With AI breakthroughs, the rise and crash of crypto, and an intense market for all kinds of NFTs over the past two years, one thing has become clear: artists working at the forefront of digital art represent an important evolution in art-making—and until now, the art world hasn’t want much to do with them. Refik Anadol is one such artist. He has had residencies at major tech companies like Google and NIVIDIA and has sustained partnerships with many more. And this week, timed with Frieze LA, he will debut his first show in Los Angeles with dealer Jeffrey Deitch, known for identifying rising talent.
“Refik is maybe the biggest deal in the field of digital art, but until now there hasn’t been much crossover in the mainstream art world,” Deitch told ARTnews. “I’d tell people I’m making something with Refik Anadol, and I’d just get a blank stare. No one knew who he was, but that’s no longer that case.”
Deitch and Anadol met at a dinner at Lincoln Center about a…