The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) recently made history by adding artificial intelligence (AI) and non-fungible token (NFT) works to its collection for the first time. Refik Anadol’s “Unsupervised — Machine Hallucinations” and Ian Cheng’s “3FACE” from last year are now part of MoMA’s iconic collection, joining famous relics like Andy Warhol’s soup cans and Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.”
MoMA’s long-standing commitment to supporting artists experimenting with emerging technologies is evident in their latest acquisitions. The museum’s digital art programming for the upcoming seasons includes Leslie Thornton’s “HANDMADE” and an online exhibition with Feral File.
“Unsupervised” by Anadol, designed with help from Nvidia, received widespread attention, while “3FACE” by Cheng explores blockchain technologies and the decentralization of data. MoMA’s recognition of generative art marks a new milestone in art history and opens the door to greater artistic agency for a wider audience.