What becomes of art when the tools of its creation are reimagined? Orchestrated by Orkhan Mammadov, 'Derivatives' emerges as an experiment, radically redefining what art can be in the digital era. This venture pushes the envelope, manifesting as a vanguard exploration into the vast potentials unlocked by digital technologies, challenging traditional notions of artistry and authorship. At the forefront are works conjured by Genie, an AI programmed to interpret the aesthetic principles of ten pioneering digital artists, embodying the project’s foundation in deeply personal relationships and an ongoing collaborative ethos.
Within the scientific realm, derivatives symbolize the quintessential essence of change. Yet, in the domain of Web3, these constructs are often misconstrued as mere copies. This project redefines derivatives as innovative reconstructions that thoughtfully engage with and build upon established artistic tenets, ensuring that they honor the essence of the original works while introducing novel interpretations. This endeavor does not merely challenge the prevailing norms of originality and ownership but also sustains a shared cultural practice that echoes the disruptive art movements initiated by icons like Warhol and Lichtenstein. Today, this spirit of remixing flourishes across social media landscapes, and the meme culture nurtures a milieu of communal experiences. Thus, transcending simple imitation, derivatives act as crucial vectors for art propagation and metamorphosis.
Central to this pursuit, Genie emerges as a transformative AI, ingeniously crafted to paraphrase the creative workflow. Envisioned as a steadfast companion, this technology emphasizes speed and spontaneity, producing unique artworks that resonate with the legacies of seminal digital artists and push the boundaries of conventional artistic limitations.
Across the domain of art, derivatives occupy an elusive niche, ubiquitously serving as tributes to illustrious artists and their work, yet also bearing the stigma of opportunistic ventures that may exploit the original creator’s intellectual property. This project poses a further question: Imagine a scenario where derivatives originate directly from the artists’ own creative impetus, emerging as outcomes of a synergistic endeavor with the most sophisticated technological imitators. Would a discerning public retreat from such creations, or embrace them as extensions of the artist’s explorative narrative?
By reimagining the very essence of derivatives, this project heralds a paradigm shift in artistic collaboration and exchange. It intertwines artists with their audiences through direct feedback, amplifying creative relevance and expanding participation in cultural dialogue without the need for expensive tools or formal training. Within the global interdisciplinary art scene, it fundamentally challenges entrenched norms of authorship and ownership, evolving the medium and democratizing access to art. In doing so, this initiative draws us into a collective co-creation process that reshapes aesthetic values and forges a more inclusive and diverse human story.
Derivatives, a first long form generative AI art collection, is being announced on 20th May and the mint is due to start on the 24th of May, on Base. 9 artists with unique styles (glitch art, character art, illustration, cgi and more) have been invited to collaborate with me and to trial the infinite possibilities offered by Genie.
Derivatives will run for 48h on Highlight.xyz and will take the form of an open generative mint, letting people collect licensed derivative creations inspired by some of the most iconic digital artists of our time at an affordable price point. Each piece will be unique and created upon mint!
For more information, please check out the mint website: genielabs.art/derivatives