Musk, Zuckerberg Transformed into Robot Dogs: "Regular Animals" Exhibition in Berlin Draws Attention
Renowned digital artist Beeple is exhibiting his new work "Regular Animals" in Berlin. It satirically portrays Elon Musk and others as robot dogs, demonstrating how AI changes our perception of the world. The work has generated significant buzz on social media.
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(CNA reporter Lin Shang-ying in Berlin on the 5th) American artist Beeple, who once sold a digital work for approximately NT$2.1 billion, brought his physical creation "Regular Animals" to Berlin this month. The work transforms tech giants like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg into robot dogs, gaining immense popularity on social media due to its strong visual impact. Beeple, in an interview with CNA, stated that he hopes the work conveys how algorithms are changing the way people view the world.
At the beginning of this month, the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin saw a large influx of visitors, many drawn by the reputation of "Regular Animals." In the exhibition hall, these robot dogs constantly move and capture images, becoming the focal point of the audience's attention.
In "Regular Animals," robot dogs embodying tech giants such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are equipped with scanning and sensing devices. Through AI computation, they "digest" the live images they capture and then "expel" images in a specific style from their tails, metaphorically implying that the information people receive has actually been filtered and reshaped layer by layer.
This installation art, which combines robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) and carries a strong sense of satire, quickly went viral on social media after its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach late last year.
Beeple, whose real name is Mike Winkelmann, is a digital artist who has garnered significant attention in recent years. In 2021, he compiled 5,000 digital images, created daily since 2007, into an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) artwork titled "Everydays: The First 5000 Days," which sold for US$69.3 million (approximately NT$2.1 billion) at a Christie's auction, setting a record for digital art auctions.
However, many art critics at the time questioned whether Beeple's work was merely riding the NFT wave and if its price did not match its artistic value. Several years later, he brought a physical installation work centered on robots and AI into a museum, engaging in interaction with the audience.
In an interview with CNA in Berlin, Beeple stated that for years, the outside world has focused on and debated his creative forms, but what he cares about is not just digital technology itself, but how technology affects people's understanding of the world.
"In the past, artists' aesthetics changed the way we viewed the world, much like Picasso's paintings redefined visual experience; but now, our vision is more determined by technology companies and algorithms." Beeple believes this is an enormous power, but many people have not truly realized the influence of algorithms.
Although the work carries a satire of technology, Beeple, who majored in computer science in college, admits that AI has become an indispensable part of his creative process. "AI has opened up many previously unimaginable possibilities, which is very exciting; but its strong subversiveness also makes one uneasy."
How to face the duality of AI development? Between Picasso, Andy Warhol, Kim Jong Un, and Silicon Valley tech giants, there is a robot dog that uses Beeple's own face. Beeple self-reflects, saying: "I am also part of this system; I use these tools every day and am also affected by them."
In his view, art may not provide answers, but at least it can prompt people to think, in an era where algorithms shape people's worldview, whether they are also participating in the shaping process while being drawn into it. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang)1150505
At the beginning of this month, the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin saw a large influx of visitors, many drawn by the reputation of "Regular Animals." In the exhibition hall, these robot dogs constantly move and capture images, becoming the focal point of the audience's attention.
In "Regular Animals," robot dogs embodying tech giants such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are equipped with scanning and sensing devices. Through AI computation, they "digest" the live images they capture and then "expel" images in a specific style from their tails, metaphorically implying that the information people receive has actually been filtered and reshaped layer by layer.
This installation art, which combines robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) and carries a strong sense of satire, quickly went viral on social media after its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach late last year.
Beeple, whose real name is Mike Winkelmann, is a digital artist who has garnered significant attention in recent years. In 2021, he compiled 5,000 digital images, created daily since 2007, into an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) artwork titled "Everydays: The First 5000 Days," which sold for US$69.3 million (approximately NT$2.1 billion) at a Christie's auction, setting a record for digital art auctions.
However, many art critics at the time questioned whether Beeple's work was merely riding the NFT wave and if its price did not match its artistic value. Several years later, he brought a physical installation work centered on robots and AI into a museum, engaging in interaction with the audience.
In an interview with CNA in Berlin, Beeple stated that for years, the outside world has focused on and debated his creative forms, but what he cares about is not just digital technology itself, but how technology affects people's understanding of the world.
"In the past, artists' aesthetics changed the way we viewed the world, much like Picasso's paintings redefined visual experience; but now, our vision is more determined by technology companies and algorithms." Beeple believes this is an enormous power, but many people have not truly realized the influence of algorithms.
Although the work carries a satire of technology, Beeple, who majored in computer science in college, admits that AI has become an indispensable part of his creative process. "AI has opened up many previously unimaginable possibilities, which is very exciting; but its strong subversiveness also makes one uneasy."
How to face the duality of AI development? Between Picasso, Andy Warhol, Kim Jong Un, and Silicon Valley tech giants, there is a robot dog that uses Beeple's own face. Beeple self-reflects, saying: "I am also part of this system; I use these tools every day and am also affected by them."
In his view, art may not provide answers, but at least it can prompt people to think, in an era where algorithms shape people's worldview, whether they are also participating in the shaping process while being drawn into it. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang)1150505