Kubikino by Carolina Melis

Kubikino is a project by artist Carolina Melis, with the support of creative coder Enrico Penzo. The work is informed by notions of choreography, modular pattern composition and character design.

Kubikino is an idiosyncratic face, made of a combination of graphical elements and colours generated by code. Using an essential library of geometries - all deriving from the circle - and primary tones, the code randomly creates new faces resembling human physiognomy, animals and traditional masks.

Through the deliberate reference to a face, Kubikino prompts contemplation on the traditional notions of identity, similarity, and persona, as well as the ongoing need to establish one"s own representation within a community - from traditional masks to digital avatars. For centuries, human identity has been a source of cultural fascination, with the word "identity" stemming from the Latin term "identitas," signifying both "sameness" and oneness.

Inspired by Bruno Munari"s "Faces," a collection of abstract portraits created using basic geometric shapes and lines, Kubikino reflects on the simplicity, playfulness, and power of design to communicate across cultures and generations.

Drawing upon the influential dance theories of Rudolf Laban and Merce Cunningham, Kubikino"s device process for the creation of its faces is underpinned by a sophisticated framework of modular pattern composition. The project"s generated output is organised into a grid-based structure, where each section corresponds to a phrase, and the relationship between the various sections collectively generates the final composition. Referencing Labans Movement Analysis, each section is paraphrasing LMA"s four key components: body (loop), shape (direction), dynamic (colour), space (relationship within the space).

Kubikino also adopts the principles of "chance" and "structured improvisation" articulated by avant-garde pioneers John Cage and Merce Cunningham in the 1960s. The Kubikino identity is constructed from a selected array of animated graphics, rules, and paradigms that correspond to motifs, scores, and ensembles found in conventional art forms such as dance, music, and paintings.

Kubikino #14

Kubikino #319

Speak To Me by Lisa Orth

Is there a life force within art? Can we converse with creative energy? Artists throughout history have posed such questions. When I start creating new generative artwork, I often focus on discovering whats new that I might unearth within the exploration of a simple algorithm. When the visual outputs start to move me, I love the idea that perhaps Ive discovered some sort of personality hidden within the confines of the code, waiting for the most unlikely parameter to unlock its emergent beauty. Within that creative journey, I have a hidden agenda. I hope to commune with the voices hiding inside the code. 

*Speak To Me* experiments with layering and interrupting repetitions of basic geometric shapes, exploring their interplay and movement when placed in relation to one another. Drawing loose inspiration from historic art movements such as Suprematism and Constructivism, Im seeking to investigate the potential of these simple forms to create dynamic and complex visual arrangements. The code generates compositions that are both structured and organic, imparting a movement and energy to the shapes, so they seem to grow and flow like living organisms. Some shapes speak boldly, with clear, directional vision. Some embrace the space between. Within this collection, the differences in those voices are celebrated with intention. 

One night I dreamed of my code in progress, which sometimes happens when Im immersed in a project. I awoke in the middle of the night with a specific phrase running through my head, got up to groggily scribble it onto some paper, then fell back to sleep. In the morning, I woke up to see the words Speak To Me, and I realized that I now had the name of my collection, imparted in a dream.

Throughout the creation of *Speak To Me*, I found myself wondering if there might be a secret life of shapes. Reflecting on the creative process, I firmly believe that there is a dynamic energy inherent in artistic creation that can be considered a life force. As an artist, I view my role as a conduit and facilitator for this energy to manifest in the physical realm. From this perspective, in the case of generative art, I open up the role of creator to share with both the generative randomness of the algorithm and the creative force that inspires its creation. By embracing this philosophy of artistic creation, Im hoping to both experience and share a more profound and transformative creative journey. I hope this artwork speaks to you as it has to me.

Speak To Me #121

Exstasis by Grant Oesterling

*Exstasis* is an exploration in abstract pixel painting. Inspired by the work 20th-century abstract expressionists like Mir and Kandinsky, along with 16-bit pixel art aesthetics, the algorithm filters organic curvilinear forms through digital noise and pixel dithering to achieve a uniquely fluid effect. *Exstasis* revels in ecstatic movement and rich patterns informed by the very colors that comprise it.

Central to the project is a pixelating technique known as Bayer dithering. This method of ordered dithering was invented to approximate shading and color tone when the available colors and number of pixels were limited by the hardware constraints of the time (think Sega Genesis, Commodore 64, etc). Although advancements in digital displays have since rendered this sort of technique all but obsolete, *Exstasis* employs the dither to deconstruct colors into their fundamental components, creating fascinating grid-like structures which weave throughout the artwork. 

The dithering is paired with a more sophisticated form of digital noise called fractal Brownian motion to warp the forms in unexpected and compelling ways. By fusing pixel art"s nostalgic allure with a more abstract futuristic technique, *Exstasis* manifests as a uniquely fresh and distinct artwork.

As a generative artist, I have always been most interested in exploring the facets of digital art which are unique to the medium, and *Exstasis* is my truest exploration to date. Constantly evolving and in motion, with a distinctly digital aesthetic, this work could not have been realized in any other medium.



Exstasis #100

Ethereum Name Service (ENS) domains are secure domain names for the decentralized world. ENS domains provide a way for users to map human readable names to blockchain and non-blockchain resources, like Ethereum addresses, IPFS hashes, or website URLs. ENS domains can be bought and sold on secondary markets.

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Autology by steganon

Is code art? Autology is a study of not only how we interpret art, but also how art can interpret itself. Each piece has its source code embedded imperceptibly within the image itself. Hence the source code is literally part of the artwork. With a little sleuthing, one can derive the source code from the image and vice versa in infinite recursion. Click "s" to save the image and then visit https://steganon.com/autology.html to decode it. Or if you are feeling technologically adventurous, try to develop your own tool to do the same.

Autology #84

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DUMMY SNAPPED!

DUMMY SNAPPED! is a collection of sculptures created by artificial intelligence. Each image utilizes prompts generated from the PROMPTZ collection script. Titles are algorithmically produced using pharmaceutical brands, combined with terms to describe taste and flavor.

CHALKY TYTUSSIN

OpenSea Shared Storefront

Monster Icon #10

PROMPTZ is a collection of randomized text-based conceptual art stored onchain.

PROMPTZ

An artist paints a surgical exam light while sleeping. UNREAL HARMONY personifies the environment as a misbehavior in society.

UNREAL HARMONY

An artist paints a Manhattan parking spot above the MoMA. APPLE OF SPRING suggests theory about divine intervention as a way to understand our known reality.

APPLE OF SPRING

An artist builds an array of plastic chairs in a tube. BROKEN TECHNO looks at social engineering as a portal to sexuality.

BROKEN TECHNO

An artist paints a leopard print Kawasaki jet ski and submerges it in crude oil. BLUE EMOTION represents quantum entanglement as a means to communicate telepathically.

BLUE EMOTION

An artist stands next to a massive dentist chair in a glue factory. BECOMING MEDICINE is a conversation about Twitter as a vision of empowering ones self.

BECOMING MEDICINE

An artist draws a red inflatable boat while screaming. PEARL UNDEAD conceptualizes the supernatural as a vision of empowering ones self.

PEARL UNDEAD

An artist reconfigures 333 marble windows on a long wall. HYPER CONNECTION conceptualizes form as a glimpse into the metaphysical.

HYPER CONNECTION

An artist lacquers 1200 gold balloons in a pool underwater. WHITE TRASH represents corporate power as a scientific anomaly.

WHITE TRASH

An artist sculpts a collection of checkerboard paintings and submerges it in crude oil. COOL WEALTH imagines self medication as a path to achieve spiritual wholeness.