Internationally Acclaimed Canadian Korean Artist Krista Kim Returns Home for the Canadian Launch of Heart Space at Toronto Tech Week 2026
Immersive AI art exhibit powered by human heartbeats previews in Toronto ahead of its
2027 Canadian tour kick-off at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, New Brunswick
TORONTO — May 12, 2026 — What defines human identity in an AI-driven World? This question will take center stage later this month as internationally acclaimed Canadian-Korean digital artist Krista Kim comes home to Toronto to preview her groundbreaking Heart Space exhibit, which makes its Canadian debut during Toronto Tech Week 2026.
Heart Space is the world’s first immersive art installation driven by real-time biometric data and generative AI. Unlike other immersive works, Heart Space cannot exist without participants' biology. Each visitor’s heartbeat is captured and translated into dynamic colour and waveform in real time. Every person who enters the room becomes a contributor to the collective, continuously evolving the artwork. No two moments are alike, and no two audiences produce the same work.
“Heart Space is the collaborative expression of being, through AI. What distinguishes it from any other immersive work is the shared experience of oneness – participants witness, together, the living beauty of their collective humanity rendered visible in real time.” — Krista Kim
Toronto Tech Week is the Canadian launch pad for Heart Space
The Heart Space exhibit at Toronto Tech Week is the Toronto-born artist’s first major Canadian showcase. She has exhibited in Hong Kong, London, Barcelona, Seoul, Dubai, Las Vegas (the Sphere), and New York (Times Square).
The Heart Space exhibit has been on tour in the UAE, China, Saudi Arabia, UK, Spain, South Korea, and Switzerland. The Canadian launch at Toronto Tech Week provides a glimpse into the exhibit ahead of its 2027 national tour kick-off at Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
The exhibit is at the heart of “When Worlds Converge: Art, AI & the Future of Human-Centered Innovation” at Toronto Tech Week 2026 and is co-presented by the Schulich Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Pursuits Inc., and The Demo Room. It takes place on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM at The Demo Room in Toronto. Register to attend online.
“What Krista Kim has built is rare: an exhibition that is both technically extraordinary and deeply human. Heart Space is not something you observe – it is something you co-create. The human body becomes the medium of expression, the heartbeat becomes the inscription, and the room responds to your presence. Heart Space exemplifies Pursuits’ commitment to experiential, museum-quality exhibitions that place human presence at the centre of cultural and technological dialogue.”— Marla Wasser, Pursuits Inc., Canadian presenting agency for Krista Kim and Heart Space.
Identity, Consent, and Proof of Humanity in the Age of AI
As AI systems become increasingly capable of generating, deciding, and acting, the question of what remains distinctly human is no longer philosophical. It is becoming a cultural, commercial, and regulatory discussion.
Heart Space is brought to life in collaboration with Tenbeo, a Brussels-based biotechnology company pioneering identity authentication through advanced biometric AI. Tenbeo’s heart wave recognition technology is the engine behind the experience and, beyond the art, represents a significant development in how biometric systems can shape authentication, digital trust, and proof of humanity in an AI-driven world.
“Every human being carries a unique heart signature – and it is the only authentication that AI cannot hack or spoof. In Heart Space, that biological truth becomes something poetic: your heartbeat is not data to be extracted, it is the brushstroke of your presence. When participants enter the room, their cardiac rhythms merge into a living, collective artwork – a visible expression of oneness. This is what human sovereignty looks like in the age of AI.” — Krista Kim
Tenbeo’s technology uses a person’s distinct heart waveform to authenticate identity by analyzing real-time biometric data, ensuring only the true individual can access sensitive systems, prevent fraud, and secure digital transactions. As the EU AI Act reshapes how organizations must govern AI agents, and as Canadian enterprises begin to map their own exposure, the concept of ‘proof of humanity’ – a verifiable, biometric record of human authorization – is moving from the edges of the conversation to its centre.
