Exploring the boundaries of art and technology with award-winning designer Es Devlin

Long before AI was an industry-wide buzzword, we worked with award-winning designer Es Devlin to create an AI-powered poetry-writing art installation.

Every summer, the Serpentine Gallery hosts a star-studded fundraising gala in Kensington Gardens. In 2017, Google was the headline sponsor. They wanted to celebrate their involvement and – at the same time – get their new Pixel phone into the hands of the event’s high-profile attendees.

Part art installation, part tech demo and part photo booth, PoemPortaits was conceived as an interactive experience to enhance the cultural experience and capture a lasting memento of the evening.

PoemPortraits was designed to reflect the distinct personalities of each individual guest while encapsulating the shared creative vibrancy of this extraordinary crowd.

Upon entering the installation, guests were invited to contribute a single word – via the new Pixel phone – which AI expanded into a two-line poem. This was achieved using an algorithm trained on six million words of 19th-century poetry. These personalised verses were then projected, illuminating a guest’s face as they posed for their unique PoemPortrait.

The installation also consolidated everyone's contributions into a collective PoemPortrait. So, by the end of the evening, it formed a lasting impression of this unique gathering.

Following the success of PoemPortraits at the Serpentine Summer Party, the installation has now appeared at several more cultural events across Europe and North America. It will also feature as part of the Barbican, AI: More than Human exhibition opening on May 16.