Refik Anadol’s latest work, Living Memory: Messi – A Goal in Life, has been unveiled, utilizing data-driven artificial intelligence to transform global soccer icon Lionel Messi favorite goal, his unforgettable header in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final, into an ultra-high-definition portal that channels memory itself.
This one-of-a-kind masterpiece pushes the boundaries of what art can be – not just a representation of the past, but an emotional, multisensory transmission of it.
“It’s an honor to join forces with the Inter Miami Foundation for a good cause – I feel privileged to be able
said Lionel Messi.
to do so, this project means a lot to me, not only because it recalls a special moment in my career, but also because, thanks to such a unique artist like Refik, it can help improve the lives of others who truly need it.”
At the heart of the work is what Refik Anadol calls the “architecture of action.” Using an open-source
motion-tracking framework, he mapped seventeen points of Messi’s body to reconstruct his physical form and kinetic expression. This was layered with biometric voice data, breathing rhythms, heartbeat patterns, and emotional nuances derived from interviews – culminating in a powerful soundscape shaped by Messi’s physical and emotional state in that exact moment, setting the emotional tempo of the piece. The result is a dynamic, eight-minute “memory temple,” as Anadol describes it – rendered in 16K resolution and presented as a fully immersive experience. Viewers are invited to surrender to the work, forging a visceral connection with Messi and revisiting their own memory of the goal.
“For me, this work is about transforming the data from Messi’s favorite goal into living memory –
something that we have never done before,”
said Anadol.
“We’ve taken millions of data points – visuals, sounds, physiological signals – from one of football’s most iconic moments and turned them into a pioneering art experience. This isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about reliving the depth of that split second: what Messi felt, what the crowd felt, and what it meant to the world. This AI Data Sculpture work redefines how we experience memory through art.”
Living Memory: Messi – A Goal in Life, through July 22nd Christie’s New York
Auction is live until July 22nd HERE The highest bidder will receive the work in its digital form along with a certificate of authenticity co-signed by Messi and Anadol.
Proceeds from the sale will benefit multiple nonprofits, including Inter Miami CF Foundation’s global partnership with UNICEF, which supports access to quality education programs in five countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. The artwork can also be experienced digitally on the Christie’s website.
All images and video courtesy of ©Refik Anadol Studio
Title: Living Memory : Messi — A Goal in Life
Artist: Refik Anadol in collaboration with Leo Messi
Designed and developed by Refik Anadol Studio
Curated by Ximena Caminos
In collaboration with Inter Miami CF Foundation, Christie’s and UNICEF
Edition: 1 of 1 + 1AP
Medium: AI Data Sculpture
Year: 2025
Material List: Video (Color, Sound), Software, Art Server, Screen, Immersive Sculpture
Size/ Duration Dimensions Variable, Suggested Sculpture Dimension:
6.5mL x 5mW x 4mH, 3 Sided Media Wall, U-Shape Configuration
11520 x 2592 px [TBC by Christie’s]
8 minutes, loop
