Installation view of Samia Halaby, Tottenham Court Road 2024 at Outernet London
In celebration of the opening of Tate Modern’s major new exhibition, Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet later this month, a new collaboration between Outernet London and Tate will bring the colourful abstract art of Palestinian-American artist Samia Halaby to the heart of the city. Recognised as one of the early innovators of digital art in the 1980s, Halaby – whose work is included in Electric Dreams – is known for creating dynamic geometric paintings that explore the relationship between art and technology. Specially commissioned for Outernet’s floor-to-ceiling wrap around screens, two brand new works by Halaby will be brought to life for the first time alongside the experimental and rhythmic sounds of celebrated electronic musician, Four Tet. Together they offer visitors an immersive and sensory environment full of colour and movement, available to view for free at Outernet’s flagship space The Now Building from 14 November 2024 until 31 March 2025.
Titled Tottenham Court Road and After the Green and After the Black Dune 2024, Halaby’s two new site-specific commissions will be joined by Brass Women 1995/2019, one of the artist’s most iconic works from her Kinetic Painting Group series. Consisting of vivid, brightly coloured geometric shapes and slanting lines which shift restlessly in all directions, Halaby calls these moving abstract animations ‘kinetic paintings’. Accompanied by layered soundtracks, they exist in motion, as dynamic forms that change over time and in tandem with the music. She originally began creating her kinetic works after teaching herself how to code on a Commodore Amiga 1000, one of the first widely available personal computers released in 1985. Reimagined for the five 23,000 sq ft screens at Outernet, the works presented were made using a computer programme Halaby developed between 1990-1996. For Halaby, these early developments in technology allowed her to push the boundaries of painting and explore new forms of language.
Sound is a key element to Halaby’s work, with the artist often collaborating with musicians using both acoustic and electronic instruments. For this significant commission, Halaby has joined forces with Four Tet, the moniker of London-based producer Kieran Hebden, known for blending electronic music with elements of jazz, folk, and hip-hop, to create atmospheric, experimental soundscapes. Halaby’s colourful kinetic works are set to Four Tet’s layered and textured sounds, taking viewers on an epic sensory journey.
Halaby’s deep-rooted interest in technology, both as a subject and a tool in her artistic process, adds a unique dimension to this collaboration with Outernet London - the most visited cultural attraction in the UK, home to the most advanced giant screens in the world. As an innovator who became one of the first artists to experiment with computer-generated art in the early 1980s, her forward-thinking approach resonates with Outernet’s mission to redefine how people experience art, media, and culture through technology and immersive storytelling.
Visitors will be able to view more work by Halaby alongside an international network of more than 70 artists working between the 1950s and the dawn of the internet age, as part of Tate Modern’s Electric Dreams exhibition from 28 November 2024 to 1 June 2025. Spotlighting groundbreaking figures from across Asia, Europe and the Americas who responded to the growing presence of technology in our lives by finding new ways to work with machines, this ambitious exhibition will be a rare opportunity to experience incredible vintage tech art in action - from mesmerising psychedelic installations to early experiments made with home computers and video synthesisers.
For press requests, email nicholas.caley@outside-org.co.uk and lily@outsideorganisation.com at Outernet or rachael.young@tate.org.uk and hele.rhys@tate.org.uk at Tate. Install images of the project are available here: https://bit.ly/48R4GR2.
Outernet London and Tate present Samia Halaby for Electric Dreams
14 November 2024 – 31 March 2025
The Now Building, Charing Cross Road (located next to Tottenham Court Road Station)
Open daily 10am – 11.30pm; Free to visit
@outernetglobal @tate @samiahalaby
NB. Tottenham Court Road 2024 and After the Green and After the Black Dune 2024 will be displayed from 14 November 2024 to 2 February 2025. Brass Women 1995/2019 will be displayed from 3 February to 31 March 2025.
Artwork credits:
Samia Halaby
Tottenham Court Road 2024
Samia Halaby
After the Green and After the Black Dune 2024
Samia Halaby
Brass Women 1995/2019
Music credits:
Written by: Kieran Hebden
Published by: Universal Music Publishing Ltd. Courtesy of Text Records
Exhibition credit:
Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet at Tate Modern is presented in the Eyal Ofer Galleries. In partnership with Gucci. Supported by Anthropic, with additional support from The Electric Dreams Exhibition Supporters Circle, Tate Americas Foundation, Tate International Council and Tate Patrons. Research supported by Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational in partnership with Hyundai Motor.
The exhibition at Tate Modern is curated by Val Ravaglia, Curator, International Art, and Odessa Warren, Assistant Curator, International Art (Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational), Tate Modern, with Kira Wainstein, Research Assistant.
Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet
28 November 2024 – 1 June 2025
Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Open daily 10.00–18.00
Tickets available at tate.org.uk and +44(0)20 7887 8888
Free for Members. Join at tate.org.uk/members
About GUCCI
Founded in Florence, Italy, in 1921, Gucci is one of the world’s leading luxury brands. Following the House’s centenary, Gucci continues to redefine luxury and fashion while celebrating creativity, Italian craftsmanship, and innovation under the leadership of President and CEO Jean-François Palus and the Creative Direction of Sabato De Sarno.
Gucci is part of the global luxury group Kering, which manages renowned Houses in fashion, leather goods, jewellery, and eyewear. Discover more about Gucci at www.gucci.com
About Anthropic
Anthropic is an AI safety and research lab that provides reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. Their flagship product is Claude - an AI assistant that supports human ingenuity and sparks imagination. As a public benefit corporation, they are dedicated to safely guiding people through shifts in technology. Within their mission, they are also passionate about connecting people with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate new tools.
Anthropic are pleased to help contribute to conversation and education around the arts and technology by supporting Tate. Learn more about Anthropic and Claude at anthropic.com.
About Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational
Over the past two decades Tate’s collection, displays and programmes have expanded beyond Europe and North America to be more open, inclusive and reflective of its audiences. Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational marks a next step on this journey by placing the exchange of ideas between art and artists from around the world at the very core of Tate. The Centre transforms how Tate develops and shares knowledge about multiple art histories with individuals and organisations around the world. The Centre’s vision is to offer new perspectives on global art histories. Ahead of Tate Modern’s Electric Dreams exhibition it supported key research focusing on transnational networks of artists working at the intersection of art and technology, and fostered deeper conversations around the transnational genealogies of new media practices through its support of a performance and discursive event by Samia Halaby & The Kinetic Painting Group. Odessa Warren, Assistant Curator (Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational), contributed further scholarship related to transnational networks of experimentation in arts and technology across cities in Japan, India and the US during the 1960s-70s. Hyundai Motor’s support for the Centre began in January 2019, in addition to their support of Tate Modern’s annual Hyundai Commission. The Centre hosts research events including annual symposia, seminars, performances and workshops at Tate and beyond. For more information visit tate.org.uk/transnational.
About Hyundai Motor’s Art Projects
For over a decade, Hyundai Motor Company has deepened its partnerships with global museums and cultural organizations, including the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), Tate, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Most recently, Hyundai Motor announced a new 10-year partnership with the Whitney Museum of American Art to support the Whitney Biennial and the museum’s newly launched Hyundai Terrace Commission. Hyundai Motor’s own art-initiatives include open call programs such as the VH AWARD, the Hyundai Blue Prize, and Artlab Editorial, a digital platform dedicated to art writing by transnational voices. Our ongoing collaborations embrace the complexities of the cultural landscape by exploring new ideas and perspectives within and beyond the art ecosystem. Visit artlab.hyundai.com or follow @hyundai.artlab #HyundaiArtlab to learn more about our partnerships and programs.