Sphere Becomes Canvas For AI Art ‘Hallucination’ Starting Friday
When Sphere was first announced, the renderings looked otherworldly. Surely, it would never be built. But it is. Who would play such an incredibly complicated venue? Surely it’d be too intimidating for any artist. Then U2 dove in. Now the exosphere screen is literally looking back at Las Vegas, and Friday will play host to the first spherical artist takeover.
The venue announced that artist and visionary Refik Anadol will be the first to get to use Sphere as his canvas beginning this Friday, September 1st.
Machine Hallucinations coming to Sphere in Las Vegas
Just like it is difficult to explain the imaginative minds that went behind the creation of the Sphere itself, it’s tough to paint the picture of what Refik has planned. So we’ll let you get a look at renderings instead.
Described as an “immersive digital experience”, Machine Hallucinations: Sphere uses data and artificial intelligence to generate imagery that are beyond comprehension. Abstract images created purely by computer calculation showing both Earth and the great beyond. It’s something he is calling “AI Data Sculptures”. No, we have no idea what that means, but it looks outstanding!
Machine Hallucinations: Sphere is a two-parter. It starts with Space which uses countless images from NASA to create images that are absolutely out of this world. Images from the ISS to satellites and spacecraft will be the inspiration behind this chapter.
Then we turn to Earth for Machine Hallucinations: Nature. Using nearly a quarter billion images of flowers and plants, Refik lets the calculations do the magic and “hallucinate” to bring us images that us mortals have never imagined, never mind seen before. And it will go a step further, being able to visually reflect changes in air pressure, wind gusts and speed to generate new imagery. That will be quite the sight given Friday’s expected stormy weather.
Anadol’s artist takeover is expected to continue through the end of the year.
This is yet another incredible experience Sphere has planned
If you think the exosphere will be out of this world, wait until you get inside. Several planned Sphere Experiences are planned including Postcard From Earth. They are expected to be all-immersive and show what the venue is really made of.
8 Seemingly Unreal Places to Add to Your Travel Bucket List
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
This Arizona canyon was naturally carved by rainwater streams within the sandstone. The Navajo Nation gave it the name ‘The place where water runs through rocks.’ Visit Arizona explains that the Upper Antelope Canyon tour is more frequented due to increased sunlight and towering walls reaching 120 feet. Alternatively, the Lower Antelope Canyon tour is equally remarkable, providing visitors with an immersive encounter among the swirling sandstone walls.
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Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming
Among the world’s largest springs, the Grand Prismatic measures an expansive 370 feet in diameter, exceeding the size of a football field. Its vibrant appearance stems from bands of orange, yellow, and green that encircle the deep blue waters. These diverse colors originate from different strains of thermophile bacteria, thriving in the progressively cooler waters around the spring, as explained by Yellowstone National Park. For a bird’s-eye-like view of the Grand Prismatic, they suggest visitors follow the half-mile Fairy Falls trail to a lookout.
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The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
Located in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, the Door to Hell is a large fiery crater. It emerged when a natural gas field accidentally caught fire in 1971 and has been burning continuously since then, according to National Geographic. A well-visited tourist spot, the Door to Hell permits visitors to hike down into the crater for a close view of the flames and an opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere of the site. The Door to Hell, also referred to as the Darvaza Gas Crater, is located in a rural part of the country.
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Diamond Beach, Iceland
Found along Iceland’s South Coast, the Diamond Beach is a volcanic black sand shoreline adjacent to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Ice blocks from the glacier lagoon wash ashore after breaking into smaller pieces at sea, as mentioned in the Diamond Beach Travel Guide. The beach is also a natural habitat for seals.
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Mendenhall Glacier Caves, Alaska
According to the Tongass National Forest, the Mendenhall Glacier is among the numerous expansive glaciers originating from the Juneau Icefield, an area spanning 1500 square miles of rock, snow, and ice. The glacier gradually advances under the influence of gravity, descending down the slope. Over time, it carves the bedrock and erodes during its 13-mile path until it reaches Mendenhall Lake.
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Thor’s Well, Oregon
Located on the Oregon coast near Cape Perpetua, there’s a large sinkhole that appears to swallow seawater continuously, resembling a bottomless pit. According to Yachats Oregon, it’s often called the “drainpipe of the Pacific.” They explain that the well is actually a hole in the rock that gives the impression of draining ocean water. Some researchers believe this well might have started as a sea cave shaped by waves. Over time, its roof likely collapsed, creating openings at the top and bottom, which spray ocean water.
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Crooked Forest, Poland
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Found close to the town of Gryfino in West Pomerania, Poland, the Crooked Forest consists of 400 peculiarly contorted pine trees. As revealed by Discovery, these pine trees were planted approximately in 1930, back when the area was part of the German province of Pomerania. Starting from the ground, the pine trees exhibit a distinctive feature: they grow with a sharp 90-degree bend towards the north, before gracefully straightening up towards the sky.
Pink Beach, Padar Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
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The beach is named for its pink sand, which comes from tiny organisms in the coral reefs nearby. Visitors can swim, snorkel, and see marine life like sea turtles and manta rays in the clear water. The beach also has great views of hills and turquoise waters.
