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Adam Centko (1997) has a keen interest in contemporary technologies and examines their impact on our society and ecosystem in his work. Shown at Prospects, the triptych Crystal Minds (2025) consists of three modified silicium crystals. They are cut into thin circles and embellished with etched patterns. With their round shapes and light-reflecting surfaces they are reminiscent of celestial bodies, floating through the air in three different positions, embedded in an organic-looking resin frame.
Crystal Minds zooms in on the material side of artificial intelligence: the circles in this triptych are actually wafers, also known as microchips. These chips are generally used for the production of semiconductors, which can be found in all kinds of electronic appliances. After oxygen, silicium – the material the wafers are made of – is the most common element in the earth’s crust. While serving as the basis for artificial intelligence, this material is therefore not artificial in itself.
Crystal Minds originated during an artist’s residency in Shanghai, China, where Centko visited various technological production locations and became inspired by their advanced production methods. The resin frame, for instance, was produced with a large-format SLA printer, a 3D-printer that uses UV light and liquid resin.
The triptych format references art from the middle ages and the renaissance, when triptychs often depicted the birth of Christ. With his own triptych, Centko is referring to the birth of a different transformative power: artificial intelligence.
Text: Sarah van Binsbergen
Translated from Dutch by Marie Louise Schoondergang (The Art of Translation)