Refik Anadol Opens 22-Foot Dataland Preview for 20 UCLA Students in Los Angeles
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 5
Refik Anadol Opens 22-Foot Dataland Preview for 20 UCLA Students in Los Angeles
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 5
Summary
About 20 UCLA students got an advance look at Dataland, Refik Anadol’s soon-to-open A.I. art museum in downtown Los Angeles, before its public opening.
Inside the museum’s 22-foot-high main gallery, Anadol’s system turned rainforest data into immersive moving images, sound and 3-D visuals that spread across walls and floor.
One sequence transformed data on Amazon butterfly wings into shifting patterns of white light and streaks of color, illustrating how the museum’s works are generated from datasets.
Founded by Anadol and painter Efsun Erkiliç, Dataland is billed as a major addition to Los Angeles’ growing art-and-technology scene and among the most ambitious museums devoted to A.I. art.
Can an AI-powered museum's beauty justify its environmental footprint and the data it consumes?
As Dataland opens, will its use of Amazonian data honor Indigenous communities or repeat colonial history?
Dataland 2026: Launching the World’s First AI Art Museum with ‘Machine Dreams: Rainforest’ and Ethical AI Innovation
Overview
In early June 2026, UCLA students were given an exclusive first look at Dataland, the world’s first museum dedicated to AI arts. This preview offered students a foundational experience with Dataland’s immersive world, reflecting the museum’s strategic engagement with the academic community. The early exposure aimed to spark interest and gather valuable feedback, setting the stage for future interactions and broader public engagement. Dataland’s approach highlights its commitment to innovation and community involvement, as it prepares to open its doors to the public later in June 2026.