm shift. From interactive to historically rich displays, the fair seeks to challenge preconceptions. ArtMeta seeks to convince the skeptics that digital art isn’t just about speculation and NFTs— it’s about a rich, evolving art form rooted in dialogue and human imagination.

From June 16 to 22, 2025, Basel becomes home to the inaugural edition of Digital Art Mile | all images courtesy of ArtMeta

the fair introduces the digital art mile 

ArtMeta, co-founded by curator and digital art pioneer Georg Bak and digital entrepreneur Roger Haas, is carving out a distinct path for how digital art is experienced, understood, and collected. The platform originally emerged from their mutual desire to elevate digital art beyond novelty, rooting it instead within a broader historical and cultural narrative.

For its 2025 Basel edition, ArtMeta introduces the Digital Art Mile, conceived as a boutique fair with curated exhibitions and educational programming. Unlike conventional commercial events, its focus lies in thematic cohesion and historical dialogue, linking the legacy of early digital pioneers to the cutting edge of blockchain, AI, and Web3. Through its growing curatorial reach, ArtMeta positions itself as an anchor point in the evolving landscape of digital-native cultural production.

Hackatao – PAINTBOX – Primitives (2025)

artists, curators, collectors, and technologists all meet in basel

Digital Art Mile 2025 offers an immersive entry point into the pluralistic worlds of digital art, from generative image-making and robotics to blockchain-based collecting and AI-driven creativity. This edition’s programming explores intersections between human expression and machine logic, between analog legacy and virtual futures. Beyond exhibitions, the fair includes a four-day conference series at Kult.Kino Cinema that brings together leading thinkers such as Christiane Paul (Whitney Museum), Ian Charles Stewart (Toledo Museum Labs), Sebastien Borget (The Sandbox), and Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst (BMW). Through these multi-perspective discussions, the fair aims not only to showcase the state of digital art but also to create frameworks for its institutional integration, economic viability, and cultural resonance.

Bryan Brinkman in the studio of Adrian Wilson

Bryan Brinkman – Love Bytes (2025)

A central highlight at Rebgasse 25 is the ‘Paintboxed’ exhibition, a landmark collaboration between ArtMeta, Objkt, and the Tezos Foundation. It resurrects the Quantel Paintbox, a pioneering digital painting tool from the 1980s, celebrated for its pivotal role in transforming visual culture—from MTV graphics to the iconic posters of ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’ Paintboxed positions this forgotten chapter of digital history in conversation with the present.

Artists including Justin Aversano, Grant Yun, Ivona Tau, Hackatao, and Simon Denny were invited to create new works using one of the few remaining functional Paintboxes. Tau even collaborated with ChatGPT to receive step-by-step generative painting instructions, blurring the boundaries between human intuition and AI guidance. These new creations are displayed in lightboxes and paired with NFTs minted on the Tezos Foundation blockchain, allowing collectors to own dual manifestations of the same work—both analog and digital.

Sabato Visconti – Mecha Rosie (2025)

Coldie, Keith Haring – Decentral Eyes (2025)

Located at Rebgasse 31, the 4th Floor reimagines a former warehouse as a future-forward gallery ecosystem, hosting some of the most experimental names in the space. Objkt.com presents ‘We Emotional Cyborgs: On Avatars and AI Agents,’ curated by Anika Meier—a provocative exploration of virtual identity and post-human aesthetics. Robotic artworks take center stage in Bright Moments’ ‘Automata,’ which includes autonomous painting machines creating works in real-time. Historic pioneers such as Waldemar Cordeiro, Manfred Mohr, and Joan Truckenbrod are spotlighted by Mayor Gallery, RCM, and Galerie Charlot, positioning digital art within a longer, often overlooked lineage.

Other participants include The Sigg Art Foundation, Cypherdudes, LaCollection, and Sarasin Foundation, each offering unique vignettes into contemporary crypto culture. A lounge hosted by Tezos Foundation offers a space to engage with the underlying technology.

