Ex Machina
Rotterdam Photo 2025 x sixtynine.digital
Ex Machina
Synopsis: Ex Machina is an experimental research project, created by sixtynine.digital. The project aims to catalyse the discussion on the role of the (photo) curator with the emergence of Machine Learning and AI.
Can AI support the creation of a more communal, collaborative society? Could it liberate us from repetitive, soul-crushing tasks and instead enable play, creativity, and innovation? Or will The Machine lead us toward a dystopia—one that prioritizes profit over people and dismisses emotional intelligence in favor of cold, calculated algorithms? Tool, trick, or takeover? Enemy or ally?
What role can AI play in the curation of art? Ex Machina, an experimental research project by sixtynine.digital, investigates this very question. Through interviews with art and photo curators, ten evaluative criteria were identified, encompassing ethical, conceptual, thematic, artistic, and visual aspects. These were converted into an intricate prompt, which was used to process a dataset of 10.500 images. From this, 20 AI-curated photographs were selected and will be exhibited during Rotterdam Photo 2025. Visitors are invited to reflect and engage into the discussion.
Ex Machina is an experimental research project by sixtynine.digital, a Rotterdam-based digital agency that combines AI-driven automation with creative problem-solving.
For the 2025 edition of Rotterdam Photo, sixtynine.digital was invited to develop a tool that explores the possibilities of machine learning and AI, and to spark a conversation about the future role of photo curation as a professional practice in this evolving landscape.
16 photographs were selected through this AI-driven process, sparking a vital conversation about the intersection of creativity, technology, and authorship. All selected works will be featured in the special group exhibition Ex Machina during Rotterdam Photo 2025.
Here is the list of selected photographers: Nicola Ughi, Hanneke Wetzer, Eva Gjaltema, Abdelrahman Alkahlout, Yuqi Wang, Elisabeth Ubbe, Emilien Buffard, Marijn Fidder, Zoé Aubry, Stefanos Paikos, Esther Velrath, Olivia de Villaine, Aliaksandra Vialichka, Hua Cai – Prossé, Nora Obergeschwandner, Michael Matus.
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