ArtisTree Selects: the jewel system by sara shakeel talk in hong kong

artistree selects: the jewel system by sara shakeel

As part of Swire Properties’ Arts Month 2025 in Hong Kong, ArtisTree Selects: The Jewel System by Sara Shakeel welcomes visitors into a celestial installation merging AI-generated concepts with traditional South Asian embroidery. On this occasion, designboom partnered with ArtisTree to host a discussion with the multidisciplinary artist, as well as with digital art professional, Sylvia Wang. Moderated by designboom Editor-in-Chief, Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou, the panel, titled Embodying the Digital: Translating AI and Digital Art into Physical Forms, unpacks themes such as the role of AI in contemporary art, the human impulse to materialize digital ideas, and the emergence of phygital works, to ponder the future of these two realms.

artist Sara Shakeel inside her installation ArtisTree Selects: The Jewel System

all images courtesy of ArtisTree unless stated otherwise

Centering this conversation is the ArtisTree Selects: The Jewel System by Sara Shakeel, which reinterprets the solar system as an immersive, bejeweled map. Vast planetary forms — hand-embroidered by artisans using over 3.9 million vintage glass crystals — reflect Shakeel’s fascination with cosmic storytelling which she first began exploring as digital collages. Alongside this work, Genesis in Jewels captures the primordial moment of the Big Bang through layers of embroidered fabric and suspended crystals forming a celestial tapestry amid a sweeping black net. Read on for key takeaways from the conversation, and don’t miss the chance to experience the installation in person, on view at Two Taikoo Place in Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay until April 27, 2025.

the composition of vast planetary forms were hand-embroidered by 80 Pakistani artisans

bridging digital concepts and artisanal craftsmanship

Sara Shakeel, born in Pakistan and now based in London, is known for her cosmic concepts and has continued to build bridges between digital artistry and physical craftsmanship throughout her career. She begins the conversation with designboom by reflecting on how she has embraced digital tools as a collaborative hand to enhance her exploration of art in more diverse forms.

‘AI is just another tool for an artist — just like a sculptor’s chisel or a painter’s brush,’ Sara Shakeel says. ‘But, of course, AI has no soul, so it needs an artist’s touch to give it life, which I tried to do by creating The Jewel System.’

designboom Editor-in-Chief, Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou, moderated a panel, titled Embodying the Digital: Translating AI and Digital Art into Physical Forms

Shakeel explains that while her practice originates in the digital realm, her desire to create immersive, physical experiences drives her to translate these pieces into tactile art. This not only brings creations into ‘the real world’, but also gives life to her artwork so viewers can engage on a different physical and emotional level.

‘As human beings, we need to have that tactile sensation with something you can touch, feel, see, and experience,’ she continues.

Sara Shakeel and Sylvia Wang joined designboom under the accompanying Genesis in Jewels tapestry

Although the concept of The Jewel System was first imagined virtually, the starting point of its creation was a profoundly physical and spiritual journey rooted in Shakeel’s Pakistani heritage. The artist recounts roaming narrow bazaar alleys in Karachi where she was approached by a retailer selling bags and bags of vintage crystals, which were then used to craft the surface of the planets. The colorful jewels were applied using traditional techniques of metallic embroidery and crystal embellishment to construct intricate patterns reminiscent of those adorning royal textiles. This process, she explains, was a collaboration in every sense of the word, as she worked with a team of 80 local artisans and sought to channel each of their energies into the work.

Shakeel goes on to emphasize the role of intention in artistic creation: ‘There should always be an intention behind what you create. If it comes from a clear place, AI will help you create the most beautiful thing.’

the installation reinterprets the solar system as an immersive, bejeweled map

opportunities amid rising interest in phygital art

Expanding on the fusion of digital and physical creation, digital art professional Sylvia Wang highlights how the trend of phygital art has grown over the years to offer many new opportunities, as well as challenges, for the creative ecosystem. She points to the growing demand for art that extends beyond traditional galleries or digital platforms, as collectors increasingly seek more immersive experiences. Shakeel echoes this sentiment, noting that while her collectors appreciate her digital work, they are increasingly drawn to the tactile and experiential aspects of her installations. In response, she has been refining her practice to strike a balance between her digitally conceptualized pieces and their transformation into immersive, physical experiences.

the planet’s intricate patterns are reminiscent of those adorning royal textiles

Though, while the advent of these new technologies and their intersection with art allows collectors and audiences to experience works across multiple dimensions — tangible and intangible — its accessibility for creators has meant an influx in experimental artworks being created. Wang also acknowledges growing excitement among institutions for virtual art following the boom of NFTs, noting how Hong Kong’s M+ Museum has embraced the medium in its collections, showcasing works like Beeple’s Human One among other AI-assisted pieces.

‘As well as being hugely popular in other global institutes, it is still an increasing trend in Asia that people are so supportive of digital art and its presence in museums,’ Wang notes.

Sara Shakeel merges AI-generated concepts with traditional South Asian embroidery

the future of visual art and ai

Looking ahead, both panelists agree that creatives will continue to push the boundaries between digital and physical art, increasingly blurring the intersection between the two. With hope, Wang concludes that virtual spaces in the near future will afford artists more possibilities and potential to create in forms not confined to any dimension, medium, or scale.

‘Probably in many years, there won’t even be a definition about who is a digital artist, or who is a physical artist. It’s just about an artist who is telling a story, history, or memory. And AI or other technologies will be just tools for the artist to realize this,’ adds the digital art professional.