What is Generative Art?

Generative art has been around since the 1960s. Since the rise of computers, artists and academics have been experimenting with the ability of computers to generate art. Generative art refers to artistic, audiovisual creations created by an autonomous system. These autonomous systems can create features of an artwork without human intervention.

Generative art can use the input of certain parameters and then have a computer create a certain outcome. For example, through machine learning (generative adversarial networks, or GANs) and seeing lots of nude portraits, a computer can generate art. However, the input and rule set comes from an artist. An example would be the work of Robbie Barrat.

A bit more mathematical is blockchain or crypto art where the data input comes from the blockchain transaction or hash. Based on the numbers and data from this particular hash, an artwork is generated following the rules created by the artist. This is one of the upcoming forms of generative art, seeing lots of promise in the blockchain, crypto art and NFT space. Art Blocks, CryptoPunks and Euler Beats are some examples of projects that have created generative art created through the blockchain.