A Map is a score for a new world...
 
Maps is a generative script stored on the blockchain. Each mint generates a unique svg using a seed hash.
 
The initial inspiration for Maps was the idea that graphic notation can create a variety of different outputs for music.
 
This led to using sprites, a form of graphic notation that gives a sense of how things move without being animated, as the layout to explore each world. 
 
Each Map uses variable colors and patterns to generate different environments. By mixing 10 different elements, new biomes are named ( i.e. scorched forest, dune ocean, etc… )
 
These environmental elements are represented by color ( HSL ). different base and accent environments were picked to be mixed and matched freely. 
 
Maybe an NFT can be an instruction for something non-digital, too… The different colors are also matched with pantone chips so that each SVG can be easily printed.
 
The method for generating the pattern is called dithering, which is both inherently as much a digital process ( i.e. bitmapping ) as it is a physical one ( i.e. halftone ). The script uses a modified Floyd–Steinberg dither algorithm to approximate the light between each pixel and create unique patterns.

Maps

# eternity stirs
my finger stirred the pool. 
iridescent specks at this distance. 
molecules separated by infinities, 
attracted by a gentle gesture. 
matter built on reducible complexity, 
remarkable what emerges from the soup.

the specks of light flash for a moment, 
then flame out. 
the arc of their burning wick 
painting pictures; 
heating arguments;
bleeding in the darkness. 

helpless to start or stop anything, 
bodies in motion, 
tending to stay in motion,
until the fuel runs out.

# can there be beauty in pain?
Flora, Fauna, False gods & Floods continues a theme I began in Beauty in the Hurting. When turbulent acts of god subvert best-laid plans, is there beauty in the broken images of life we leave behind?

Left alone, these images would resolve to nearly symmetrical dreamlike ink blots of meaning:  a flower, a feathered creature, or a figure of worship. In fact, what is most beautiful in their image may lay outside the frame. 

The final resting frame in each composition does not paint the whole picture. You must go looking for it. Interact with each composition by following the controls below.

# **saving**
* **a key** - download transparent uncropped print
* **s key** - download print

# **controls**
* **f key** - toggle speed up / slow down at 5x speed
* **h key** - toggle speed up / slow down at 20x speed
* **r key** - reset the camera view
* **click/touch** - while rendering, toggles between full view and follow view, when finished, cycles through zoom levels
* **click/touch and drag** - change the cropping of the image
* **click/touch again after dragging** - restore the default image crop for the current zoom level

flora, fauna, false gods & floods

Quilted landscapes in homage to the desert. 51% of the minting sales proceeds from Patchwork Saguaros will be donated to the Nancy Rockland-Miller Scholarship fund, held by The Kent State University Foundation. To learn more, please check out my introduction blog post for the project: https://bit.ly/3tGPVd3

Patchwork Saguaros

Inspired by Max Tegmark's book Life 3.0, we envisioned what it is going to look like when a general AI starts a media company for the first time. An AI able to create and stream unique content to every human watching. 

Soon though, we realized that there was something else going on.

As the work progressed it became clear that Supermental is a way to question and express much of the friction that we see in NFTs and Web3. Especially around mental health.

While we are firm believers in this new world we do have questions. And we do see red flags.

We often complain that some Web2 companies are causing depression and online addiction. And they are. But while the data and the assets might be free in Web3, are we better off when it comes to our mental health?

In the land of NFTs our online identity now consumes. Not only time, but money and assets. The mimetic status games are no longer confined to likes and followers. Now we deal in tangible value. This expansion of the mimetic scoreboard does not make it easier to live a balanced life. The benefit of being online has just increased dramatically for a lot of people. But it comes at a cost.

How do we ensure that we don’t recreate our mistakes of the past? How do we make sure that online addiction does not become worse? How do we make sure that our mental health is not sacrificed once again.

If we really do own the platforms, the assets, and the memes, it should be in our best interest to create an online environment where proactive mental health is the default UX. 

With Supermental we hope to draw attention to mental health issues in the Web3 and NFT space.

Supermental is made by a duo. My partner wants to stay anon.

Take care,
Jarl Rosenlykke

---------

Controls

- Click on the animation to change your mental state

- Press space to pause and take a deep breath

Supermental

«𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨'𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶?»¹

In these formal studies, geometric figures are cut, broken, divided, subdivided, colorized and finally «set to drift»² in an endless scrolling motion. The elements in each composition vary over time without ever reaching a final form.

Visual artifacts remind of analog electronics. Feedback loops undermine the accuracy of digital technology. As time passes, it is increasingly difficult to recognize the original composition: frame after frame, cycle after cycle, the image is dissolved into a landscape of liquid forms and oversaturated colors. 

After having pursued harmony and balance, it is liberating to surrender and witness the carefully crafted compositions blend into a chaotic interplay of lights and shapes.

Drifting, la «dérive»³, is an ongoing dialogue with the machine, started as an exploration of an aesthetic system and turned into a journey of self–discovery. 

(1) 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘈𝘓9000 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘸𝘮𝘢𝘯 («2001: 𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺», 𝘚. 𝘒𝘶𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬, 1968). (2) «𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨» 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘵: “𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘭, […] 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺” («𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦-𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰», 𝘓. 𝘍𝘶𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 1970). (3) 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 «𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵» (𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 «𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦 𝘥𝘦 𝘭𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦», 𝘎. 𝘋𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥, 1956).

Art Blocks Presents

Maps #74

john provencher

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flora, fauna, false gods & floods

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Jake Rockland

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