Artificial Humans

Seo Fountain - 2025

Atelier Haute Cuisine

Life-sized human figures made of light reflect on our relationship with technology and artificial intelligence. Their contact with water—an element linked to life and purity—frames these artificial beings in a striking contrast.

The work

Artificial Humans immerses us in a visual experience that explores the boundaries between humanity and technology. Created by the Belgian collective Atelier Haute Cuisine, this installation presents illuminated life-size human figures that are arranged inside and outside the fountain, transforming this public space into a setting for contemporary reflection.

The figures, flooded with a dramatic light that seems to bring them to life, challenge our perception as they blend into the water and the environment. This play between what is organic and synthetic gives rise to an atmosphere where natural and artificial elements intertwine, questioning the way in which emerging technologies redefine our human essence.

The work is fascinating not just because of its aesthetics, but also its message. By means of light and space, Artificial Humans encourages audiences to consider the duality between what is real and what is constructed, offering an experience that changes throughout the day according to the way in which the figures interact with the lighting and water.

This show transforms the Seo Square into a space which reminds us that light and technology are languages that are able to connect human aspects with infinity.

The artist

Atelier Haute Cuisine is a Belgian artist collective that was founded in 2009 by Bernd Tyskens and Benny Conings. Despite what their name might suggest, they are not chefs. However, they do share the philosophy of mixing different elements together to create something bigger, like a kind of artistic recipe.

Renowned worldwide, their shows combine art, technology and design to explore the relationship between what is human and artificial. Their works have been displayed at well-known festivals and exhibitions in cities such as Brussels, Amsterdam and Düsseldorf, in addition to others. With an approach going beyond elements that are purely visual, their installations encourage audiences to interact with the space and think about the impact that technology has on our perception of the world.

The work by Atelier Haute Cuisine stands out for its capacity to turn everyday spaces into immersive and dynamic experiences by using light as a language to connect people with their environment.