Dubai, United Arab Emirates-Art Dubai and Julius Baer, today announced a newly commissioned digital installation by Canadian-Korean artist Krista Kim that will debut in the Julius Baer Lounge at Art Dubai. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Art Dubai 2024 will take place from 1 to 3 March (previews 28 and 29 February) at Madinat Jumeirah.
Heart Space مساحة القلب is an immersive experience that will allow guests to connect with one another through the universal language of the human heartbeat. In real-time, each visitor’s unique heart rhythm will be visualised through hypnotic patterns and meditative shapes displayed across a dynamic LED canvas, shifting to reflect each new guest’s energy. The installation puts forward the concept of ‘oneness’ where participants come together to create a social fabric harnessing the power of art and technology.
This new commission is a continuation of Kim’s ongoing exploration into digital consciousness and the creative potential of screens as digital instruments of wellbeing and longevity. She developed her signature language of shifting gradients using digital software since 2012, her works on glass and plexiglass aim to hypnotise viewers into a trance of tranquillity while her immersive video works provide meditative experiences of colour and light. In 2014, as a response to society’s over-reliance on technology, Kim started the Techism Movement, a philosophy that recognise technological innovation as an artistic discipline, encouraging artists to promote digital humanism for our digital culture. In 2024 she will present her work Continuum at the World Economic Forum at Davos as one of the conference’s cultural leaders.
Art Dubai is committed to working with its partners to develop new commissioning models and innovative cultural programmes to present new commissions and premieres by internationally renowned artists. These partnerships place particular emphasis on education and technology, which are playing a critical role in shaping the future of the creative scene in Dubai. Julius Baer has been a lead partner of Art Dubai since 2015. A long-standing supporter of the arts across the world, the collaboration with Art Dubai is in-line with the bank’s long-term commitment to supporting the UAE’s emergence as both a business and cultural hub.
Benedetta Ghione, Executive Director, Art Dubai said:
“We thrive on collaboration and take pride in working with partners such as Julius Baer who share our long-term vision of laying strong foundations for the future and without whom these programmes simply would not be possible. Our partnership with Julius Baer, which is now entering its 9th year, continues to expand in scale and ambition. It also exemplifies how businesses and institutions can harmoniously innovate and create opportunities for artists.”
Regis Burger, Head of Middle East & Africa at Julius Baer commented:
“For Art Dubai 2024, we are very excited to partner with Krista Kim to unveil the immersive commission ‘Heart Space’, which will connect guests with one another to create a social fabric harnessing the power of art and technology. Krista will be a part of Julius Baer’s NEXT universe, an initiative that was launched in 2023 allowing us to work with foresighted artists to amplify innovation. Through the commission, we want to showcase the emergence of mega trends such as shifting lifestyles and longevity and use art as a medium to convey these messages to our clients and the wider public.”
Krista Kim, artist said:
“I’m profoundly thankful to Julius Baer for enabling such an ambitious vision as ‘Heart Space’ – one amplifying AI technology’s power to reconnect where social media algorithms have fractured. As individuals participate, I hope each participant feels inspired in their singular beauty yet leaves appreciating a greater whole. My deepest wish is that from the micro – encoding each distinctive rhythm – to the macro tapestry those strands weave by exhibit’s close, visitors rediscover how alike our heartbeats sound when truly heard,” shares Krista Kim of her debut with Julius Baer at Art Dubai.
Heart Space is part of Julius Baer’s NEXT universe, an initiative designed to explore investment thematics and encourage the interdisciplinary exploration of megatrends across the arts, science, and technology. NEXT supports collaboration with forward-thinking artists and institutions committed to new forms of cultural production at the vanguard of scientific research and technological development. It is the second major digital commission by Julius Baer to debut at Art Dubai, following an acclaimed collaboration with Refik Anadol in March 2023.
Art Dubai is held in partnership with A.R.M. Holding. It is sponsored by Swiss Wealth Management Group Julius Baer. Culturally driven lifestyle developer HUNA is a partner of Art Dubai. The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is the fair’s strategic partner. Madinat Jumeirah is the home of Art Dubai.
About Art Dubai:
Art Dubai is the premier platform to see and buy modern and contemporary art from the Global South. Across Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba and Digital gallery sections, annual artist commissions and a multidisciplinary thought leadership programme, Art Dubai champions art and artists from across the Global South, providing a relevant and increasingly important alternative to mainstream, largely Western-led narratives.
Art Dubai is managed by the The Art Dubai Group, a commercial public/private partnership established in 2007. The company owns and delivers the Middle East’s leading art and design fairs and festivals, convening audiences from across the globe, providing platforms for social and cultural connections, and contributing to the growth and prosperity of the local creative economy. The Art Dubai Group’s mission is to build thriving ecosystems that have a global impact through initiatives that include world class events, commissioning creative talent and innovative professional development programmes, alongside offering industry expertise to private and government institutions.
The group now comprises over 30 initiatives. These include Art Dubai; Downtown Design, the region’s leading design fair with a focus on high quality and original design; Dubai Design Week, the region’s largest design festival; Prototypes for Humanity, the world’s largest and most diverse assembly of academics addressing social and environmental challenges; and the Global Art Forum, Art Dubai’s annual transdisciplinary summit.
