Electric Dreams at Tate Modern celebrates the early pioneers of digital, kinetic, and optical art, showcasing over 150 works by more than 70 artists including Samia Halaby who explored the intersection of technology and art from the 1950s to the internet age. This exhibition highlights how these innovators expanded the senses, reimagined the future, and challenged traditional art forms through immersive installations, early digital experiments, and interactive environments. Featuring artists from across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, Electric Dreams offers an opportunity to experience the art of a transformative era in the history of technology and visual culture.
Samia Halaby is a Palestinian artist who, through her innovative use of digital technology, revolutionised the field of kinetic art. Her work, displayed in the Electric Dreams exhibition at Tate Modern, is a testament to her forward-thinking approach and her exploration of the intersection between art and technology.
In the 1980s, Halaby made a significant leap in art history by becoming one of the first artists to create kinetic paintings using computer programming. After teaching herself how to code on an Amiga 1000, she began producing vibrant, motion-based artworks that push the boundaries of visual experience.
Halaby’s works combine the precision of technology with the fluidity of abstraction, creating dynamic, interactive pieces that engage the viewer in new ways. Her digital kinetic paintings are a direct response to the growing influence of technology in daily life, allowing Halaby to reclaim digital tools from their commercial and military origins and repurpose them for artistic expression. Her work in the use of home computers marks a key moment in the evolution of art in the digital age, positioning her alongside early digital artists who were experimenting with new technologies to expand cultural horizons.
Her inclusion in Electric Dreams highlights her vital contribution to the early stages of digital and kinetic art, alongside other major figures like Nam June Paik and Eduardo Kac. Halaby’s work reflects her journey as an artist but also mirrors the larger global movement towards art that embraces technology as a medium, offering a glimpse into the future of interactive and immersive art. As one of the first to blend abstract painting with the computational power of early home computers, Samia Halaby remains a key figure in the history of digital art.
In celebration of the opening of the exhibition, Outernet London showcased Halaby’s geometric work in The Now Building at Outernet, where her dynamic new commissions—Tottenham Court Road and After the Green and After the Black Dune 2024—debut alongside Brass Women 1995/2019, a standout piece from her Kinetic Painting Group series.
These “kinetic paintings,” featuring shifting abstract animations and layered soundscapes, immerse viewers in ever-changing forms and rhythms. Originally coded on a Commodore Amiga 1000, Halaby’s approach to technology redefined painting as a medium. For this exhibition, Halaby collaborated with electronic musician Four Tet, whose experimental soundscapes complement her work’s energy and vibrancy.
Location: Tate Modern
Dates: 28 November 2024 – 1 June 2025
Location: Outernet London
Dates: November 14, 2024, to March 31, 2025
