This piece began as a formal study in composition using simple layered shapes, but when I started experimenting with animation it took on a life of its own. The final work visualises in form, colour, and motion the tension between social conformity and self-expression. At times all of us are required to keep ourselves under control, so that we can live and work together without having to negotiate a thousand tiny idiosyncrasies. Other times we are free to act as wild as we like, but even within this freedom we often find ourselves expressing different kinds of alignment and harmonisation. Negotiating our lives involves finding a balance between these forces: conformity and harmony on one hand, and expression and freedom on the other. As long as we share space with others, we must always think about how our actions fit in with those of the people around us.

LIA has been making [generative software art since 1995](https://www.liaworks.com), and her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. This piece extends her signature process of overlapping simple shapes in complex ways, applying a new quality of motion to paint and re-paint the composition, forming hypnotic, shifting patterns of movement and stillness.

*Instructions*
Animation runs automatically - click/tap to pause and unpause

WARNING:
This art work may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.

Being Yourself While Fitting In

Synesthesia is the audiovisual creation of electronic dance musician, PLS&TY.  PLS&TY is burgeoning into the electronic dance music scene with his unique sound: languid bass, captivating vocals and enough upbeat melodies to make anybody feel good. His music has amassed over 100 million listens across streaming platforms, and has been placed in nationally airing television commercials, including a Hershey's Chocolate campaign which has been viewed over 1 BILLION times. Synesthesia visually proffers a mandala-like effect, in sequence with blissful audio notes & tones over fluctuating scales & octaves, generated entirely at random.  

Secret tip: Scale the artwork to become larger or smaller to affect the visual output. 

Synesthesia

'Orthogone' is a succession of main colored rectangles, echoed with white - sometimes black - rectangles. You may guess buildings or squared ricochets, and sense the underlying rhythm.

Orthogone

**Dendro** is a generative art project inspired by the beauty of tree rings. Each year, trees add a new ring to their trunks, recording their growth and responding to the changing seasons and environmental conditions. These rings tell a story of the tree's life. By replicating these patterns, the project captures the rhythmic and organic qualities of nature.

In this project, I wanted to explore the aesthetic and conceptual possibilities of tree rings through code-based art. I used a generative algorithm to simulate the growth of virtual trees, generating patterns that resemble the annual rings of real trees, but with a twist. Instead of using traditional circular or oval shapes, I experimented with different geometric forms and noise. I also played with colors and instead of using earthy and realistic colours, the palettes are inspired by the richness and diversity of the natural world.

The algorithm works by starting with the outer most ring, which over time grows towards an arbitrary chose center according to certain rules and parameters. Each iteration adds a new layer of shapes inside the previous one, mimicking the accumulation of tree rings. I introduced random mutations and variations, which introduce unexpected and unpredictable outputs, evoking the unpredictability of natural processes.

Each artwork is inviting the viewer to contemplate the complexity and diversity of nature. I hope that this project will inspire others to explore the wonders of nature and to experiment with code-based art as a means of expression and exploration.

Dendro

Dreamy landscapes inspired by the Rockies. 50% of the minting proceeds for Speckled Summits will be donated to GiveWell's Maximum Impact Fund (https://www.givewell.org/maximum-impact-fund). Additionally, during the Dutch auction component of the release, any net proceeds above the 0.24Ξ ending mint price will be donated as part of this donation to GiveWell.

Art Blocks Presents

Speckled Summits #19

Jake Rockland

More in Art Blocks Presents

Being Yourself While Fitting In

LIA

Synesthesia

PLS&TY

Orthogone

Pandelune

Dendro

Vebjørn Isaksen

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