This Toronto Tech Week event brings together leading voices from art, technology, entrepreneurship, and digital trust to explore this topic.
“Every major technology shift eventually forces a reckoning with the same question: who is in control, and who is accountable? AI is forcing that question faster than most institutions are ready for. Events like this one exist to close that gap by putting founders, artists, policymakers, and thinkers in the same room before the decisions get made without them.” — Chris Carder, Schulich Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Agenda for When Worlds Converge: Art, AI & the Future of Human-Centered Innovation
Heart Space VIP Event (3pm)
• Welcome and national launch announcement
• Keynote by Krista Kim
• Featured talk by Athalis Kratouni and live demonstration of Tenbeo’s continuous authentication and AI identity security
• Cross-disciplinary panel discussion
• Immersive art activation
Heart Space Social/Party (7pm)
• Networking reception and startup tech demos
• Event social and party, featuring 4KORNERS and DJ P
• Food stations hosted by YSpace Food & Beverage and The Black Entrepreneurship Alliance
Event registration required: https://luma.com/6zzd1jlt
About Krista Kim
Krista Kim is a Canadian-Korean artist known for her exploration of digital consciousness. Her work investigates the impact of digital technology on human perception, communication, and social structures. In 2014 she initiated the Techism Movement, a philosophical framework recognizing technological innovation as an artistic discipline. Her career highlights include Cultural Leader of the World Economic Forum; UNESCO ’50 Minds for the Next 50;’ 2025 Infinity Festival Monolith Awards (Fine Art); 2024 & 2025 Excellence in Digital Art Award, Créateurs Design Awards, Paris; Member of the Oxford Society of Aging and Longevity; first female NFT artist collected by LACMA; and Metaverse Editor for Vogue Singapore. For additional information, visit kristakimstudio.com.
About Pursuits Inc.
Founded by Marla Wasser in 2007, Pursuits Inc.’s mission is to build bridges across the art, technology, and cultural ecosystems. Working closely with its global network of artists and clients, Pursuits creates transformative art moments, leveraging its expertise in curation and advisory to expand access to art that educates, inspires, and drives impact. Pursuits serves as the representing arts agency for Krista Kim as the cultural and strategic bridge behind Heart Space’s realization in Canada. For additional information, visit pursuitsinc.com.
About the Schulich Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
The Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Schulich School of Business develops accelerator and incubator programs, ecosystem partnerships, and innovation-focused work-integrated learning opportunities for students and alumni. For additional information, visit schulich.yorku.ca/schulich-startups.
About Tenbeo
Tenbeo is a Brussels-based biotechnology company pioneering identity authentication through advanced biometric AI. Their technology uses a person’s distinct heart waveform to authenticate identity by analyzing real-time biometric data, ensuring only the true individual can access sensitive systems, prevent fraud, and secure digital transactions. In collaboration with Krista Kim Studio, Tenbeo brings the Heart Space experience to life by integrating its cutting-edge heart wave recognition technology. For additional information, visit tenbeo.ai.
About Demo Room
Demo Room is a purpose-built creative compound in Toronto designed for immersive cultural programming, brand activations, and large-scale creative projects. It serves as a meeting point for creators, artists, producers, technologists, and brands to collaborate and activate ideas within one flexible environment. For additional information, visit
Partners and Sponsors
Silver Sponsors: Desjardins, Audrey S. Hellyer Charitable Foundation
Bronze Sponsors: Sandbox Centre, LW Capital Corporation, 4KORNERS
After-Party Presented by: Black Entrepreneurship Alliance, YSpace
Community Sponsors: TiE Toronto, Foresight Canada, Tidal Commerce, Zeifmans LLP, Schulich Venture Academy, Peak R&D, Sirelico Advisory, reIGNITE Conference, ChainPatrol, DJ P
NOTE TO MEDIA: Interviews can be scheduled in advance or onsite at the event.
Media Contact
Jodi Echakowitz
Boulevard Public Relations
jodi@boulevrdpr.com