Picture of the future

In the present exhibition, Ouchhh has debuted its first-ever permanent artwork in Nanjing, DataGate AI Public Art Sculpture-a 12-meter-high data-driven AI installation that invites people from around the world to upload photos, messages to space and contact information to its official webpage.

The data will be collected via delicately designed algorithms to create a "collective consciousness" of human beings, the messages of which will not only be visualized on the installation's screens-creating a futuristic atmosphere in Nanjing's innovative Jiangbei New Area-but also will be converted into signals and sent into outer space.

According to Ferdi Alici, founder and director of Ouchhh, the work is an effort to build a bridge between Earth and outer space. It's created under the guidance of Dawn Gelino, deputy director of the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute.

Visitor Zhu Yu, a 25-year-old art fan, says: "I love the combination of art and technology. I have been to quite a few new media exhibitions in China but have never seen anything as high-end as this. You can actually send your photo and message into space. How amazing is that!"

Having established contact with the universe through DataGate, the visitors will step into the exhibition hall, arriving at the first of the exhibition's four parts, which is entitled Stardust. Built on the concept of "we are all made of stardust", this part allows a philosophical and poetic exploration of the relationship between humans and the universe.

At first sight, the exhibition hall seems to be enveloped in a tranquil and dark void. But when the visitors walk in and wander about, they will see shoals of bright spots appear on the screens around them, arising, drifting and dissipating into the heavens.