Digital art is having its moment at the 17^th edition of Art Dubai, considered the Arab world's distinguished art fair that uniquely shines a light on contemporary talent from the Global South. A standout concept at the fair comes through an immersive experience, conceived by Canadian-Korean artist Krista Kim, Julius Baer's commissioned artist for Art Dubai 2024 as part of their ‘NEXT’ initiative, launched in 2023 where vibrant art meets cutting-edge technology, collaborating with forward-thinking contemporary talents.

Kim is presenting Heart Space, which was commissioned by Julius Baer, the Swiss private banking firm, and installed at its namesake lounge at the event. In Heart Space, the visitor enters a small dark room, lit up by bright colours on a LED screen. The work is ultimately about unity and connection. "The philosophy behind the work is I want to use emerging and generative technology of artificial intelligence to create oneness," Kim told STIR during the VIP opening of Art Dubai 2024. 

Accompanied by a soothing sound system that plays in the background, the screen reveals a complex network of multi-coloured lines that are floating in a calm, mesmerising rhythm. They represent individual heartbeats. Equipped with four hardware systems, the space can accommodate four people at a time. Then, they scan their fingerprints onto sensors, recording individual heartbeats. Represented through different colours, reflecting a certain mood or emotional state, the heartbeat springs up on the screen as a waveform, harmonising into a wide aggregate of heartbeats.

If an individual is highly emotional, the waveform is red. Whereas, if someone is feeling normal, the waveform is colored blue or green. Although if it's yellow, "you're really calm," Kim said with a laugh. "You’re going to see how these four inputs combine to create a social fabric," explained Kim. "So the artwork shows how the beauty of the heartbeat can come together to create one beautiful artwork." Overall, the ephemeral "heart beat" is a memorable encounter, offering a moment of respite and reflection, in an otherwise busy art fair.

Kim's practice, an intersection of light, movement and colour, is rooted in the notions of meditation and spirituality. "My intention is to create zen for the digital age," is her motto. She even coined the term "Techism," in 2014 referring to how art is rapidly changing as a whole entity in the 21^st century. "Art is no longer limited to a frame on a wall. Art is becoming ever more an interactive practice," Kim wrote in her manifesto. "Techism is the movement of our time, where we need to acknowledge digital disruption and accept the immense task of creating a new culture that expresses our humanity in the digital age."

At Art Dubai this year, her video work is also being shown in a separate booth, set up by the UK-based gallery, Unit London. Curated by Aurondo Scalera and Alfredo Cramerotti, Art Dubai Digital is exhibiting Kim's vibrant video work Mirror of the Mind, v.7 where a central, diamond-like sphere shines. "The diamond is very significant in her work because it represents humans and all their different facets,” Kenza Zouari, Unit London's Head of Community, told STIR. Recently, a video work of Kim's, called Continuum, has entered the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in California. Her artwork has also been shown in public places, such as New York City's Times Square and the World Economic Forum in Davos. 

“I think Krista’s work is quite relevant, especially today, as technology is getting quite insane," Zouari said. "We’re not sure if it’s a threat or if it’s something that we should see positively. But her whole work is actually to show us the benefit of digital art. A lot of her work is around the idea of digital humanity, so, how can technology and digital artwork improve our lives and mental health?" she adds.

While many of the young generations are embracing technology-created art, it remains a divisive topic in the art world. Some are simply not on board with the idea. Can 'real' art be made by a machine? "I think digital art scares people because they don’t understand it," opines Kim, "But if you put it in a context like this, where you’re sharing your heartbeat and you’re creating something beautiful, then that shifts the paradigm and that also gets people thinking how they can also use technology to make a better human connection,” she concludes.

STIR is a Media Partner with Art Dubai 2024, taking place at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, from March 1-3. Click here to read STIR's exclusive coverage of the 17^th edition.