“Ian Cheng: BOB”

Cheng has made a rep for himself by creating “live simulations” imagineered with the help of a video game engine. In them, behavioral scenarios involving figures interacting within fantastical landscapes are programmed to play out or mutate on their own. For his debut at Gladstone Gallery, Cheng delves into artificial intelligence with BOB (Bag of Beliefs), an AI taking form as a “chimeric branching serpent” with its own mind, body and personality, enabling it to autonomously interact and respond to viewers.