Exhibition view 2024 – Aleksandra Jovanovic 2 (2025)

Digital Art Mile expands its cultural footprint with a robust conference series held at Kult.Kino Cinema on June 17 and 18. The talks tackle vital topics such as the role of digital art in museums, the evolution of AI-generated creativity, and how corporations are adopting NFTs and digital aesthetics into their branding and storytelling. Notable sessions include ‘Digital Art in Museums’ featuring Christiane Paul and Ian Charles Stewart, and ‘Digital Art in Corporations,’ moderated by designboom, with insights from Miko Hensel – Team Head Tech Banking of Maerki Baumann, DooEun Choi – Vice President and Art Director of Hyundai Motor, Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst – Global Head of Cultural Engagement of BMW Group, and Ulrich Schrauth – Artistic Director of UBS Digital Art Museum. According to Bak, these sessions aim to close the gap between the institutional canonization of digital art and the vibrant discourse happening on social media. A particular point of interest is the integration of crypto culture in legacy institutions and how corporate players like UBS, Arab Bank, and luxury brands are shaping their own digital art narratives.

By building a space where curated exhibitions meet educational discourse, the fair aspires to become the leading marketplace and forum for digital art worldwide. Looking ahead, ArtMeta plans to expand its editorial output and continue fostering deeper conversations across cities and continents.

Adrian Wilson – Team For Hair 1985

Kiki Picasso, Fondateur de Quantel – Peter Michael par Kiki Picasso (2025)

Adrian Wilson – GPB Collage 1986

OMGiDRAWEDit, So Revival, 2025

project info:

name: Digital Art Mile
organization: ArtMeta | @artmetaofficial

dates: June 16 – 22, 2025

location: Rebgasse, Basel, Switzerland

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The Saudi institution invites emerging digital talents to experiment, collaborate and innovate. In the historic heart of Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the edge of Riyadh, a quiet revolution in art and technology is taking place. Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the first institution in the MENA region dedicated to New Media and Digital Arts, has announced its second international open call for the Emerging New Media Artists Programme. The initiative, launching in October 2025, invites participation from digital artists and scholars through upcoming public activities, educational programming, artistic and research residencies and grant opportunities.

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) announces its second international open call for the Emerging New Media Artists Programme | all images courtesy of Diriyah Art Futures

the one-year programme includes personal mentorship

Founded by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, Diriyah Art Futures exists at the nexus of interdisciplinary exploration, where art, science, and technology collide to form new cultural perspectives. As Saudi Arabia invests in cultural innovation, DAF represents a pivotal move toward establishing the region as a custodian of heritage as well as a leading force in future-facing creative practices. Through the platform, local roots meet international reach, and young artists are given the opportunity to grow both conceptually and materially.

The Emerging New Media Artists Programme is meticulously designed to foster radical artistic development. It targets artists under the age of 35 who have a foundation in digital or new media practices and who are poised to evolve their work within a conceptual and technical framework. Over the course of twelve months, selected participants receive full institutional support, including a production budget, access to a suite of advanced technology labs, and personal mentorship from a global network of leading artists and theorists. The programme, developed in collaboration with Le Fresnoy – Studio National des Arts Contemporains in France, builds on a pedagogical model that balances theoretical immersion with hands-on making, allowing participants to research, prototype, and produce significant new work.

the initiative launches in October 2025

exploring the role of art with lectures, seminars and screenings

Set in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Diriyah, DAF reflects the Ministry of Culture’s commitment to preserving the country’s unique heritage while playing a pioneering role in developing and leading new art practices that will shape the future of art and humanity. From the outset, the programme immerses artists in three months of intensive conceptual inquiry. This phase—offered through lectures, seminars, screenings, and group critique—asks fundamental questions about the role of art in the face of ecological collapse, technological acceleration, and social transformation.

Participants are invited to interrogate systems and narratives, explore personal and political histories, and speculate on alternate futures. The topics under consideration are broad but deeply relevant, including the blurred lines between reality and artificial systems, the Anthropocene and human-nonhuman entanglements, the dissolution of identity in the post-internet era, and the rise of AI-generated creativity. These sessions are not treated as didactic modules, but rather as open fields of exploration, where artists are encouraged to cross disciplinary boundaries and formulate unique lines of inquiry.

the programme immerses artists in three months of intensive conceptual inquiry

As the year progresses, the programme transitions into its production phase, in which each artist begins to develop and fabricate their own major project. Here, the conceptual threads of earlier sessions are brought into dialogue with cutting-edge technologies housed within DAF’s purpose-built facilities. Artists work across platforms, from immersive virtual environments to generative audio, sensor-based installations to machine learning interfaces. They are supported throughout by a tailored mentorship model that pairs them with established figures in their chosen field. This close mentorship relationship is central to the programme’s ethos: the idea that bold creative leaps happen most fruitfully in environments of rigorous conversation and critical trust.

