‘Ai or Nay? Artificial vs. Intelligent’ looks at AI in Media Majlis Museum
- 09 Jan 2025
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
‘Ai or Nay? Artificial vs. Intelligent’ is the latest exhibition set to open at the Media Majlis Museum at Northwestern University in Qatar (Jan. 15 – May 15). The exhibition explores the evolving relationship between human creativity and machine learning, while examining the opportunities and challenges AI presents for contemporary journalism. It includes a collection of over 20 works by regional and international artists, spanning diverse mediums including visual arts, installations and mixed media, and also features immersive digital experiences, newly commissioned works and loaned pieces from institutions such as the Computer History Museum (California), Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah), and Qatar Museums (Doha).
Curated by Jack Thomas Taylor, curator of Art, Media & Technology at the Media Majlis Museum, and in alignment with the museum’s mission to foster critical thinking and connect with the ever-evolving contemporary world, ‘Ai or Nay?’ invites visitors to explore the interaction between digital and human learning, focusing on how contemporary journalism could utilise the diverse possibilities of AI, amidst its limitations. “As an institution dedicated to advancing media and communication excellence, this exhibition offers a thought-provoking exploration of how AI is shaping the world of media, privacy, identity and representation and challenges us to reconsider our evolving relationship with technology,” said Marwan M. Kraidy, Dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar. “This exhibition is a powerful example of how art and innovation can inspire meaningful dialogue about the future of media.”
The show, viewed through the lenses of four themes - hindsight, insight, foresight, and oversight - invites audiences to explore how AI is transforming life and living. Through curated installations, visitors encounter sketches morphing into digital artworks (Dream Machine by Jan Zuiderveld), robotic arms capturing their portraits (Time to Read by Patrick Tresset), and a 3D-printed nose telling stories through scent (Adnose by Adnan Ayub Aga from Portugal). The exhibition encourages the audience to question, reconsider, and delve deeper into their inevitable connection with the ever-evolving realm of AI.
Alfredo Cramerotti, director of the Media Majlis Museum, said that “this exhibition dares audiences to ask, where are we headed in our coevolution with artificial intelligence?” New works by international and regional artists include Cairo-based Yemeni artist Amr Alngmah’s ‘Artificial Target’, which explores the interplay between software, hardware, and humanity; Doha-based Bangladeshi artist Farjana Salahuddin’s interactive work, ‘Patterned Desserts’ examines themes of authorship and tangibility; and the collaborative digital artwork ‘How We See the Computer How the Computer Sees Us’ by Qatari graphic designer Hind Al Saad and Doha-based Egyptian artist Hadeer Omar, who visually investigates the relationship between AI and human cognition.
Berlin-based Turkish artist Bilge Emir, known for her comic book style, contributed illustrations to the exhibition’s visual identity that bridge art and technology. Accompanying the artworks are digital installations produced by the Museum, including ‘Is It Real?’, a digital essay that blends AI-generated material with found footage; ‘Building Blocks of AI and Journalism’, which explores the evolving relationship between Journalism and Artificial Intelligence; and ‘Where Do They Stand?’, a simulated conversation that examines the potential and limitations of chatbots in investigative journalism.
Other notable artists include Christto & Andrew (Puerto Rico and South Africa), Dries Depoorter (Belgium), Entangled Others (Portugal), Feileacan K. McCormick (Norway), Sofia Crespo (Argentina), Abdulnasser Gharem (Saudi Arabia), Ahmed Mater (Saudi Arabia), Halim Al Karim (Iraq), Hani Zurob (Palestine), Kader Attia (Algeria/France), Larissa Sansour (Palestine), Pierre Koukjian (Lebanon), Taysir Batniji (Palestine), Jan Zuiderveld (The Netherlands), Joey Holder (United Kingdom), Kate Crawford (Australia), Vladan Joler (Serbia), Mathieu Merlet Briand (France), Patrick Tresset (France), and Raqs Media Collective (India). Commissioned works include those from Amr Alngmah (Yemen), Bilge Emir (Turkey), Farjana Salahuddin (Bangladesh), Hadeer Omar (Egypt) and Hind Al Saad (Qatar).
The exhibition is accompanied by a full-colour illustrated glossary of terminology associated with AI and journalism, available in both English and Arabic. It is published by Silvana Editoriale and edited by Taylor and Dubai-based journalist, Katy Gillett. The publication features a foreword by Dean Kraidy, an introduction by Taylor, and an endword by Cramerotti.
Taylor (b. 1991, United Kingdom) joined the Media Majlis Museum in 2017 as one of the founding curators and has worked extensively across multiple areas of the organisation since its inception. Since 2009, he has held various positions in the arts, culture, and creative domains in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, and Qatar. His research interests include the exploration of soft power and the cultural and creative industries in Doha, Qatar. The Media Majlis Museum is the first university museum in the Arab World dedicated to exploring journalism, communication and media. In 2022, it also became the first museum in the Middle East to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
The Media Majlis Museum addresses topics such as Arab culture, language and identity, as well as the impact of current technology on media, journalism, and newsrooms. Northwestern University in Qatar was founded in partnership with the Qatar Foundation. It provides a framework through which students explore the world and, ultimately, work to shape its future through programmes in communication, journalism and strategic communication, and the liberal arts. ‘Ai or Nay?’ corresponds with Northwestern Qatar’s broader goals by encouraging visitors to reflect on the rapidly developing role of AI in shaping societal values, media consumption and ethical considerations and underscores the museum’s role as a cultural hub that fosters deeper connections to contemporary issues, while pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms and artistic expression.