Lars WanderPerry, Mary, and Lars

For Lars, his algorithmic art practice began with a pen-plotter, affectionately named Perry. Later they were joined by Mary (mega-Perry). Together, over the course of two years, the three of them produced artworks spanning a wide range of physical media, computer languages, and novel algorithms. In collaborating with these algorithms and pen plotting machines, Lars has tapped into what can be considered as the root of modern day generative art.

In his debut solo show, “Perry, Mary, and Lars,” the artist displays a wide range of outputs that, for the most part, were made independent of any knowledge of those who came before him. However, a common string can be found in this new work and that of the original Algorists. As of late, Lars has been pushing the boundaries of his practice and veered from strictly using the plotter to create his works; but, it is this practice that built the foundation of Lars' beloved generative outputs that have recently been embraced by the generative art community at large. By organically tapping into the root of algorithmic art, Lars Wander has embarked on a journey that many are calling an artistic revolution. ARTXCODE and Verse are pleased to share with you the artist's humble yet wonderfully complex beginnings.

Physical or digital?

This is an exhibition of digital artworks that are the culmination of a process that sees the artist flicker between the digital and the physical. The works are born through a mixture of human and automated techniques.

While Lars Wander’s final artworks are digital pieces, they have a material and organic feel that suggests there’s more to them than meets the eye. They are computer-designed yet organic, machine-made yet imperfect. The series is so clearly conceived and curated by a human, though the not-quite-perfect precision of the plots suggests the artist is making a point of the collaboration between man and machine.

So, what’s going on here?

Wander’s works start with code. The first iteration of his works often start with a computer-assisted visualisation of an idea or problem he’s working on.

Taking the image that results from this coding, the artist then uses a plotter - essentially a mechanical pen-holder that draws with perfect precision - to render a physical reproduction of the work. While the plotter’s accuracy is extraordinary, it is unable to avoid very real-world problems such as the blotting and running out of ink. These imperfections make the works strangely relatable for the viewer, despite the fact it’s a machine we’re relating to!

With the plotting done, we come full circle - the work is then photographed in ultra-high definition with a digital camera. The piece becomes digital again, and here the process ends.

These artworks are purely-digital images that exist on the Ethereum blockchain. Collectors who acquire works will have the option to claim the physical plot used in the digital work’s creation. Framing and shipping will come at the cost to the buyer.