01. GENERATIVE AI ART FILM
For the next evolutionary stage of MONOLiT (2021), visual artist and director Can Büyükberber presents MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow, a groundbreaking fusion of generative AI, digital sculpture, and cinematic immersion. By integrating cutting-edge AI tools with innovative use of architectural spaces and cinematic techniques, Büyükberber elevates his signature digital sculptures into a visionary expression of BMW’s design philosophy. This work builds on the monumental MONOLiT aesthetic and the futuristic spirit of Future Elegance, unveiling a new form of automotive-inspired art.
Inspired by the BMW iX’s avant-garde ethos, MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow distills the electric SUV’s sculptural lines and iconic “Iconic Glow” kidney grille into an evolving, immersive installation. Advanced generative AI reimagines the iX’s sleek contours and subtle illumination in a dynamic, fluid environment that reflects cutting-edge technology and electric spirit.
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Layering kinetic digital sculptures with light and architecture, Büyükberber creates a seamless interplay between organic and parametric forms. Delicate metallic surfaces, pulsing neon accents, and futuristic backdrops merge into a hypnotic tapestry of light and form, reflecting the bold monolithic language and silent power of the BMW iX. Complementing this visual symphony is a meticulously crafted soundscape featuring digital driving sounds designed by Hans Zimmer, infusing the work with a palpable sense of motion and innovation.
The result is a monumental AI-driven art film and sculptural environment that unveils a new frontier for immersive aesthetics in contemporary art. MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow fuses artistic innovation with automotive design, offering a forward-thinking glimpse into the future of experiential storytelling while redefining luxury, technology, and design—a truly immersive sensory journey that encapsulates an elegant, lifestyle-driven vision of tomorrow.
02. INSTALLATION
Presented with curatorial support from Borusan Contemporary, MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow was exhibited at the contemporary art fair CI Bloom in April 2025, alongside the all-electric BMW iX. The work was displayed on an immersive LED screen, surrounded by reflective sculptural elements that amplified its luminous presence and created a multisensory experience for visitors.
AI-Generated Cinematic Sculptures: On MONOLiT 2.0 (ENG)
We are living through a revolutionary era in which advances in generative artificial intelligence are redefining the cinematic experience. MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow stands at the forefront of this transformation, a vision that treats technology not just as a tool for production but as a conduit for emotional, intellectual, and cognitive engagement. At the intersection of AI and art, groundbreaking developments unfold almost daily. Throughout the months-long development of this project, from concept to final output, I found myself continuously updating the techniques I used. It was a time when innovation was not merely speculation about the future but a living, breathing creative process embedded in the now. For an artist, that is incredibly mind-expanding.
We are living through a revolutionary era in which advances in generative artificial intelligence are redefining the cinematic experience. MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow stands at the forefront of this transformation, a vision that treats technology not just as a tool for production but as a conduit for emotional, intellectual, and cognitive engagement. At the intersection of AI and art, groundbreaking developments unfold almost daily. Throughout the months-long development of this project, from concept to final output, I found myself continuously updating the techniques I used. It was a time when innovation was not merely speculation about the future but a living, breathing creative process embedded in the now. For an artist, that is incredibly mind-expanding.
In this work shaped by generative techniques, I engaged with the unpredictability and endless possibilities much like a sculptor shaping raw material, intervening, guiding, and ultimately arriving at results that surprised even me, and I hope will surprise the audience as well. Drawing inspiration from the BMW iX’s design philosophy, technological essence, form, and materiality, I merged these qualities with my own conceptual and aesthetic sensibilities, guiding the generative AI through that dialogue. The resulting visual material, almost one hour in total, transforms these inputs into digital architectural spaces, kinetic sculptures, and light installations. From this expansive footage, I then crafted a cinematic sequence of about ten minutes, adopting the role of curator and director.
This process marks a distinct departure from traditional 3D animation and modeling workflows we have used in earlier projects, where every single motion was manually designed. While my past work has also embraced immersive formats and generative structures, the new capabilities of AI, unimaginable even just a few months ago, have now reached a transformative level that compels artists to reexamine everything they know.
