5. Generative Art

Generative art is a type of art when the process plays equally, if not more, important role in the life of an artwork. It closely related with the idea of autonomy, self-reproduction and systematization. The artist starts up the mechanism of art-creation by setting some rules, guidelines or producing algorithms and conditions for the artwork to generate itself. 

I feel like the systems and processes within generative art can be effectively applied within the debate about time and how we perceive it.  Therefore, for the artwork within Generative art discussion, I have chosen to dwell on the concept of time, specifically the time of our lives. In the past years there have been lots of literature of consciousness living, how to be happy and live your life fully, etc. The issue here is that nowadays we live fast and stress out a lot, so that we lose the sense of life passing by. I've read one interesting though about it, that a life lived through consciously is twice as long as it is in fact (Penman & Williams, 2011). So if we could live each moment fully, we would perceive time differently, as to the many various colours and emotions that we could grasp from every moment.   

So I decided to develop the topic in terms of something more trivial, yet abstract, just like time is, - music. Let's say there is a really nice album you enjoy to listen. Every time when you listen to it, you try to hear something new within the already familiar lines and sounds. And now, let's metaphorically associate this lp with your life. What if you could only listen to 3 seconds of each song, how good your experiencing the album would be?So, this is how most of us live...

Guidelines for 'How Soon is Now'

- Pick up an album of your choice, but something really enjoyable for you.

- Each song should be equally divided into two parts (in the very middle of the track). 

- Extract the 3-second piece from the middle of each song.

- Cut it out

- Combine all the pieces into one composition.
- Loop it over and over again 

The result may lead to some inner dissatisfaction and irritation, because if you hear a small fragment of a favorite song you would like to listen more. This feeling of incompleteness can be compared to what people experience when live without paying attention to good small things, something trivial, but meaningful.

'How Soon is Now'

https://soundcloud.com/anastacia-nastee/hsin

In my artwork I took Tame Impala album 'Currents'. In further perspective, if a certain algorithm can be created on a basis of sound- editing software, the process can be automatized and include thousands of albums to 'edit' and regenerate into one flow of 'expectations'. 

Reference list:

Penman, D. & Williams M. (2011). Mindfulness.Apractical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World. London: Piatkus.