London's giant AI artwork to be torn down
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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River Thames frost fairs
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The AI artwork is explicitly described as a 'modern recreation of an ancient frost fair of the River Thames' - understanding the historical frost fairs that occurred when the Thames froze over provides essential context for what the artwork was attempting to depict
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Pieter Bruegel the Elder
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The development owners claim the artwork is 'inspired by the 16th century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder' - his winter landscape paintings directly influenced the aesthetic of this controversial piece
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Young British Artists
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Mat Collishaw, the artist reportedly behind the work, is identified as one of the Young British Artists alongside Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin - understanding this influential 1980s art movement provides context for his artistic evolution toward AI
When London Centric first visited Kingston upon Thames’ enormous Christmas artwork on Monday night, we felt like we were encountering a strange vision of the future.
From a distance it appeared to be an attractive and original site-specific piece of festive work at the Riverside Walk development — something to be celebrated, especially in an era when it would have been easier for the owners to stick up another advert for dining discounts.
Yet up close something was uncanny about this modern recreation of an ancient frost fair of the River Thames, which filled a ten metre wall. Dogs blurred into chickens, humans became animals, and there was a truly grotesque snowman. In one section a penguin appears to be on fire. The south west London public passing by seemed to have an allergic reaction to its whiff of artificial intelligence, while online speculation suggested it must have been the creation of an overworked marketing intern.
Now, a well-placed source has been in touch to reveal that it is set to be torn down today after a public backlash — but almost certainly not for the reason you think.
The individual also claimed, in account backed by a second source, that the work was created by lauded artist Mat Collishaw. In recent years Collishaw has increasingly focussed on creating art with AI, including an exhibition that has been on display elsewhere in the same development.
Collishaw made his name as one of the Young British Artists of the 1980s, the movement that created Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin. He then embraced AI and virtual reality well before ChatGPT took it mainstream. Art critics are supportive, with the Guardian giving one of his recent AI-infused exhibitions a five-star review: “Hirst got the money and Collishaw the brains, passion and integrity”.
The artist did not respond to multiple requests for comment on whether he was involved in the piece.
In any case, London Centric has now been told the building’s owners are expected to remove the Christmas artwork due to an unexpectedly negative reaction.
Yet it wasn’t the use of AI or the abomination of a snowman that angered the Kingston public.
Instead, a substantial number of local shoppers have come to believe that the artwork’s depiction of people chaotically splashing through water is political commentary on the small
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