At the 2024 Fast Company Innovation Festival, Hyundai Motor’s Artlab hosted a riveting panel titled “Echoes of the Unseen: Where Art, Technology, Ecology, and Place Come Together,” bringing together creative leaders to explore the intricate intersections of art, technology, and environmental responsibility. Moderated by Greg Lindsay of FastCo Works, the conversation featured DooEun Choi, Hyundai’s Artlab Director, Joel Ferree, Program Director of the Art + Technology Lab at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and artist John Gerrard, whose AI-driven piece Flare (Oceania) captivated the audience. Gerrard, known for his detailed and complex virtual worlds, explained how the piece serves as a critique of human impact on nature. A hand-written algorithm that simulates flames hovering over a digital ocean, Gerrard’s work represents the devastating effects of environmental destruction.
In many ways, Gerrard’s use of AI mirrors the ambitions of Hyundai’s Artlab and LACMA’s Art + Technology Lab. Both seek to merge the artistic and technological worlds, encouraging artists to take risks and explore new mediums. The partnership provides the resources and support for artists like Gerrard to experiment and bring their ideas to life, which would have been unthinkable without these collaborative efforts.
Together, they delved into the profound impact of technology on art and the potential for artistic expression to influence our understanding of ecological crises.
LACMA and Hyundai’s Ongoing Partnership relationship with LACMA goes beyond mere sponsorship—it is a decade-long collaboration, for two companies that are roughly five decades old, rooted in a shared vision of innovation and risk-taking in the world of contemporary art. The Hyundai Project: Art + Technology at LACMA, a key part of their partnership, draws inspiration from the museum’s groundbreaking Art & Technology program. This original initiative paired influential artists like Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg with major corporations, setting the stage for cross-disciplinary experimentation. Today, Hyundai and LACMA’s collaboration echoes that spirit by supporting artists who engage with cutting-edge technology to create works that challenge perceptions and inspire societal reflection.
The Art + Technology Lab has allowed the program to thrive as a hub for artistic experimentation. The lab provides grants, in-kind support, and access to facilities, enabling artists to work alongside industry innovators. Joel Ferree, Program Director of the lab, emphasized how Hyundai’s backing helps foster an environment where art and technology can intersect in ways that inspire bold new visions.
In recent years, the lab has supported projects like Robert Irwin’s Miracle Mile (2013) and James Turrell’s Light Reignfall (2011), both of which continue the legacy of the original Art & Technology program. Irwin’s Miracle Mile, a site-specific installation, plays with light, color, and architectural elements, subtly interacting with the urban landscape of Wilshire Boulevard. Similarly, Turrell’s Light Reignfall, a perceptual cell, invites viewers into a spherical chamber where they experience light in a way that challenges traditional notions of seeing. Both works, supported by LACMA and Hyundai, reflect the power of art to alter perception, mirroring the ongoing mission of the Art + Technology Lab.
Art is a lens which connects people beyond boundaries. Within the company, we showcase dedication through art via the LACMA partnership to take the risk and be at the forefront of experimentation. We see it as a platform for experimentation, to learn from the artist and technologists.
DooEun Choi, Art Director, Head of Artlab, Hyundai Motor Co.
As the panel concluded, the conversation shifted toward the future. Hyundai’s DooEun Choi reflected on the company’s commitment to fostering a dialogue between art and innovation. She emphasized that such collaborations are more than creating aesthetically pleasing works—it’s about using technology to address real-world issues like climate change and human impact on the environment. As Hyundai continues its partnership with LACMA, it aims to inspire future generations of artists and technologists to think creatively about the world’s most pressing challenges.
The Hyundai-LACMA collaboration serves as a beacon of what’s possible when art and technology are allowed to collide and collaborate, driving society forward with innovation and empathy. Through the Art + Technology Lab, artists like Gerrard are given the tools to not only create captivating works but to inspire audiences to rethink their place in the world and the responsibility we share in preserving it.
Featured image credit: Hyundai Art Lab, for more information visit their website.
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