This May, the Art Blocks Gallery debuted Material Immaterial, an exhibition of generative artworks inspired by natural landscapes and the composite emotional relationships we cultivate in relation to them. Works by Matt DesLauriers, phenomena, Zachariah Watson, Nat Sarkissian, Aleksandra Jovanić, and Sputniko! reflect the artists’ reinterpretation of the natural world into digital space.

Material Immaterial coincided with the 2024 Marfa Invitational, an annual event celebrating contemporary art within the expansive landscape of Marfa, Texas. The desert environment in Marfa has long inspired large-scale art installations, such as those installed at the Chinati Foundation. Works such as Donald Judd’s 15 untitled works in concrete, 1980–1984 installed there invite viewers to step outside the galleries and experience the site specific pieces in relation to the surrounding nature. To contrast this with blockchain-mediated art, where notions of time and space are decentralized and disoriented(1), I sought works that bridge natural and digital worlds. How did these artists navigate the disembodied extremes of digital abstraction and the tactile reality of nature? The generative artists in this show draw from natural environments and transport us to imaginary worlds within worlds, an exploration of new terrain within the code.

In Gallery One and Gallery Two, the work of Matt DesLauriers was presented as a solo exhibition comprising of outputs from Subscapes and Meridian and included his book Meridian (Second Edition, 2023) featuring essays, technical breakdowns, code examples, and large-format spreads published by Vetro Editions.

“For my first Art Blocks project, I wanted to create something natural and familiar. Each landscape sits in its unique ecosystem of color, structure, and topology. I wanted to create the experience of hunting through landscapes, searching for the moments where all the chaos and generativity of the algorithm align to create something sublime.” 

— Matt DesLauriers(2)

Subscapes #629 combines geometric shapes and organic forms to create a sense of depth and texture. Each iteration of the algorithm produces a distinct landscape inspired by topographic maps and rendered digitally. This artistic choice reflects DesLauriers’ interest in natural forms and the structures governing geographical systems articulated through computation.(3)

In a Right Click Save article on the evolution of generative art, A.V. Marraccini writes on the line between the two, stating that Subscapes, “masters knowingly with simple gestures embedded in his code. The potential artifice of the natural landscape and the ways in which this shapes the trajectory of representation itself is also implicit in the neon colorways of Subscapes. Is Subscapes natural? Is it artificial? Yes. And yes. Matt DesLauriers’s little worlds here prod both the nature-artifice line and that of reproducibility and uniqueness.”(4)

Meridian builds on elements from Subscapes, incorporating familiar threads of code to construct intricate, stratified landforms through the precise layering of small strokes of color.(5)

Meridian #909 uses contrasting blues and pinks that pile atop one another vertically, with small marks that give texture and weight. DesLauriers’ works invite viewers to explore and appreciate the intricate interplay between digital abstraction and the tactile reality of nature, offering a new method of digital simulation and natural forms. The delicate line work and familiar hues harken a craftsmanship of the human hand, the organic form of a stratified land mass, and the generative variability of an algorithmic system. Material Immaterial centered on Matt DesLauriers’ exploration of nature-inspired generative systems.

Other artists who have released on the Art Blocks platform also investigate the future of the digital landscape. To complement the solo presentation of Meridian and Subscapes works by artists similarly inspired by their environment were included. These artists collectively examine the relationship between embodied experience, nature, and machines.

“People looked like tiny ants in the far distance walking on thin ice into the big glowing sunshine reflection white. It felt surreal as if it’s an actual portal, appreciating the dry power of nature and its hues and altitudes felt like a transformational experience, and it’s the one experience that ignited the idea to start programming APEX.” 

— Ronen Tanchum of phenomena when asked about the inspiration behind APEX.

APEX #12 by phenomena features abstract shapes that suggest realistic environments. The composition employs a mix of smooth, flowing lines and sharp, angular forms to create a sense of movement and transformation. The use of rich, earthy tones combined with bright highlights enhances the depth and realism of the piece, inviting viewers to interpret the forms based on their own perceptions. When do abstract shapes begin to look like realistic environments? This work explores the boundary between the natural and the artificial, using generative art to create landscapes that reflect the complexities of the Anthropocene era. 

“In Arcadia, I chase that exact same feeling of awe when encountering new geological features, utilizing the random nature of generative art to evoke wonder, surprise, and nostalgia in every plain, mountain, and plateau.” 

