Art meets algorithm: Victoria Lu explores AI and human creativity at Kuala Lumpur exhibition

(From left) Auto Mosaic CEO Lee Yang, artist Victoria Lu, filmmaker Datuk U-Wei Saari, Exchange 106 CEO Faris Najhan Hashim, executive director Datuk Seri Vincent Tiew and an organising representative pose for a photograph at the opening of the ‘Art Without Boundaries — New Voyage to Nanyang’ exhibition at Ruang Teduh Gallery, The Exchange 106, in Kuala Lumpur, October 10, 2026. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

By Soo Wern Jun

First Published: Saturday, 10 Oct 2026 7:18 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — For contemporary artist Victoria Lu, also known professionally as Viki Lulu, artificial intelligence is not a threat to human creativity but a collaborator, opening up new possibilities for artistic expression.

The Taiwanese-born curator, critic, artist and educator has incorporated AI into her creative practice, embracing technology as another medium through which art can evolve.

“AI is my partner. I use AI technology and produce art with AI,” Lu said at the opening of the second edition of Art Without Boundaries — New Voyage to Nanyang here today.

Running until November 11 at Ruang Teduh, The Exchange 106 in Tun Razak Exchange, the exhibition is organised in collaboration with Viki Lulu House, an art and creative platform founded by Lu, and seeks to foster cultural exchange between Chinese and South-east Asian contemporary art communities.

Making her first visit to Malaysia, Lu said the exhibition brought together artists from different generations, reflecting both the diversity of contemporary artistic practices and the growing influence of technology on the creative process.

Taiwanese-born contemporary artist Victoria Lu, also known as Viki Lulu, sees artificial intelligence as a creative collaborator rather than a replacement for human imagination. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

She sees artificial intelligence as an irreversible development, one that will continue to reshape not only artistic production but human civilisation itself.

“It’s already here, and it will change human civilisation, no matter you like it or not,” she said.

The exhibition features AI-assisted creations alongside works by younger artists, highlighting different approaches to artistic expression and technical experimentation.

For Lu, art also offers a common language that transcends geographical, racial and linguistic boundaries.

“They do not exclusively belong to one race, one language area. They belong to all,” she said.

Yet despite her enthusiasm for emerging technologies, Lu maintained that human creativity remains distinctive and cannot simply be replaced by machines.

Having spent decades in the art world, she said she continues to embrace new artistic movements and original works, while exploring how technology might expand the possibilities of artistic expression.

Malaysian filmmaker Datuk U-Wei Saari likens the experience of viewing art to watching clouds, where new shapes and meanings emerge with closer observation. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

Malaysian film director Datuk U-Wei Saari, who officiated at the exhibition’s opening, welcomed the introduction of AI-based art to Malaysia, describing the works as an invitation to look more closely and discover different layers of meaning.

He likened the experience of contemplating an artwork to watching clouds, where shapes and forms gradually emerge and shift with the viewer’s imagination.

“Some of the artwork I saw, when you look at it silently, it becomes something else, it’s like looking at clouds.

“With another, I felt like I took a swim with the artist,” he said.

Earlier, Qiudi Art Centre general manager Li Yang, who is based in Xiamen, said the exhibition was intended to establish a two-way platform for artistic and cultural exchange between China and South-east Asia.

Rather than simply introducing Chinese contemporary artists to regional audiences, the initiative also seeks to create opportunities for Malaysian artists to engage with audiences and cultural institutions in China.