Gordon Cheung

Tulip Futures reflects on the history of capitalism and its relationship with modernity. AI is used to create images of Dutch Golden Age tulips over 370 years ago in reference to what is considered to be the birth of Modern Capitalism and the first recorded economic bubble called Tulipmania. The works are set within a ‘vaporwave’ landscape: an internet art movement that emerged in the early 2010s known for its nostalgic and sometimes ironic commentary on consumerism, capitalism, and the digital age. The artwork is a physical print and also digital art on the blockchain. Bitcoin epitomises blockchain technology, a pillar of the fourth industrial revolution and was disparagingly referred to as a Tulip bubble by the traditional centralised bankers. By leveraging AI tools, Tulip Futures invites a philosophical contemplation of the nature of reality, perception, and economy in an increasingly digitized world. It offers an imaginative framework to critically engage with the intersections of history, technology, and human experience, fostering a deeper understanding of the human complexities inherent in our collective pursuit of meaning and prosperity. Reflecting on how our understanding of the future landscape is influenced by past events and present technologies. It can also signify existentially a landscape devoid of meaning or purpose, ecological degradation, dystopian societal collapse, technological dominance, and epistemological uncertainty. It prompts contemplation on the challenges of human knowledge and the choices we make in shaping our future.