In Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood, a unique exhibit called Chat Haus has opened between a school and a library. Designed by artist Nim Ben-Reuven, Chat Haus looks like a luxury coworking space, complete with people working at desks, taking calls, and sipping coffee. However, everything inside, including the people, is made entirely of cardboard. The exhibit features small robots made of cardboard moving with tiny motors, offering a humorous take on the changing creative industry. A sign jokingly offers desk space for $1,999 a month and describes the area as “a luxury co-working space for chatbots.”
Ben-Reuven said he created the exhibit to deal with his frustration over how AI is affecting his work in graphic design and videography. He explained that humor helped him express his feelings without turning bitter about losing freelance opportunities to AI. Wanting to keep the exhibit lighthearted, he aimed to invite people of all ages and viewpoints, rather than creating something negative that needed constant defense.
Cardboard has long been a part of Ben-Reuven’s work, from building a life-size airport terminal in grad school to crafting what he affectionately calls his “cardboard babies.” He chose cardboard again for Chat Haus to make a deeper point. He sees the fragile nature of cardboard as a reflection of how AI-generated art, while flashy at first, lacks lasting substance under closer inspection.
The Chat Haus exhibit is temporarily installed at 121 Norman Avenue while the building awaits renovation permits. Ben-Reuven hopes to keep the exhibit up until mid-May and eventually expand it in a larger gallery space. However, he joked about the challenge of finding room for more cardboard robots in his apartment. His playful idea captures the image of countless “baby robots” working non-stop, powered by our AI prompts, using as much energy as an entire country.