DAF’s infrastructure is purposefully designed to accommodate diverse artistic practices. The facilities include high-spec laboratories for spatial audiovisual experimentation, immersive simulation spaces, coding and interaction design environments, and advanced digital fabrication tools. Artists have the opportunity to test the limits of these systems, but also to question them—probing how tools shape aesthetics, politics, and meaning. The aim is not to teach technology as an end in itself, but to use it as a lens for thinking through urgent cultural, social, and ecological conditions.

as the year progresses, the programme transitions into its production phase, in which each artist begins to develop and fabricate their own major project

The final months of the programme are devoted to scenography, refinement, and public presentation. Each artist’s project is curated into a public exhibition held at DAF, which serves as both a culmination of the year and a point of departure for wider visibility. The exhibition is juried, offering professional feedback and positioning participants within an international critical context. But perhaps more importantly, it functions as a meeting point—between artist and audience, form and theory, idea and impact.

What sets this programme apart is its intellectual ambition and its emphasis on creating conditions for deep artistic inquiry. It resists fast-paced production models in favor of depth, dialogue and process. It prioritizes local engagement while remaining unapologetically global in its perspective. Throughout the year, visiting artists, curators and scholars will contribute to an evolving ecosystem of exchange—ensuring that participants are not only receiving but also shaping the conversations around contemporary digital art.

artists have the opportunity to test the limits of these systems, but also to question them—probing how tools shape aesthetics, politics, and meaning

the final months of the programme are devoted to scenography, refinement, and public presentation

what sets this programme apart is its intellectual ambition and its emphasis on creating conditions for deep artistic inquiry

the participants are supported throughout by a tailored mentorship model that pairs them with established figures in their chosen field

the aim is not to teach technology as an end in itself, but to use it as a lens for thinking through urgent cultural, social, and ecological conditions

project info:

name: Emerging New Media Artists programme

organization: Diriyah Art Futures | @dafmoc

partner: Le Fresnoy – Studio National des Arts Contemporains | @lefresnoy

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Working Out, a solo exhibition by artist, architect, and designer Daniel Widrig, is on view at the Neues Museum Nürnberg in Germany, through May 25, 2025. The exhibition transforms the gallery into an active studio environment, integrating digital design, fabrication, and public engagement within a museum setting.

Rather than presenting completed works alone, Working Out emphasizes the processes behind their creation. Widrig’s ongoing production is visible throughout the duration of the exhibition, with the use of digital fabrication tools such as 3D printing, CNC milling, and robotic arms. The space is organized to accommodate live production, where raw materials, tools, and unfinished elements are displayed alongside final outcomes.

Neues Museum Nürnberg – Exhibition detail | all images by NAARO

Working Out displays both Unfinished and completed works

The exhibition title, Working Out, references both the iterative nature of problem-solving and the physical dimension of material engagement. The layout and programming encourage transparency and interaction, with open workstations and scheduled workshops that allow visitors to observe or participate in digital sculpting techniques, including virtual reality modeling and generative design tools.

Widrig’s practice operates across multiple disciplines including sculpture, fashion, and architecture. His work has previously been exhibited at institutions such as the Centre Pompidou and the V&A, and includes collaborations like the 3D printed garments developed with designer Iris van Herpen. Working Out continues London-based architect and designer’s investigation of computational aesthetics, material experimentation, and cross-disciplinary design methods. The exhibition framework positions the museum not only as a site of presentation but also as an active space for design research and production.

Neues Museum Nürnberg – Exhibition detail

TRAP (2024) – Chair detail

Thornes (2024) – Sculpture detail

Softcore (2025) – Foam-based sculpture

Neues Museum Nürnberg – Exhibition view

Chubby Chair (2025) – Chair made from recycled sawdust, printed in collaboration with Additive Tectonics

Coir (2028) – Seating object made from natural coir fibers, in collaboration with Material Architecture Lab

Neues Museum Nürnberg – Exhibition detail

Instances (2028) – Sand-printed sculpture, 3D printed in collaboration with Sandhelden

Neues Museum Nürnberg – Exhibition view

Robotic Factory – Real-time robotic carving, in collaboration with Federico Rossi, Southbank University

Subtraction (2025) – 3D-printed relief, painted in collaboration with Veit Schmidleitner

Neues Museum Nürnberg – Exhibition detail

project info:

name: Daniel Widrig: Working Out
designer: Daniel Widrig | @danielwidrig

location: Nuremberg, Germany

host: Neues Museum Nürnberg | @neues_museum_nuernberg

photographer: NAARO | @studio_naaro

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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