Bringing Generative Art Into Your Living Room
Generative art (that is, using computer code to generate art) is not new. In fact pioneering algorists like Ben F. Laposky and Roman Verostko have been using code to generate printed pieces since the 1950s and 60s.
However, the code an algorist writes has traditionally been kept with the artist: just a tool in the process like a brush or palette knife. Additionally the viewer was left out until the very end, unable to see variations as they are created by the computer.
For years now I’ve wanted to share the uniqueness of computer-generated art with people, and allow them to bring it into their homes––bridging the gap between art and code, code and print. And in the spirit of the Open Source Software movement, make the process completely transparent.
When you view a piece on variart you are viewing just a single variation. If you don’t like what you see, click it to generate a new one. If you do like it consider buying it! It is a fleeting image that given to chance will probably never be seen the same way again. You will also see the piece’s source code. I urge you to take a look to get a glimpse behind the piece. (More details about the code that drives variart will be available soon.)