A groundbreaking art installation at UN Headquarters by renowned media artist Refik Anadol leverages artificial intelligence to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of the world’s coral reefs, and the urgent need to address the climate crisis.
Abstract shapes in green, orange and white flow into and out of each other in an endless, never-repeating pattern, combined with ambient music that induces a hypnotizing effect on those who stare at it a little too long (like this writer).
It’s pretty hard for delegates at High-Level Week and the Summit of the Future to miss Large Nature Model: Coral. The artwork covers a whole section of wall in the ground floor corridor of the UN Headquarters Conference building, facing the Japanese Peace Garden.
As well as drawing the eye, however, the artist behind the piece is subtly drawing attention to two of the major global issues under discussion at the UN during the busiest week of the year: the climate crisis and the impact of artificial intelligence.
AI was used to gather together millions of photos of coral reefs, many of which are endangered by rising ocean temperatures. The effect on the viewer is both mesmerizing and, given the context, poignant: coral reef ecosystems are among the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet to climate change.
These undersea cities, which support 25 per cent of marine life, could virtually disappear by the end of this century.
“I hope that Large Nature Model: Coral inspires people to see how technology can foster deeper connections with our planet and empower us to work together toward a more sustainable world,” said Mr. Anadol at the launch of the installation.
He was joined by Vilas Dhar, the President of the Patrick J McGovern Foundation – a philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence and data science solutions for all – and Melissa Fleming, the UN Under Secretary-General for Global Communications, whose department jointly organized the exhibition.
