Michael Kozlowski

Metropolis is a long-form generative art collection exploring the node-based systems that enable and possess modern society. These literal and theoretical systems are critical to computing, blockchains, logistics, and most apparently, the formation and function of cities. 

The project will be extended beyond online distribution via individual exhibitions at the five Bright Moments gallery locations around the world. The five primary traits – New York City, Berlin, London, Mexico City, and Los Angeles  – stylistically represent their respective city. 

MECHANIC INFORMATION:
- While Metropolis has a total count of up to 1000 mints, only the first 500 will be made available for sale.  
- These first 500 editions will come with the ability to mint a second piece for free. 
- This second mint will be unique, but visually related to the first—creating a diptych between the two. 
- To claim a second mint, the owner must generate a QR code via the Bright Moments portal and take it to the Bright Moments gallery in the city dictated by its respective city trait on the date of the city's exhibition. 
- Delegate minting of the second piece is possible. If the owner is unable to attend a show physically, they can arrange for another person to redeem. 
- Redeeming after the city's exhibition will not be allowed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

- The style of Metropolis is heavily influence by cubism and abstract expressionism. 
- Technically, the project is an attempt to emulate painting photorealistically within an on-chain algorithm. 
- Metropolis is a demanding program and modern hardware is necessary to view the live generator. Viewing the project on mobile and low-power computers will result in a lower resolution image. 

CONTROLS:
- Pressing the "C" key within the live generator will capture an image.
- Pressing the "4" key within the live generator will reload the piece in 4K resolution (HARDWARE INTENSIVE).

Metropolis

Chimera is a mutation, its genetics a merging of past and present. 

New creative mediums almost always ingest those that came before. Pictograms and hieroglyphics turned into paintings, which eventually became moving images and photoreal graphics. Spoken words evolved into written text, eventually becoming complex screenplays, computer code, and a world of hyperlinks. Most mediums are not discarded, but combined or extended to incorporate new technology or ideas. 

When a new medium comes into existence, the capabilities of both the artist and viewer increase. The potential subjects within said medium can grow in complexity as well, some fully dependent on the medium that holds them. Other subjects are timeless, popping in and out of multiple movements and genres throughout history. An example of the latter is still life. From ancient carvings through contemporary art, scenes of commonality, beauty, and metaphor have persisted. Traditionally viewed as a type of technical practice or meditation (the bottom of the “hierarchy of genres”), some examples of still life have gone on to be among the most important works in art history. 

Chimera is a natural progression of still life. It is an old tradition in the very new medium of on-chain generative art, a movement that will have an enormous presence in the future. Chimera simultaneously reaches into the past while exploiting the capabilities of the present and seeks to represent a unique moment in time, a generation of art in between digital and physical realities, encapsulating where we came from and where we are going. 

NOTES:

Chimera is graphically intensive. Modern hardware is recommended. Ensure that your browser has hardware acceleration enabled.

The charitable portion of this release will be donated to various cancer research efforts.

CONTROLS:

“A”: Toggle animations
“R”: Toggle autorotation
“C”: Capture screenshot
“H”: Capture HD screenshot (CPU intensive) 

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Thank you to all that participate in, share, or otherwise support this release. It means more to me than I can say.

Chimera

The Curated Collection includes projects that have been selected by Art Blocks’ Curation Board for their world-class innovation, technical rigor, and aesthetic beauty.

curated

This collection comprises projects screened and selected by Art Blocks and embodies our standards for artistic creativity, conceptual rigor, and technical achievement.

presents

This is the place where we tinker. What lives here is free of theme or architecture but the one common strand is that these projects all grant us delight.

explorations

The Art Blocks × Pace collection includes boundary-pushing generative projects by select Pace artists developed in partnership with Pace Verso.

artblocksxpace

Through an exhibition program that extends across galleries globally, Art Blocks × Bright Moments showcases and launches the work of acclaimed natively generative artists.

Michael Kozlowski

@mpkoz

Metropolis

Chimera

Art

Company

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