Sep 6, 2024 - Culture
"Dvořák Dreams" brings splashy, AI-powered art to the Kennedy Center
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A giant, colorful art installation at the Kennedy Center is powered by AI and honors Czech composer Antonin Dvořák.
The big picture: At 32x32 feet, it's a unique sight to behold at the Kennedy Center's outdoor REACH Plaza.
- Told through chapters, "Dvořák Dreams" shows cascading dream-like representations of melodies, interspersed with images of cities that have inspired Dvořák's work, like New York.
- He himself is represented in moving pictures as a conductor.
Zoom in: It is created by internationally acclaimed digital artist Refik Anadol, who works with data and machine learning to create art.
- "We let this AI listen to every single beautiful repertoire [of Dvořák] and really let it dream," Anadol said Wednesday at the opening launch.
- Anadol, who is Turkish American and lives in Los Angeles, creates public art across the globe. One of his pieces, called "Machine Hallucinations," was previously acquired by the Museum of Modern Art.
- The 0xCollection, a group supported by Swiss entrepreneur Karel Komárek, commissioned the work.
If you go: "Dvořák Dreams" is open to the public Sept. 4-24.
- Monday-Thursday, 4pm to midnight.
- Friday-Sunday, 12pm to midnight.