rewrite this title Lessons from The Wrong Biennale – Hypergrid Business

Time really does fly. Six months later, The Wrong Biennale is coming to a close on March 31, 2026.

The Wrong Biennale is an international digital art exhibition that takes place both online and in physical galleries and is seen by millions worldwide.

The seventh edition, running from November 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, focused on artificial intelligence in art. It features work across visual art, video, text, and sound, highlighting how artists are using AI and machine learning in their creative process.

Over time, it has grown into a major global community and a key event in the digital art world.

Making that last-minute decision to participate in The Wrong Biennale showed us one thing quickly: virtual exhibitions are not so different from the real world. The expectations, the deadlines, and the collaboration all operate at the same level.

We came in late with a simple directive: to build an exhibit using AI. What followed was a fast push to find artists, meet the entry deadline, and not only curate an in-world show, but also create a website pavilion that could translate our exhibits, and OpenSim as well, to an outside audience. The result was more than we could have hoped for.

Finding the artists was the easy part. We had already worked with all of them before. We knew their work, their drive, and their dedication. With a tight deadline and a show of this magnitude, that level of trust made a difference. I had the pleasure of working one-on-one with each artist on their online exhibits, combining images with video showcasing their work. It was such a great experience, I’d work with all of them again in a heartbeat.

What surprised us most about the AI-inspired art was how different the outcomes were. Despite a shared requirement to use AI, no two exhibits were alike. The artists approached the technology in completely different ways; some used it to enhance their work, while others allowed it to shape the entire concept. The takeaway was clear. The tool used may be the same, but the vision behind it makes all the difference.

While the show was about technology, what happened behind the scenes was entirely human. Many of us had worked together before, some only in passing. This time was different. We got to know each other, not just as creators, but as collaborators. This was truly a group effort.

We workshopped AI tools together, traded tips and techniques, shared discoveries, and at times, our frustrations. There was a genuine sense of wanting everyone to succeed. Instead of competing for attention, we helped each other shine, and that made the final exhibition stronger than anything any one of us could have created alone.

“Helping to curate a two-month build with fifteen artists was initially a daunting idea, but it became one of the most rewarding collaborative experiences I’ve had,” said Cooper Swizzle, a curator and artist on Kitely and The Curiosity Zone. “The group’s energy, generosity, and willingness to learn from one another made the process exceptional.”

This show also took on a deeper meaning for us. It became the final exhibition for artist Luna Lunaria of Wolf Territories. She sadly passed away shortly after the show began. At the time, we were focused on the work, the deadlines, the build, the collaboration, but looking back, it feels different. It was a last chance to create with her, to share ideas, and hang out. Her work, and her presence, remain part of the show, and a lasting part of her legacy. She will be deeply missed.

“Luna was not only an incredible artist, but an extraordinary friend,” said artist Star Ravenhurst of the Tenth Dimension grid. “She was always willing to lend a hand, share her talents, and support others in their creative endeavors. Knowing her and having the chance to work alongside her was truly an honor.”

Blending the real world with the virtual isn’t new; people in OpenSim have been doing it for years. But for us, being accepted into a large real-world show was genuinely exciting. The idea that people outside of OpenSim would see our work was new to us, and we were ready for it.

“This won’t be our last time participating in real-world art shows; we’re already looking for the next opportunity,” said Koshari Mahana, curator and artist on Kitely and The Curiosity Zone. “There’s so much talent in OpenSim that deserves more visibility, and it would be great to share more of it with the outside world.”

The response has been amazing. The Synthetic Dreams website, our online pavilion for the Wrong, has well over 2,000 views. The in-world exhibit welcomed hundreds of visitors with over a thousand visits overall. We were featured on The Wrong’s Instagram as well as their official press page. We also had the pleasure of hosting visits from the Virtual Worlds Education Consortium, Thirza Ember’s Hypergrid Safari, not once but twice, and a tour led by Thirza from the OpenSimulator Community Conference during the conference weekend.

“The Synthetic Dreams Pavilion was an amazing achievement,” said Hypergrid Safari’s Thirza Ember. “So many thoughtful and beautifully constructed installations. The sheer inventiveness in both the concepts it explored and the techniques used to convey them was a real eye opener. What a treat!”

After the Hypergrid Safari, Roland Francis shared his thoughts on the Safari blog. “This is truly exceptional digital artwork,” he said in a comment. “So high level, it blew my socks off at every click, which brings you to an even deeper experience of detailed visuals. What a marvelous blend of flavors, those mesmerized interpretations of real-life artists and their work.”

“Synthetic Dreams was a remarkable experience, filled with creativity, beauty, humor, and a sense of wonder,” said Carla Kincaid Yoshikawa, a consultant at Training in the 21st Century. “The artists crafted immersive 3D environments, using AI as a tool to bring their visions to life. Each exhibit was uniquely compelling, at times beautiful, mystical, informative, provocative, and always engaging.”

“I created a video using the exhibit as a case study, not only to highlight AI as a creative tool, but also to demonstrate how environments built within 3D worlds can function artistically, socially, and educationally,” she added. “Hats off to the curators and to all the artists who made this experience so memorable.”

“What I took away most is how art inspires art,” said artist Forrest Azzure. “As I wandered through the expo, the dreamy builds I encountered started to stir poetic lines within me. Would I do it again? Yes, but not using AI. What we created was a statement that only needed to be made once.”

“Based on this experience, I’m excited for future collaborations and eager to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Kitely artist Yeelinda Blue. “To all of the artists, thank you for making this journey unforgettable.”

As The Wrong Biennale comes to a close, the lessons we’ve learned are what we’ll carry with us. While the show’s theme was AI, it wasn’t the focus after all. It was just a tool, one that helped us explore new directions and bring something unexpected to life. In the end, though, it was about the artists and their creativity.

Virtual and real are no longer separate spaces. They operate with the same expectations, the same standards, and the same potential to connect people.

We saw what can happen when collaboration replaces competition. And we saw that the work we create in OpenSim doesn’t have to stay contained, but can reach far beyond it.

Most of all, we were reminded that behind every build, every exhibit, and every idea, it’s the people who make it matter, and the mark they leave behind.

In the end, The Wrong turned out to be exactly the right thing to do. And yes, without a doubt, we’d do it all over again.

While The Wrong Biennale officially wraps up at the end of March, Ilan Tochner, owner of Kitely, has generously extended the exhibit for an additional three months till June 31st, 2026.

“The Wrong Biennale Pavilion, Synthetic Dreams, is a great example of what OpenSim creators can achieve,” said Kitely CEO and co-founder Ilan Tochner. “It would have been a shame to shut it down, so we offered to extend it by another three months. We’re proud to host such a strong exhibit in Kitely and highly recommend that anyone who hasn’t seen it yet take this opportunity to visit.”

Visit the Wrong Biennale Pavilion at the Kitely Expo Center via hypergrid at grid.kitely.com:8002:Kitely Expo Center.

Cooper Swizzle contributed to this story.

Kimm Starr is a digital artist and creator known for her dedication to pushing the boundaries of virtual expression within OpenSim.

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