In Zen, ensō is a symbol that represents elegance and enlightenment. It is typically painted by hand in an uninhibited way, allowing for unexpected and beautiful results. Inspired by sumi-e (ink wash painting), this project mimics the practice of painting an ensō in ink by utilizing p5.js. Each generated image uses values from a unique transaction hash to determine paper, brush, ink, the quantity of ink held by each bristle, how quickly the ink flows, and more—all with the goal of creating a simple yet serendipitous painting.

Ensō

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

GHOST IN THE CODE

Imagine a multidimensional and multitemporal space outside of reality, perhaps at the end of a black hole. Try to represent it with a code that transforms it into the changing variability of life, which encompasses all the nuances of human experience. This is Panelscape 🅰🅱, a composition that changes in the alpha values of the panels. Try to find your space, the representation of reality that best suits you.

Panelscape 🅰🅱

Nine factions populate the virtual space. While Utopians develop the main net, the others work on their nodes building an economy system over the secondary chains.
Each station is focusing on one activity but there’s some dangers out there: Scammers and Hackers trying to survive doing obscure things.
There are also some drafts and blueprints of stations waiting for a faction to buy and build them. Who knows what its final purpose will be.

This project plays with procedural architectonic structures. I’m using a sci-fi style to present a virtual world populated by space station-like structures.

Use Mouse to Control the Camera.
Click: Stop Rotation.
Double Click: Reset Auto Rotation.
Press Any Key to Change Background Mode. Space -> Stripped -> Fog -> Transparent

Stations

Informed by the experience of separating after a long marriage, (Dis)entanglement explores the endless ways that relationships intertwine. Each unique generative image represents one of many possible moments across the arc of a relationship, from a couple eagerly pulling taut their new connection, to a union defined solely by knots hardened over time. Whether connecting threads are carefully untied, crumbling from neglect, or snapping from tension, many couples can still safely go separate ways when needed. For some, there is no easy escape. Domestic violence, sexual abuse, financial hardship, and cultural norms can all keep someone bound to a partner against their will. To help those in need, 10% of artist proceeds from each sale will be donated to InterAct of Wake County, a private, nonprofit agency that provides safety, support, and awareness to victims and survivors of domestic violence and rape/sexual assault. InterAct is recognized as a tax-exempt, 501 (c)(3) charity by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (EIN: 58-1320613).

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Ensō #288

Matto

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