A hidden artist managed to display an AI-generated artwork on a museum wall until confused visitors notified the museum authorities. The artwork, called Empty Plate, depicted a young boy in school attire holding an empty plate and was surreptitiously placed at the National Museum Cardiff by the mysterious artist Elias Marrow. Marrow mentioned that around a few hundred people saw the piece before it was taken down.

Upon noticing the artwork, a visitor questioned a staff member about it, to which the employee confessed they had no knowledge of the piece or its arrival time. A spokesperson from Amgueddfa Cymru confirmed that an unauthorised item was placed on a gallery wall in the museum, and it was subsequently removed.

The AI-generated artwork represented Wales in 2025 and was situated in the contemporary section by Marrow. He expressed curiosity about how public institutions select what to display and the implications when something unconventional appears in their space. Marrow defended his use of AI as a progression in artistic tools, revealing that he first sketched the image before employing AI.

Marrow emphasised the importance of embracing AI in art and rejected limiting its potential, stating it contradicted his artistic beliefs. He noted that visitors reacted positively to the artwork and even took photographs of it. Despite similar actions at other museums like Bristol Museum and Tate Modern without official recognition, Marrow insisted that his intentions were not disruptive but focused on engaging without seeking permission.

A museum-goer from Ireland who encountered the piece on October 29 initially thought it was performance art but later realised it was a guerrilla installation. They questioned why a low-quality AI creation was displayed without any indication of its AI origin and approached staff members who were unaware of its presence.