Los Angeles is known for its forward-thinking spirit and cultural dynamism, making it a fitting home for an audacious new project that promises to redefine the concept of an art museum. Slated to open in 2025 at the Frank Gehry-designed Grand LA development, DATALAND, the world’s first Museum of AI Arts, is poised to become a landmark for both the city and the global art community.
The brainchild of acclaimed media artist Refik Anadol and co-founder Efsun Erkılıç, DATALAND will serve as a pioneering space where human creativity meets machine intelligence, inviting audiences to experience a fusion of cutting-edge technology and artistic expression. By situating DATALAND at The Grand LA, a gleaming complex nestled within Los Angeles’ cultural corridor, Anadol and Erkılıç are signaling their commitment to a city that has played a central role in shaping their artistic vision.
“Los Angeles is the perfect city to launch DATALAND, a forward-thinking, revolutionary museum in support of the fields to which I have dedicated my career: art, science, technology, and AI research,” said Anadol, whose works have captivated audiences worldwide. “LA has long been a city that looks to the future in art, music, cinema, and architecture. To have a permanent space for us to develop a new paradigm of what a museum can be, by fusing human imagination with machine intelligence, is a realization of one of my biggest dreams.”
A New Paradigm for Art Museums
Located directly across from Gehry’s iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, where Anadol debuted the critically acclaimed WDCH Dreams in 2018, DATALAND is set to become the latest cultural addition to a neighborhood already rich in artistic landmarks, including The Broad, MOCA, and The Music Center. Its arrival signals a new chapter for downtown Los Angeles, positioning the area as a hub for innovation at the intersection of technology and the arts.
DATALAND’s mission is to be more than just a showcase of AI-generated art. It will be a fully immersive experience, bringing audiences face-to-face with the possibilities of machine creativity. Designed in collaboration with architecture firm Gensler and the sustainable development consultancy Arup, the museum will leverage advanced data visualization and AI-based technologies to create a space where art, science, and technology converge.
“Our Studio has presented exhibitions in incredible places all around the world, but having a space of our own gives us a blank canvas to work with, allowing us to truly push ourselves to dream without boundaries,” noted Erkılıç, DATALAND’s co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer. “DATALAND will be a place where audiences of all ages are transported to new worlds of discovery, inspiration, and wonder.”
Transforming Data into Art
At the heart of DATALAND’s inaugural exhibitions will be Refik Anadol Studio’s Large Nature Model, an open-source AI model based solely on nature data. This groundbreaking project will present viewers with breathtaking visualizations of the natural world, rendered through the lens of machine intelligence. Anadol’s AI models will draw from vast datasets, ranging from meteorological patterns to ecological data, generating imagery that invites viewers to contemplate the relationship between technology and the environment.
Such projects highlight Anadol’s unique approach to data as a raw material for artistic creation, which he has been pioneering since 2014. His previous works, such as Machine Hallucinations at The Sphere in Las Vegas and Living Architecture at Casa Batlló in Barcelona, have pushed the boundaries of how data can be transformed into visual experiences that resonate on both intellectual and emotional levels.
“DATALAND is a place where human creativity meets innovation, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary,” said Erkılıç. “We are building a visionary museum that redefines learning and community, igniting the human spirit and fueling a journey into the beauty of our collective memories—the world of data.”
A Full-Circle Moment for Anadol
The decision to establish DATALAND at The Grand LA is deeply symbolic for Anadol. It was here, nearly a decade ago, that his studio made its mark with the mesmerizing WDCH Dreams, a projection-mapped installation that turned the Walt Disney Concert Hall into a living, breathing entity, generating digital “dreams” from 100 years of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s archival data.
“Launching DATALAND in the shadow of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, where our journey in LA really began, is incredibly meaningful,” Anadol shared. “This is a full-circle moment that brings our vision home.”
The museum will join other cultural institutions along Grand Avenue, creating a dense network of art and science resources that will position Los Angeles as a global leader in AI art innovation. As Nick Vanderboom, Chief Operating Officer of Related California, noted, “DATALAND will inspire entirely new audiences to visit downtown LA, infusing new energy into the neighborhood and further cementing Grand Avenue as a place to see and be seen in the international arts community.”
Pushing the Boundaries of Creativity
DATALAND’s opening will follow a series of high-profile installations and exhibitions by Refik Anadol Studio around the world. In 2023, his Unsupervised installation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York attracted nearly 3 million visitors in one year, earning acclaim as an “early masterpiece of AI-generated art” and becoming the first AI artwork to be acquired into MoMA’s permanent collection.
The new museum will continue to build on this legacy, offering unprecedented access to AI-based artworks, live performances, and immersive installations. With its focus on ethical data-gathering and responsible AI practices, DATALAND aims to set a global standard for the presentation, curation, and exploration of AI-driven art.
“DATALAND is not just about showcasing AI art, but about exploring the deep potential of human-machine collaboration,” said Anadol. “We’re building a space where audiences can engage directly with the future of creativity, where they can be part of the unfolding story of what art can become.”
As the world’s first Museum of AI Arts, DATALAND will not only redefine how we view digital and generative art but also chart a course for future cultural institutions that seek to embrace the possibilities of technology while remaining grounded in human experience. In doing so, it promises to transform downtown Los Angeles into a beacon for the arts and technology—where the future of creativity comes to life.
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