ALEXANDER REBEN (B. 1985)
Untitled Robot Painting, 2025 (to be titled by an AI at the conclusion of the sale)
oil on canvas
1 x 1 in. to 120 x 144 in. (2.5 x 2.5 cm to 305 x 366 cm.)
Executed in 2025

Please note this lot is a generative work that will be created in real-time for the duration of the auction. Images 2 - 5 represent sample artworks.

The artist

An AI generates an initial image tile, then iteratively expands outwards, triggered by new bids. Each addition is determined by the AI perceiving and analyzing the last tile, and synthesizing a new prompt to create the next. Using outpainting techniques, the tiles blend into a seamless patchwork of visuals and ideas, ensuring that every time the process runs, it produces a unique and unpredictable artwork.

The artwork starts at one square inch and expands in proportion to the price as bids are placed, increasing by one square inch every $100, ultimately reaching a maximum size of 12 by 10 feet when bidding reaches $1.78 million. As the image evolves, an oil painting robot created by Matr Labs translates the growing composition onto canvas. The piece doubles as a live performance, unfolding in direct response to audience participation, and becoming the first artwork whose physical size is directly determined by its price in a live auction.

The image is generated in real-time and reflected in its digital representation, while the robotic painting machine operates only during Christie's open hours. The process can be viewed in person at Rockefeller Center. A technician will occasionally pause the painting to refill the ink, and any mechanical interruptions will not affect the final artwork, which will reflect the digital version.