The Whitney Museum of American Art hosts a groundbreaking exhibition showcasing the pioneering work of British abstract painter Harold Cohen and his AI creation Aaron, the first artificial intelligence software dedicated to fine art, offering visitors a unique insight into the intersection of early digital art and creative expression.
Whitney Museum Celebrates Harold Cohen’s AI Art Pioneer, Aaron
New York, March 2024 — The Whitney Museum of American Art is hosting a groundbreaking exhibition, “Harold Cohen: Aaron,” running through June 2024. This exhibition showcases the pioneering work of Harold Cohen, a British abstract painter who shifted from traditional canvas to digital art creation in the late 1960s.
Harold Cohen, who had previously represented Britain in significant international art festivals, created Aaron, the first artificial intelligence software dedicated to fine art. He debuted Aaron in 1974 at the University of California, Berkeley. What sets Aaron apart from contemporary AI art programs is its ability to draw from scratch based on the knowledge seeded by Cohen about basic objects, physics, and drawing techniques—rather than relying on databases of pre-existing images.
Cohen’s AI software produced art that has since been displayed in renowned institutions like the Tate Gallery in London and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The Whitney’s exhibition allows visitors to experience Aaron’s creative process in real time, with the software generating art live during the show.
The exhibition features two versions of Aaron’s software: the 2001 version (Aaron KCAT), known for creating images of figures and plants, and the 2007 version, which generates jungle-like scenes. These will be displayed on a large scale, with Aaron KCAT’s artworks projected onto a wall over ten feet high. For the first time since the 1990s, the software will also create physical art on paper.
Christiane Paul, the Whitney’s curator of digital art, expressed excitement over including such a seminal piece of digital art history in the museum’s collection.
Harold Cohen continued to collaborate with Aaron until his death in 2016. Although versions of Aaron are still operational, any artwork produced posthumously is not considered authentic to his vision.
This exhibition provides a rare glimpse into the world of early digital art and AI’s role in expanding the boundaries of creative expression.
