Hyundai and Rhizome Collaborate to Unveil the Future of Art and Technology with ‘Seven on Seven’ (7×7) Relaunch
By Francis Page, Jr.
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Jan. 23, 2024 (Houston Style Magazine) — In a groundbreaking collaboration, Hyundai Motor Company and Rhizome announce the relaunch of ‘Seven on Seven’ (7×7) on January 27, 2024, at the New Museum in New York City. After a pandemic-induced hiatus, this iconic art and technology program returns with a renewed focus on artificial intelligence (AI), offering a unique exploration of the intersection between creativity and cutting-edge technology.
7×7, known for pairing leading artists with visionary technologists, challenges them to create something entirely new, with the results presented at a public, experiential conference. The 2024 edition, co-organized by Michael Connor, Co-Executive Director of Rhizome, and Xinran Yuan, an independent curator and producer, marks the first in-person gathering since 2019. The event will be live-streamed on the New Museum’s YouTube channel, providing a global audience with a front-row seat to the innovative collaborations.
DooEun Choi, Art Director at Hyundai Motor Company, expressed enthusiasm about the relaunch, stating, “Through our continuing partnership with Rhizome of the New Museum, Hyundai Motor builds on years of forming deep connections with leading arts institutions and communities. In working with Rhizome for this relaunch, we aim to bring this iconic program to a new level and a new global audience.”
The partnership between Hyundai Motor and Rhizome began in 2021 with ‘World on a Wire,’ an internationally touring exhibition and online project that explored simulation as an artistic practice, emphasizing augmented reality and virtual reality. The collaboration continues in 2024 with the relaunch of Rhizome’s iconic 7×7 program, showcasing Hyundai Motor’s commitment to fostering innovation and creativity.
7×7 2024 focuses on AI, bringing together creative duos from various disciplines to explore how AI may reshape our understanding of love, humor, improvisation, biology, politics, and history. Noteworthy collaborations include an experimental performance featuring Boston Dynamics’ Spot® The Agile Mobile Robot.
The participants and their topics for 7×7 2024 include:
Quantum physicist Dr. Stephon Alexander and comedian/musician Reggie Watts experiment with improvisation to understand connections among physics, creativity, and AI.
Boston Dynamics Director of Human-Robot Interaction David Robert and artist Miriam Simun explore connections between humans and non-humans through a performance featuring Spot® – The Agile Mobile Robot.
Runway Co-Founder and CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela and comedian, writer, and actor Ana Fabrega investigate the humorous side of AI.
Replika AI Founder and CEO Eugenia Kuyda and artist Lynn Hershman Leeson collaborate on a science-fiction narrative centered around AI relationships.
Nym Technologies Co-Founder and CEO Harry Halpin and artist Tomás Saraceno examine technology’s role in organizational decision-making for communities facing climate-related challenges.
Ginkgo Bioworks Head of Creative Christina Agapakis and artist Xin Liu delve into the creation of a protein, exploring the hidden layers of the biological system that AI might uncover.
Engineer and environmental entrepreneur Alan Steremberg and artist Rindon Johnson use data for storytelling, drawing on information about plastics, plankton, and other conditions in the Pacific Ocean.
Rhizome Co-Executive Director Michael Connor emphasized the program’s critical view of AI’s role in society, stating, “The participants look beyond the dreams of apocalypse and the endless drive to extract, and ask, what new kinds of collaborations and entanglements will AI enable?”
Since its inception in 2010, 7×7 has been at the forefront of art and technology collaboration, catalyzing creative experiments and critical engagements with emerging technologies. As a mirror of significant cultural contexts, 7×7 continues to shape trends in our increasingly technological society.
Lisa Phillips, Toby Devan Lewis Director of the New Museum, expressed gratitude for convening this critical gathering, stating, “7×7 has long been a key part of our vision to make the New Museum a campus for new art and new ideas, supporting not only the display of art but knowledge creation in many forms.”
Don’t miss the relaunch of 7×7, where Hyundai and Rhizome redefine the boundaries of art and technology, propelling us into a future where innovation and creativity converge. Stay tuned for a transformative experience that transcends geographical boundaries and explores the limitless possibilities of AI in shaping our cultural landscape.
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