Anicka Yi's 'Karmic Debt' exhibition at MFAH explores interdependence through biotech sculptures and AI film

Anicka Yi's 'Karmic Debt' exhibition is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston until 7 September 2025. The show showcases the Radiolaria series, which consists of animatronic sculptures, alongside the 2024 video titled 'Each Branch Of Coral Holds Up the Light Of the Moon.' Drawing inspiration from radiolaria and Buddhist philosophy, Yi combines organic and synthetic materials, utilizing fiberoptic surfaces, LEDs, silicone, and microcontrollers in her sculptures. The video, developed using the generative AI system Emptiness, encapsulates Yi's ten years of artistic exploration. Themes of ecological debt and inherited trauma resonate throughout, particularly reflecting on her sister's passing in 2017. On 4 July 2025, Anna Müller reviewed the exhibition in Aesthetica Magazine, while MFAH Director Gary Tinterow emphasized AI's significance in conveying human issues.