Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s latest commission for Hong Kong’s M+ museum represents a fascinating convergence of cutting-edge AI technology with nostalgic cinema. His work “Night Charades” transforms the museum’s massive 110-metre facade into a canvas for reimagined scenes from Hong Kong’s cinematic Golden Age, using artificial intelligence to create multiple versions of iconic moments from films by directors like John Woo and Wong Kar-wai. This project exemplifies how AI tools can be harnessed to explore cultural heritage while simultaneously creating something distinctly contemporary.
The big picture: Ho’s installation continues his artistic approach of using the past to explore the future, with AI technology creating multiple versions of classic Hong Kong cinema scenes.
Cultural context: Ho’s personal connection to Hong Kong cinema stems from his childhood in Singapore, where these films and TV series were enormously influential.
Approach to AI: Ho treats artificial intelligence as a tool with specific capabilities and limitations, focusing on its ability to generate multiple interpretations.
Why this matters: Night Charades represents a thoughtful application of AI in art that doesn’t simply showcase the technology but uses it to explore cultural memory and visual history.