The Garbage Man: Synthesis of Human Memories & Upcycled Computers
Rithm Art's Art on Avax: Mona Lisa Initiative Avaissance Acquisitions
Novel ideas that make you go, “WHOA!”, are truly infrequent. One artist stands out for the Rithm Collective for the ability to create these moments. Known as "The Garbage Man," he masterfully merges technology with personal memories, challenging traditional concepts of creativity and the very essence of expression. The Mimesis collection, born out of his artistry, pushes the boundaries of what digital art can achieve, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the intersection of human experience and machine learning. It is for this reason that we were excited to be able to acquire 20+ pieces through the Avaissance: Mona Lisa Initiative. The leveraging of algorithmic tools to create this novel collection really stands as a milestone in a myriad of ways.
What is Mimesis?
Mimesis is an ancient Greek term widely used in literary criticism and philosophy. It encompasses a vast range of meanings, such as imitation, representation, mimicry, and the act of resembling. In The Garbage Man's work, Mimesis is a concept used to depict the process of generating synthetic memories by ingesting and remixing personal memories and the experiences left behind in upcycled computers. The idea is to capture human experiences and blend them with the "memories" of discarded computers to create new, synthesized recollections.
The Birth of the Mimesis Collection
According to The Garbage Man, he has spent the past two years experimenting with GLSL shaders as a means to extract memory. The Mimesis collection is an outcome of these experiments, a mix of digital and analog techniques resulting in these unique artworks. The collection consists of code based art that vary in type and presentation, all while maintaining the central theme of amalgamating human and machine memories.
The collection's overarching structure is defined by two types of NFTs: Genesis and Algoshard. The Genesis NFTs are manually created memory snapshots, meticulously crafted using GLSL shaders. In contrast, Algoshard NFTs are algorithmically generated synthetic memories created in the likeness of the Genesis shaders and the computer generating the content.
Unique Attributes of Mimesis NFTs
Mimesis NFTs are versatile and adaptable, designed to function on both legacy and modern machines. This functionality is possible as long as the machine has a functioning GPU and can run OpenGL 3.0, rendering the Mimesis collection operating system agnostic.
Moreover, each Mimesis NFT comes with an underlying data packet that contains the NFT source content, source code, and licenses. The collector can choose to use these NFTs commercially or privately, adding an additional layer of utility to these digital masterpieces.
These data packets requires going to the pinned IPFS files and visiting the external URL. You can get the IPFS link by getting getting the tokenURI with the tokenId
Then following the link you will see a Json formatted like the below:{"name":"Mimesis #22","description":"Algorithmic mimicry is used to absorb the likeness of the human and machine experiences left behind in the garbage. This technique is used to create content for this collection. Gitbook --> https://the-garbage-man.gitbook.io/mimesis/","image":"ipfs://QmUBM5KnRjg74zE3EiujGpeHhFSVSu2oc7RhNjCG9SLYPz","external_url":"https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmWn5AMMKntbRk2j9wtnqL3kP2FCev41cGnGhH1WC7RVNG","animation_url":"ipfs://QmZt62AXYUo54WYBuYbYhqev5vgDkPjX4oWb3FYqNPN8kZ","attributes":[{"trait_type":"Creator","value":"The_garbage_man"},{"trait_type":"Project","value":"Mimesis"},{"trait_type":"Series","value":"01"},{"trait_type":"Number","value":"22"},{"trait_type":"Type","value":"Genesis"},{"trait_type":"Algorithm","value":"Genesis"},{"trait_type":"Dimensions","value":"3000x3000"},{"trait_type":"Collaboration","value":"Null"},{"trait_type":"Date of creation","value":"1646193772"}]}
Visiting this site will then take you to a Pinned IPFS folder with the additional data necessary to render independently.
Delving Deeper: Series and Pricing Structure
The release schedule and pricing structure of the Mimesis collection are inspired by the Fibonacci number system, adding a unique mathematical element to the artistic concept. The collection houses a total of 87 NFTs, organized in a series structure based on the Fibonacci sequence. The price of each NFT is determined using a spinning wheel, relying on the Fibonacci numbers depicted in the series structure, making the pricing dynamic.
Mimesis: Preserving Art through Decentralized NFT Storage
The Garbage Man chose aleph.im for storing the Mimesis NFTs. As a decentralized service, aleph.im ensures the NFTs will be preserved for 10+ years, maintaining the integrity of the Mimesis collection while offering peace of mind to the collectors.
Licenses: Ensuring Artistic Freedom and Recognition
Each Mimesis NFT comes with two licenses: the MIT License and Creative Commons International 4.0. These licenses offer the collectors the freedom to use their NFTs in any way they wish while ensuring the original artist is credited for their creation.
The Conclusion
With all of these factors and wonderfully thought out pieces, The Mimesis Collection by The Garbage Man is indeed a marvel that manifests at the crossroads of art, technology, and memory. It pushes the boundaries of what art can achieve, offering an immersive, innovative experience for the collectors and tech enthusiast. So step into this mesmerizing world and explore the magical synthesis of human experiences and machine prowess.