LOOK. AT. YOURSELF. is a long-form & life-timed generative project that manifests Generative Conceptual Art /Gen-Conceptualism/, integrating conceptual philosophy with generative systems.
The core concept is that the viewer becomes the artwork. It’s not about observing, but becoming – the viewer’s reflection activates the artistic image. Expecting art, the viewer encounters themself as the art. Their reflection on the black screen is the artistic image.
“Look. at. yourself. You are the central figure of the work of art.” – m5alien.
The artwork breathes only under observation. Each gaze brings it to life. The screen of a personal device, a gallery display, or a museum installation acts as the medium, creating the work through reflection. Without presence, there is only darkness; with a gaze, a living image emerges.
This dynamic establishes a unique co-authorship. The artist creates the technological and conceptual context; the viewer, through interaction with the screen, becomes the artwork. Passive observation transforms into active co-creation. This interplay invites questioning of traditional notions regarding authorship and self-perception.
Deployed on the fx(hash) platform, the LOOK. AT. YOURSELF. project instantiates unique editions upon minting, each defined by a distinct combination of parameters determined by an algorithm following its internal dramaturgy.
Variables such as duration, aspect ratio, orientation, and frame rate form the structural skeleton of every edition. At the heart of the piece lies the ‘epistle’ – a textual node linking artist, observer, and system (e.g., “Contemplate yourself,” “The artist is inside you. You are inside the artwork…”). Selected by chance during generation, the epistle plays a significant role in shaping the edition’s configuration and conceptual tenor within the shared framework.
Technically, a complete breakdown of parameters and their distribution by rarity appears in the Features section of each edition post-minting.
The project adheres to a strict temporal rhythm: life-timed unfolding. It evolves alongside the artist’s life. Each year lived by the artist unlocks one new edition available for minting. The number of unlocked works always equals the artist’s age, while potential future editions remain reserved (the artist’s reserve). This structure, anchored on the blockchain, directly ties the project’s duration and total size to the artist’s lifespan. Consequently, nobody knows how many pieces will ultimately exist 🕵️♂️
LOOK. AT. YOURSELF. collapses the distance. Viewer becomes artwork. Artwork becomes viewer. The presence creates. The art is not what you see – the art is that you see.