New York: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations headquarters is hosting an unprecedented, innovative art exhibition, in which the famous Turkish-American artist Refik Anadol uses artificial intelligence to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of the world’s coral reefs, and the urgent need to address the climate crisis.
The flow of abstract shapes in green, orange and white in and out of each other in an endless, non-repeating pattern, mixed with ambient music – which can have a hypnotic effect on those who stare at it for too long (as happened to the author of this article). According to the daily news bulletin of the United Nations
It will be very difficult for delegates participating in the high-level week and the Summit for the Future not to notice this exhibition, called “Nature’s Big Model: Coral.” The artwork covers an entire section of the wall in the corridor on the ground floor of the UN headquarters conference building, facing the Peace Garden.
But in addition to attracting attention to the artwork and its aesthetics, the artist Anadol skillfully draws attention to two major global issues under discussion at the United Nations during the busiest week of the year: the climate crisis and the impact of artificial intelligence.
A captivating message
The artist has used artificial intelligence to compile millions of images of coral reefs, many of which are at risk from rising sea temperatures. The impact on those viewing the artwork is both captivating and poignant, as coral reef systems are among the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet to climate change.
Nearly all of these “underwater forests,” which support 25% of marine life, could disappear by the end of this century.
As his exhibition opened at the UN, Refik Anadol said: “I hope that ‘Nature’s Great Model: Corals’ will inspire people to see how technology can foster deeper connections with our planet and enable us to work together towards a more sustainable world.”
The renowned artist was speaking alongside Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation – a charitable organization dedicated to advancing AI and data science solutions for all – and Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, whose department is co-organizing the exhibition.
“AI is not just a tool for innovation – it is a force that can reshape the way we see our planet, reconnecting us with the beauty and fragility of nature in ways never before possible,” said Dar. “Refik Anadol’s visionary vision allows us to use technology to activate the senses and evoke a deeper emotional connection to our natural world.” The art exhibition will be on display at UN Headquarters from 21 to 28 September, coinciding with the annual gathering of world leaders for the General Assembly’s high-level general debate and the Summit on the Future. The Summit, which will take place on 22 to 23 September, will focus on strengthening multilateralism and addressing and managing challenges and opportunities, including those arising from new technologies such as AI.