To translate these innovations into a digital artwork in real time and present it to audiences at CI Bloom in collaboration with BMW Türkiye has been a deeply exciting opportunity for me.
Can Büyükberber
April 8, 2025
April 8, 2025
Interview with Rabia Bakıcı Güreli, Co-Founder and Vice Chairperson of the Board of Contemporary Istanbul, at CI Bloom art fair, where the all-electric BMW iX was showcased alongside artist Can Büyükberber’s installation “MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow”.
Yapay Zeka ile Şekillenen Yeni Sinematik Heykeller: MONOLiT 2.0 Üzerine (TR)
Bugün, üretken yapay zekâ alanındaki gelişmelerin sinematik deneyimleri yeniden tanımladığı devrimsel bir dönemin içindeyiz. MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow, bu dönüşümün ön cephesinde konumlanan; teknolojiyi yalnızca bir üretim aracı değil, aynı zamanda duygusal, entelektüel ve bilişsel düzeyde izleyiciyle bağ kuran çok katmanlı bir deneyime dönüştüren bir vizyonun ürünü. Yapay zekâ ve sanat kesişiminde neredeyse her gün çığır açıcı gelişmeler yaşanıyor ve proje fikrinin oluşumundan nihai hâline gelene kadar geçen birkaç aylık süreçte, kullandığım teknikleri sürekli güncelleyerek ilerlediğim; inovasyonun yalnızca geleceğe dair bir spekülasyon değil, anlık olarak üretim sürecine dahil olan canlı bir yaratım biçimi olduğu bir dönemden geçiyoruz—bu bir sanatçı için gerçekten çok ufuk açıcı.
Üretken (generative) tekniklerle şekillenen bu çalışmada, bir sanatçı olarak bu rastlantısal ve sonsuz olasılıklarla dolu sürece tıpkı bir heykeltıraşın materyaline yön verdiği gibi müdahalelerde bulunarak, hem kendimi şaşırtan, hem de izleyiciyi şaşırtacağını düşündüğüm sonuçlar elde ediyorum. BMW iX’in tasarım felsefesi, teknolojisi, form ve dokusundan ilham aldığım öğeleri kendi kavramsal ve estetik yaklaşımımla harmanlayarak; üretken yapay zekâ araçlarını bu etkileşim üzerinden yönlendirdim. MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow’da bu girdileri dijital mimari mekânlara, kinetik heykellere ve ışık enstalasyonlarına dönüştüren yaklaşık 1 saatlik bir görsel materyal ürettim; ardından bu içerikten bir küratör ve yönetmen yaklaşımıyla yaklaşık 10 dakikalık bir sinematik kurgu oluşturdum.
Bu süreç, daha önceki işlerimizde kullandığımız ve her bir hareketi tek tek tasarladığımız geleneksel 3D animasyon ve modelleme yöntemlerinden tamamen farklı bir yaklaşımı temsil ediyor. Her ne kadar geçmiş çalışmalarımızda da sürükleyici deneyimler ve jeneratif formlar üzerinden yenilikçi üretim teknikleri benimsemiş olsak da, yalnızca birkaç ay öncesine kadar dahi mümkün olmayan yeni YZ üretim kabiliyetleri, bugün sanatçılara bildikleri her şeyi yeniden sorgulatacak kadar dönüştürücü bir boyuta ulaşmış durumda.
Bu yenilikleri dünyayla eş zamanlı olarak, sıcağı sıcağına bir dijital esere dönüştürerek BMW Türkiye işbirliğiyle CI Bloom’da sanatseverlerle buluşturacak olmak benim için büyük bir heyecan kaynağı.
– Can Büyükberber
8 Nisan 2025
8 Nisan 2025
Yeni BMW iX, Borusan Contemporary’nin katkılarıyla multidisipliner sanatçı Can Büyükberber’in “MONOLiT 2.0: The Iconic Glow” isimli eseriyle CI Bloom Çağdaş Sanat Fuarı’nda yerini alıyor.
Daha fazlası BMW Joy Blog'da.