AI Art Newsletter - 21 Feb 2025

February 21, 2025

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Key Points

Thousands of artists protest Christie’s AI art auction, citing copyright issues.
Midjourney introduces mood board blending and plans V7 with video/3D features.
Refik Anadol opens the world’s first AI art museum, Dataland, in late 2025.
No major new AI art contests announced, but some accept AI entries with deadlines in early 2025.

AI Art Auction Controversy

Christie’s is hosting an AI art auction called “Augmented Intelligence” starting February 20, 2025, featuring works by artists like Refik Anadol and Mat Dryhurst. However, thousands of artists, including Carla Ortiz and Kelly McKernan, have signed a letter with over 3,000 signatures demanding its cancellation, claiming many works use AI models trained on their copyrighted material without permission. British composer Ed Newton-Rex noted at least 9 works may involve such issues, sparking legal and ethical debates.

Source: The Guardian

Midjourney Updates

Midjourney, a popular AI art tool, released new features in February 2025, including mood board blending for more creative image generation. They also announced plans for version 7, expected to include video and 3D capabilities, though no exact date was given.

Source: Medium

Refik Anadol’s Dataland Museum

Renowned AI artist Refik Anadol is launching Dataland, the world’s first AI art museum, in Los Angeles in late 2025. Located in the Grand LA, it will showcase AI-generated art and interactive experiences, highlighting the fusion of art and technology.

Source: Artnet News

AI Art Contests and Tools

No major new AI art contests were announced in February 2025, but the Mathematical Art Competition 2025, with a deadline of March 31, includes a category for AI-generated art. Trends suggest a growing integration of AI with human creativity, and legal battles over copyright continue to shape the field.

Comprehensive Report on AI Art Developments as of February 21, 2025

The landscape of AI art has seen significant activity in the week leading up to February 21, 2025, encompassing auctions, tool updates, artist initiatives, and ongoing contests. This report delves into the details, providing a thorough analysis for enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Christie’s AI Art Auction and Artist Protests

A notable event is the “Augmented Intelligence” auction by Christie’s, scheduled to commence on February 20, 2025, in New York City. This auction, described as the first major AI-dedicated sale by a prominent auction house, features 20 lots with prices ranging from $10,000 to $250,000. Key artists include Refik Anadol, Harold Cohen, Mat Dryhurst, and Holly Herndon, with specific works like Embedding Study 1 and 2 by Herndon and Dryhurst estimated at $70,000–$90,000, and ISS Dreams by Anadol. Christie’s stated that “in most cases” the AI used was trained on artists’ own inputs, aiming to legitimize the sale.

However, this has sparked significant controversy. A letter with over 3,000 signatures, including artists like Carla Ortiz and Kelly McKernan, calls for the auction’s cancellation, labeling it “mass theft.” British composer Ed Newton-Rex highlighted that at least 9 works appear to use AI models trained on copyrighted works without a license, raising legal and ethical concerns. This protest aligns with ongoing lawsuits by artists, authors, and publishers against AI companies like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney over copyright infringement. Artists like Mat Dryhurst defended their work, stating it explores AI models and isn’t illegal, while Refik Anadol denied using copyrighted material, citing NASA datasets. This tension underscores the broader debate on AI art’s ethical boundaries.

Details Table:

Details of the AI Art Auction	Artists’ Protest
- Name: Augmented Intelligence auction - Described as the first AI-dedicated sale by a major auctioneer - Hosted by: Christie’s Auctions, New York City, US - Date: Starts on 20 February - Features: 20 lots, prices range from $10,000 to $250,000 - Artists include: Refik Anadol, Harold Cohen, Mat Dryhurst, Holly Herndon - Specific works: Embedding Study 1 and 2 by Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst (estimated $70,000–$90,000), ISS Dreams by Refik Anadol - Christie’s statement: “In most cases” AI used was trained on artists’ “own inputs” - URL: https://www.christies.com/en/auction/augmented-intelligence-23942-nyr/	- Thousands of artists calling for cancellation, claiming “mass theft” - Letter received 3,000 signatures, including Karla Ortiz and Kelly McKernan - Letter URL: https://openletter.earth/cancel-the-christies-ai-art-auction-f5135435?limit=0 - Claims: Many artworks use AI models trained on copyrighted work without a licence, exploiting human artists - Key figure: British composer Ed Newton-Rex, notes at least 9 works appear to use such models - Lawsuits mentioned: Artists, authors, publishers, music labels suing AI companies over copyright (e.g., Stable Diffusion, Midjourney) - Artists’ response: Mat Dryhurst rejects criticism, says piece explores AI models, not illegal; Refik Anadol denies using copyrighted work, used NASA datasets

