hAIku is an interactive exhibition where we wanted to explore what it means to be a poet. We wanted to compare the work of famous poets, visitors at the MUDAM and randomly generated scripts by an AI. We wanted to explore questions like; What does it mean to be a poet? Are we replaceable by an AI or script? Are visitors of the museum able to match the quality of an established writer?
Haiku poems are a Japanese form of syllable poetry that consists of 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second and 5 syllables in the third. A total of more than 500 Haikus will have been generated by an AI, written by ourselves and the audience of the MUDAM. These will be printed by a large scale plotter on a seemingly endless roll of over 100 metres of paper.
Artistic Direction, Design, Research and Development, Technical Supervision: Bob Reinert
Haiku editing, AI Trainer: Philippe Schockweiler
Typeface "boeing": Sven Krahl
Photos: Tammy Schuh