An open-air museum on commercial screens
Innocean, a South Korean advertising agency, announced on Wednesday the launch of a public art project that brings works by artists working with artificial intelligence to Seoul's large digital billboards, according to The Korea Herald. The initiative is called Innocean Open Museum and is led by i-Lab, the agency's creative AI research team. Unlike traditional out-of-home advertising, the project does not promote brands or products but exhibits the artists' work.
Where and when the works appeared
The first installations appeared in mid-October at The Monte Gangnam and at Shinsegae Gangnam Gate DS in Central City. The works were also projected at Central City Underworld DS throughout October, while the K Finance screen in Myeong-dong joined the project in November. The theme of the first edition is "Open" and involves three artists and creative teams exploring different approaches to AI-guided art.
Designer Kim Ji-young presents "Alien Beauty," which challenges conventional beauty standards through unusual skin textures. Kim Ji-hyun of creative studio Anreal presents "Aperture," inspired by the growth and dispersal of dandelion seeds. Creative duo Neither.I presents "Behind," which combines video, photography and electronic music to reveal scenes beyond a large curtain.
The method and stated intentions
The project is based on a concept the agency calls "Open Inquiry," namely the possibility for artists to experiment freely with AI as a tool, collaborator or subject of the work. Innocean adapted the works to the dimensions of each billboard and will document the creative processes through interviews and an online archive. The installations will continue until the end of the year, with new works to come. The agency also plans to recruit more AI artists and to explore collaborations linking their creative visions to brands.
"AI is changing creative methods and possibilities, and we wanted to open our capabilities and urban screens to artists," said Kim Jung-ah, CEO of Innocean, adding that the initiative will expand through partnerships with artists and brands. This is a statement of intent, not a result already measured.
What remains to be verified
The material does not indicate the number of viewers reached, the project costs, the financial terms for the artists or the selection methods for the works. It is unclear whether the brand collaborations mentioned by the CEO are already defined or only planned. The actual extent of the announced online archive and interviews also remains to be verified.
