Transcripts
Transcripts is a generative art collection of 25 unique Bitcoin artworks that visualize 0s and 1s as a universal language of communication, transforming real human messages into infinite scrolling ASCII animations.
The artwork transforms (real) historical human messages into fullscreen illuminating animations, capturing the essence of intergalactic communication. By blending data, art, and mystery, Transcripts envisions how our signals might be interpreted across the cosmos.
COLLECTION
[ 25 ] ascii artworks on Bitcoin [ 5 ] 3d artworks on Ethereum
Bitcoin → LINK
[ 25 ] unique generative Bitcoin artworks, each piece visualizes infinite scrolling transcripts, generatively created and then curated from an output pool of 100. Messages are concealed within code characters, revealing themselves only through interaction in the browser. This artwork asks: Can binary communication be considered a form of universal language?
Ethereum → LINK
[ 5 ] Ethereum artwork editions. This is a visual and auditory artwork made in collaboration between 1980k [code/3d], Maning [pixels], and R4cerx [sound]. As the signal awakens, our understanding of connectivity unravels—always linked, yet never truly connected. Through the eyes of humans, aliens, and machines, we witness a device translating digital noise into transcripts. Flying through intergalactic data streams, we question whether information shapes our reality or whether reality shapes the information. This artwork asks: What signals should we share with the universe about ourselves?
INSPIRATION
Like most artists, I experiment a lot but show very little publicly. I have been sitting on Transcripts and Communication Systems for quite a while. With Communication Systems, I focused on the visual outputs and stories within each piece. With Transcripts, I aimed to utilize motion to mask the actual art and data, envisioning how other world figures may translate.
Seeing an announcement from Art Meets Science on CT played a big role in a redirection, especially since I had been exploring Part 2 of my Intergalactic edition, which I had created one year prior. Combining the two helped align my vision towards a curiosity around real human signal messages sent through computers to aliens and machine entities.
The more I researched the history of human contact, the more the concept for the artwork aligned itself. The Arecibo Messages have seven parts, each consisting of binary digits with messages about human biology, our solar system, and Earth's life.
Art often requires custom tools to accomplish a vision. When creating an acrylic painting, I search endlessly for the perfect brush and paint thickness combinations. Digital artwork is no different. The image below shows a web application I have built over the years. In this case, the UI enables me to import SVGs and convert them into 1 to 1 code characters.
While the custom tools are fun to develop, they often close only 2% of the gap. Proper ASCII artwork requires meticulous attention, time, and patience. In the step below, I take the characters and begin to develop my generative mapping.
The generative mapping for the outputs contained a pretty in-depth output structure and rule guide consisting of: Character type, Character length, Animation type, Animation speed, Scroll type, Scroll speed, Color system, and a few other hidden tricks.
Each artwork comes with custom messages, like "We are explorers of space and time," and human and alien characters hidden behind the animations if you are creative enough to uncover them.
Each inscription allows clicking a "link" in the marketplace, opening the artwork in a fullscreen experience where it infinitely animates with vibrant, illuminating colors.
Only on Bitcoin // 25 Total TRANSCRIPTS
The story helps shape the output of each artwork. Yet my personal desire to experiment with code-to-3D mapping continues. Most of my 3D artwork contains code patterns I made in Processing or Javascript and then applied to the 3D objects. What makes this 3d video artwork particularly unique is it's my first collaboration with Maning [pixel artist] and R4cerx [sound design].
Only on Ethereum // 5 Editions THE SIGNAL AWAKES
WEB EXPERIENCE
I want my art to speak throughout the collector experience. As much as I love the process of creating art, the web experiences and physical creations tend to be the candy that additionally inspires me. I hope the viewers enjoy the little secrets throughout the website.
Art is my soul’s expression. I love to share these collections with the world. Please consider giving this article a like or share if you dig it. I appreciate your support!
What is art, anyway? Subjective controversies. Code isn't art, or is it? Art is a creative way for our souls to express themselves. Do we deserve this as humans? We require it. When I was younger, I wanted filled my sketchbooks with cartoons. Today, my passion is my craft, on a continual pursuit of fun, and inspiring my children to use their own creativity to shape the world around them. To those who support me, thank you. I believe inspiration is one of the most powerful gifts we can share to help build a better world.
1980 aka David
