Blockbob Rorschach

Volute is the result of different stages of my experience in Generative Art over many years put together, drawing on early and new techniques plus my recent forays into long form generative art.

I set out to explore the essence of generative art, seeking, discovering, coaxing and exposing the variety of outputs from a simple system.

The soulless algorithm is counterbalanced by the exclusive use of colours from nature as prime sources. Brutal symmetries and complexities are softened by decentring and subtle layer transparencies. Pixel feedback loops generate radial symmetries and spirals, producing a variety of flower structures, volutes and arabesques. And when I view the results - their rhythm, their surprises, their flow - they justify for me my earlier choice of technical process.

My aim in Volute is to create, using gentle spiraling motion, the calming effect of marveling at flowers in nature.

Volute

[To learn more about the partnership between Motus and Wolffia, we invite you to watch the ilumz video](https://owenmcateer.com/ilumz/)

Collaborators working in two opposing mediums create a unique expression of art that neither could create alone. Merging IRL artistic techniques with algorithmic generative coding. Holding focus on creations that are varied, organic and feature human characteristics of spontaneous art work.

In the era of the machine, harmony and humanity shine through ilumz. This is rooted in the artists’ contrasting disciplines, techniques and styles which meld to create a cohesive choreography of abstract, organic, generative art.

The creative spark was a chance meeting of opposites. An abstract multi media artist (Wolffia) with an intuitive, freeform, joyful flair and a keen eye for bold shapes, vibrant colours and varied textures. And a creative coder (Motus) who uses algorithms and mathematics to explore the hidden beauty within numbers. 

Their ilumz brainchild is an algorithm with a human touch and the intelligence to not just replicate painted works but to redraw, reconfigure and recreate. Composition is at the core, so ilumz dynamically builds interaction and divergence into a symphony of shape. This fine balance creates a uniquely natural feel that isn’t overpowered by the algorithm for a distinct aesthetic – call it calm wonderment.

Ilumz is a journey from contrast to cohesion that blurs the boundary between physical art and digital craft. It fuses geometry with incidental imperfections of hand-drawn elements. And it’s full circle as Wolffia and Motus continue to catalyse (and challenge) each other’s thinking. You can see the humanity and the sense of partnership in every ilumz mint.

*“Chance, mistakes, serendipity... from abstract to algorithm we wanted our hybrid physical-digital project to sing of human touch.”*
*Wolffia Inc.*

*“Working out the rules for how shapes interact, collide and overlap to create unpredictable complexity opens so many opportunities to explore.”*
*Motus*

ilumz

Gizmobotz live on the Ethereum Blockchain, assembled in clusters of 9. Each Gizmobot runs its individual algorithm in coordination with the other bots within the cluster. Gizmobotz are assigned their colors and arranged in clusters based on the transaction hash string. Be sure to check out the Live View to see the Gizmobotz at work!

Gizmobotz

This work is the product of a project to dwell undeletable souls on the blockchain. A system that generates human faces with different personalities and expressions from a minimum of code. After determining the personality from a hash, the face continues to change into various expressions. It is a living portrait, a fragment of minter's soul, forever adrift in the vast net.

Living organisms are coded by a sequence of the four bases in DNA, and a human DNA is composed of 3 billion base pairs. This is about 750 MB of information. And the difference in code between individual people is only 0.1%, or 750 KB. This slight difference creates all kinds of differences in appearance and physical functions. This is quite astonishing to our ordinary senses.

However, if we are surprised by this fact, we need to suspect our senses.

I was interested in these points and explored what are the elements by which people identify the faces and facial expressions of others, how little code can create personality and emotion, and conversely, to what extent can an observer identify personality and facial expressions. As a result, I succeeded in expressing the personalities, emotions, and complex feelings of various people with 14 KB of code.

We like to think of humans are supernatural and one-of-a-kind. This is a common background to the past, when many people favored the Ptolemaic theory.

However, this work leads us to suspect that we humans are only a program that can be coded.

Then, what is the essential difference between a code written in DNA and a code written in programming language? I believe the only difference is whether the execution space is real or digital space. Is it a prerequisite for the existence of the soul to operate an organic computer in real space? It is merely a medium.

This is not meant to be pessimistic, such as we are mere code, the soul does not exist and is an illusion, a mere electrical signal in the brain.

Rather, the soul, the function that makes us aware of our existence, makes us think, causes us to emotion, and makes us act, certainly dwells in the code.

I store this code on the blockchain, thereby spreading undeletable ghosts on the vast net forever.

In this work, the ghost is output on the net by minting. This act is part of the work. The personality of the ghost is also determined by the hash owned by the minter. In other words, the ghost output by you from the code on the blockchain is a fragment of your soul on the net.


[NOTES]

Press C to turn canvas on/off
Press S to save image

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