From the moment we unveiled Atelier on October 18th, we have engaged in a series of long conversations with fellow artists, tirelessly refining our proposition to focus on short-form generative art. This piece aims to capture our vision after numerous exchanges and much thoughtful consideration.
Short-Form Generative Art: A Curatorial Approach
The “short-form” component of this proposition signifies our dedication to curating the most outstanding pieces from multiple collections of generative artworks. This curatorial approach not only aims to identify the very best outputs, but, equally importantly, seeks to ensure that the chosen artworks encapsulate the profound essence of an artist’s innermost desire for expression.
In a sense, a piece of code, or a set of rules, serves as the instruments crafted by artists to give shape to their artistic intentions. One could liken a visual artist to a composer who, with meticulous care, assembles an orchestra to interpret a musical piece. Not all notes struck will resonate precisely with the initial vision for the composition.
Human Perception and the Selection Process
Embracing randomness in the artistic process creates the necessary conditions for such emergence. When an artist possesses a clear vision and has intentionally engineered the requisite code or rules to birth their project as a visual manifestation, randomness becomes an act of surrender, or letting go. This unpredictability often begets astonishing and beautiful surprises. Nevertheless, it is human perception, often represented by collectors and the marketplace, that ultimately adjudicates which outputs are truly remarkable. The attribute of human perception is indispensable in this selection process, regardless at which stage it occurs. Incorporating human judgment earlier in the creative journey, compared to long-form generative art projects, does not diminish the collaborative dance between the artist and their creative tools.
The Role of Language in the Creative Process
In many respects, language assumes a pivotal role in this creative endeavor. Code, by its very nature, is a form of language. A dialog or negotiation unfolds between the creative coder and the code itself. The process of bringing an artwork into existence hinges on the ongoing conversation that an artist maintains with the tools they have embraced.
The more precise and vivid the concept established at the outset, and the more effectively an artist can articulate their vision and translate it into code, the more potent the ultimate result becomes. Just as a poem can evoke vivid colors and emotional resonances, a piece of generative art can convey intricate thought forms. In cases where these thoughts are compelling and nuanced, it becomes particularly captivating to visually render them and to cherry-pick the finest outputs. In this way, the collective body of work can capture and express the very essence of the artist’s skillfully expressed conceptual thought.
Fostering Creative Conversations
As curators and as artists ourselves, we aspire to assist artists in creating the ideal conditions for refining their concepts before delving into the execution phase. We are dedicated to fostering these discussions in the early stages of any project, at times even prior to the existence of tangible outputs.
Moreover, the Atelier collective serves as a forum where artists can convene to exchange ideas, offer advice, and share their creative tools. All of this activity takes place through the medium of language, and the delightful irony is that as we grow more adept at articulating our thoughts concerning curated generative art, we uncover that more often than not, we are already in harmony!