— Zachariah Watson

Arcadia #188 by Zachariah Watson features vibrant colors and playful compositions that evoke childhood nostalgia. The piece uses a variety of shapes and forms to create a whimsical landscape, rendered with the use of soft, pastel colors and gentle curves. The collection creates a figurative rendition of the hyper-realistic postcards one might find in a small gift shop along the highway of the sprawling landscapes of the American West. To me, this work exemplifies the evolution of the landscape from painterly recordings to imaginary, yet familiar digital landscapes. 

“Life is short, bodies degrade, houses burn. But, before that, there is life; there is love; there is creation—these things are beautiful.” 

— Nat Sarkissian

Life and Love and Nothing #79 by Nat Sarkissian employs dramatic contrasts and intense colors to depict wildfires burning across hillside cabins. The piece combines fluid, organic shapes with sharp, angular forms to convey the chaos and beauty of fire. The vivid reds and oranges against dark, smoky backgrounds create a powerful visual impact, emphasizing the fleeting nature of memory and the importance of cherishing moments with loved ones.

This work poignantly addresses themes of memory loss and emotional connection, using natural disasters as a metaphor for the ephemeral nature of human relationships. It underscores the deep emotional ties we have with both the environment and those we love. Here, Sarkissian shows us that emotion, memory, and a connection to the land can be imbued into lines of code.

“By creating generative plant-like structures and placing them within the outlines of cold structures, I attempt to amplify the symbolism encapsulated in the perception of both.” 

— Aleksandra Jovanić

Glasshouse INAT #18 by Aleksandra Jovanić juxtaposes delicate, plant-like structures against rigid, geometric outlines. The piece uses fine lines and intricate details to create a visual representation of resilience and growth within constrained spaces. The cool, muted colors of the geometric shapes contrast with the vibrant, organic forms, emphasizing the tension between nature and societal expectations.

The generative work emulates how natural forms continuously reshape their environments, reflecting the ongoing negotiation between natural growth and human-imposed boundaries. The work uses the visual metaphor of land to highlight the conceptual intent, a method employed by artists working with large-scale outdoor installations and generative artists alike. 

“The idea is simple: each piece invites the viewer to engage, to explore and perhaps rediscover that childlike joy of spotting something rare and special.” — Sputniko!

Lucky Clover #39 by Sputniko! captures the delicate and joyful essence of discovering a four-leaf clover. The piece features intricate line work and delicate forms, creating an almost tactile representation of a clover field. The use of color gradients from soft greens to vibrant yellows evokes the changing light of different times of day, enhancing the viewer’s sense of exploration and discovery.

This work invites viewers to engage with the digital representation of natural elements, blending the joy of childhood wonder with sophisticated algorithmic art. The work humorously employs technology to recreate experiences found in the material world around us.

In the end, Material Immaterial examines the evolving relationship between art and the environment, and how artists are constructing and redefining the concept of place and time, embracing both technology and nature. In a contemporary art scene intricately tied to the natural landscape like Marfa, I aimed to showcase pieces that highlight how generative artists respond to and create work inspired by their own natural surroundings. There’s a certain irony in capturing the vastness of natural spaces through coded, screen-based artworks, yet it’s evident that these artists draw inspiration from natural systems, sometimes even simulating organic processes, to reinscribe space, interaction, and environment into the blockchain. Artistic experimentation on material subject matter with computational processing can propose that fiber optic cables, networks, and circuit boards, derived from Earth’s minerals, need not divide humans from their environs. The work featured in Material Immaterial all share a thesis around how intentional use of computing can strengthen one’s sense and experience of the ecosphere.

References:

1. Estorick, Alex & Kent, Charlotte. “Time on blockchain” Right Click Save, 2022. Available at: rightclicksave.com/article/time-on-the-blockchain 
2. Davis, Jeff. “In Conversation with Matt DesLauriers on Subscapes” Art Blocks Spectrum, 2021. Available at: artblocks.io/curated/articles/in-conversation-with-matt-deslauriers-on-subscapes 
3. DesLauriers, Matt. Subscapes. GitHub, 2021. Available at: github.com/mattdesl/subscapes.
4. Marraccini, A.V. “On the New Evolution of Generative Art.” Right Click Save, 2023. Available at: rightclicksave.com/article/on-the-new-evolution-of-generative-art.
5. Estorick, Alex. “The Interview: Matt DesLauriers on Generative Art.” Right Click Save, 2024. Available at: rightclicksave.com/article/the-interview-matt-deslauriers-generative-art.
6. Installation photographs by Jona Christina.