Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's 'Undercurrents' Transforms Houston Cistern with AI-Powered Sound and Light

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's 'Undercurrents' at the Buffalo Bayou Cistern in Houston uses an AI algorithm to create a multisensory installation where visitors' voices are transformed into light and sound. The cistern, built in 1926 and decommissioned in 2007, reopened as a public space in 2016 and is celebrating its centenary. The work features a mile-long LED network that visualizes sound waves, with intercoms inviting visitors to contribute to an evolving oral archive. Poems by Nick Flynn, Aris Kian, Martha Serpas, Jennifer Teets, and Roberto Tejada echo through the space, addressing themes of water scarcity, climate change, and environmental stewardship. Lozano-Hemmer frames AI as a 'critical medium' exploring surveillance and memory, though the installation uses it primarily to build a database. The exhibition runs through January 24, 2027.