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Coral reefs, renowned for their breathtaking beauty, play a vital role as habitats for a diverse array of marine life. However, in recent years, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened by coral bleaching, a phenomenon exacerbated by global warming. Bleaching occurs when corals lose the algae living in their tissues, leading to a whitened state that can ultimately result in the demise of the reef structure itself.This piece employs generative art, a form created through computer algorithms, to visually interrogate the majestic beauty of coral reefs and the environmental challenges they face. The artwork juxtaposes the vibrant colors of healthy corals against the stark whiteness of bleached corals, mirroring the current state of real-world reefs. This contrast not only highlights the aesthetic beauty of the corals but also underscores the urgency of the environmental issues they face. By viewing "Coral Colours," spectators are invited to confront the ongoing reality of coral bleaching and to spark an awareness of environmental issues. A portion of the proceeds from this work supports the research at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), where significant efforts are dedicated to the study and protection of coral reefs and marine life.

Coral Colors

Art Blocks Studio is a self-publishing platform designed to empower preeminent generative artists by facilitating the direct release of their collections. The Studio allows artists to manage their own releases and provides them with autonomy in both creation and distribution.

Art Blocks Studio

'Art from code' demonstrates how art can emerge from code by drawing the actual source code on the screen as a starting point for a visual evolving artwork.

It also describes my practice, simply put, as I make art with code.

Two visual themes that become apparent during the animation are repetition and reflection. Repetition represents one of the most powerful concepts of computing: using iteration to get things done that are tedious without a computer.
The reflections of shapes on the screen can be a metaphor for reflecting on the use of computers for art. Can the code be the art? Is the code even part of a visual output? The longer the animation continues, the more the font characters get obfuscated, until there is no trace left of the code.

Clicking on the screen will (un)pause the animation.
When saving an output using the 's' key, a PNG file will be saved with the code embedded in the least significant bit of the image data.

This is art from code. But also code from art, as the source code can be retrieved from the image output.

Art from code

As the sun sets over the arcade we head off to the mall and slip into the Roxy to catch the last showing of the first action film of the year.

80s Pop Roxy takes us to the end of the 80s and into the cinema, moving on from the arcade inspired 80s Pop 🕹️. Roxy's design is inspiration from the mall cinema architecture which is itself trying to invoke Art Deco design, with "futuristic" chrome and neon added (and popcorn). With palettes ripped straight from the 80s (for better and for worse), we wave goodbye to the 80s before we hit the 90s.

The background takes the bright colours from 70s Pop Summertime, and sun sets them along with the old square format as we leave that era behind and move to a more print friendly ratio. Breaking us from the past as we step towards the next fun stage of Pop.

80s Pop Roxy Bonus Pack 🍿

```
lightweight reconstruction
┌─────┬─────┬─────┐
│ H×M │  M  │ M×E │
├─────┼─────┼─────┤
│  H  │ H×E │  E  │
├─────┼─────┼─────┤
│ H×R │  R  │ R×E │
└─────┴─────┴─────┘
fig. 1. combinatorial matrix

```
This project is part of an ongoing experiment in contextualizing and representing digital tectonics (simulated particles, 3D meshes, physics engines, etc) called Lightweight Construction. This generative iteration of the project follows Gottfried Semper’s speculations on the core elements of architecture laid out in the seminal 1851 essay The Four Elements of Architecture: hearth (H), mound (M), enclosure (E), and roof (R). Using Semper as a starting point, we developed a combinatorial matrix that suggests various types of ways the four elements can be assembled in pairs. The generative ruleset creates a limited set of assemblies that are expressed as blended mathematical primitives. Roofs are expressed as geometric extrusions, Mounds as tiled platforms, Hearths as smooth volumes, and Enclosures as rectilinear frames. Representing these as functions allows them to morph smoothly into each other in virtual space; something almost impossible to do in physical space.
```

hearth    -->   []
mound     -->  _/\_
roof      -->  >|(<
enclosure -->  |==|

```
In lightweight reconstruction, Semper’s speculative history of architecture’s fundamental elements provides a model for interpreting digital materials, contemporary visual effects, and mathematical representations of the physical world. Each iteration of the algorithm generates assemblies of parts and objects that are somewhat familiar yet impossible to construct in the physical world. They are produced through mathematical approximations of surfaces and volumes rendered using a custom made path-tracing engine (a common technique for visualizing unbuilt architectures). The generated assemblies can be read as Semper’s Four Elements, but they can also exist as hybrids and hint at new categories. These impossible, strangely familiar details from another world ask us to reflect on how the instruments we use affect our imagination.

Double click/tap to pause the rendering.
Press 's' to save a still image. 

```

-office ca, 2024
```

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