Details of the AI Art Auction

Artists’ Protest

- Name: Augmented Intelligence auction
- Described as the first AI-dedicated sale by a major auctioneer
- Hosted by: Christie’s Auctions, New York City, US
- Date: Starts on 20 February
- Features: 20 lots, prices range from $10,000 to $250,000
- Artists include: Refik Anadol, Harold Cohen, Mat Dryhurst, Holly Herndon
- Specific works: Embedding Study 1 and 2 by Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst (estimated $70,000–$90,000), ISS Dreams by Refik Anadol
- Christie’s statement: “In most cases” AI used was trained on artists’ “own inputs”
- URL: https://www.christies.com/en/auction/augmented-intelligence-23942-nyr/

- Thousands of artists calling for cancellation, claiming “mass theft”
- Letter received 3,000 signatures, including Karla Ortiz and Kelly McKernan
- Letter URL: https://openletter.earth/cancel-the-christies-ai-art-auction-f5135435?limit=0
- Claims: Many artworks use AI models trained on copyrighted work without a licence, exploiting human artists
- Key figure: British composer Ed Newton-Rex, notes at least 9 works appear to use such models
- Lawsuits mentioned: Artists, authors, publishers, music labels suing AI companies over copyright (e.g., Stable Diffusion, Midjourney)
- Artists’ response: Mat Dryhurst rejects criticism, says piece explores AI models, not illegal; Refik Anadol denies using copyrighted work, used NASA datasets

Source: The Guardian, TechCrunch

Midjourney’s Technological Advancements

Midjourney, a leading platform for AI-generated art, has introduced significant updates in February 2025. The mood board blending feature allows users to combine multiple mood boards for nuanced, cohesive image generation, enhancing creativity by mixing with style references. To use this, users place mood board codes after the profile parameter, with each board contributing equally, though future updates may allow weight adjustments. Additionally, Midjourney announced the upcoming V7, expected to include video and 3D developments, though no specific release date was provided. These enhancements build on January’s updates, which included improved “describe” functionality on the website, catering to both novice and professional artists.

Feature Update Table:

Feature/Update	Details	Notes/Additional Info
Mood Board Blending	Introduced ability to blend multiple mood boards for nuanced, cohesive image generation. Can mix with style references for added creativity.	To blend, place mood board codes after the profile parameter. Each board contributes equally. Future updates may allow weight adjustment.
V7 Timeline	Highly anticipated V7 coming soon, includes video and 3D developments.	No specific release date provided.
January Enhancements	Major updates included mood board blending and improved “describe” functionality on website.	Links: [/midjourney-style-advanced-combine-style-code-and-moodboard-codes-for-amazing-styles-740c413ed409], [/3-ways-to-replicate-image-with-midjourneys-describe-tool-97e292988fb7]
Author Information	Written by Christie C., AI artist teaching 10,000+ creators to master AI & Midjourney.	URL: [https://bit.ly/mastermidjourney]
Publication Details	Published Feb 10, 2025, 6 min read, in Generative AI.	URL: [https://generativeai.pub/?source=post_page—byline–f3afcc995703—————————————]

Source: Medium

Refik Anadol and the Emergence of Dataland

Refik Anadol, a Turkish-American media artist known for merging data visualization with AI arts, is set to open Dataland, the world’s first AI art museum, in late 2025 in Los Angeles. Located within the Grand LA, a Frank Gehry–designed development, Dataland will provide a permanent home for AI-generated art, featuring interactive experiences and an inaugural exhibition using the world’s first open-source AI model based on nature data. Anadol’s recent activities include receiving the TIME100 AI Impact Award in Dubai on February 10, 2025, and his work, Machine Hallucinations, Space / Chapter II: Mars, being sold at Sotheby’s inaugural auction in Saudi Arabia, with payment accepted in cryptocurrency. These developments highlight his significant influence in the AI art scene.

Source: Artnet News, DNyuz, Artnet News

AI Art Contests and Ongoing Trends

No major new AI art contests were announced in February 2025, but existing competitions accepting AI-generated entries include the Mathematical Art Competition 2025, with a deadline of March 31, 2025, and categories for AI and computer-generated art focusing on mathematical themes. Other platforms like the Optimus Awards AI Art Competition and Agora Worldwide Awards continue to recognize AI art, though without specific February announcements. The field is also seeing trends of hybrid art, where artists collaborate with AI, as noted in a Forbes article predicting 2025 trends, and ongoing legal battles over copyright, with a US court ruling that AI-generated images without human guidance lack copyright protection.

Source: Intercompetition, Forbes, The Art Newspaper

Methodology and Search Efforts

To compile this report, multiple web searches were conducted using queries like “AI art news in February 2025,” “new AI art tools released in February 2025,” “AI art contests February 2025,” and specific searches for artists like Refik Anadol. Initial searches faced challenges with date filtering, leading to adjustments to ensure relevance, such as using “after:2025-02-14 before:2025-02-22” for precise timeframes. Browse_page actions were used to extract detailed information from key articles, ensuring accuracy in reporting. Despite extensive searches, no new AI art tool releases or major contest announcements were found for February 2025, suggesting a quieter period for such developments.

This comprehensive overview reflects the dynamic interplay between technology, art, and ethics, providing a detailed snapshot for stakeholders in the AI art community.