The Artist: Matt DesLauriers
Matt DesLauriers is a Canadian-born generative artist and creative coder based in London. His work primarily focuses on code, software, and generative processes, exploring the aesthetics of changing landscapes and terrains.
"Since 2014, I’ve been exploring code, generative systems, and algorithmic processes as a means of producing artwork. Much of my work today draws inspiration from early pioneers like Vera Molnár, Lillian Schwartz, Georg Nees, Harold Cohen, and many others, who were some of the first to write computer code and software to realize an artistic output, such as an image, mechanical plotter print, or some other form of digital or physical artefact."
The Collection: Meridian
1,000 landscapes generated on-chain, each with its own unique combination of palette, style, zoom setting and frequency hum. The truth is, collectors wish Meridians had been released within the Art Blocks Curated heritage. Instead we must accept DesLaurier’s artistic code was minted in the Art Blocks Presents collection where few collections made it through the generative mania of 2021. Perhaps this hurdle jump of liquidity is what makes DesLauriers’ stratified landforms is a testament to the strength of the art. And if you are a stickler for Art Blocks Curated collections, DesLauriers Subscapes will keep you satiated.
A Specific Artwork: Meridian #597
A typical piece of the Meridian collection is Meridian #684. This artwork exemplifies DesLauriers’ exploration of stratified landforms with the ‘Far’ Zoom variant, and showcasing the full intricate layers and textures with ‘Standard’ Frequency variant that evoke natural landscapes. The ‘Duochrome’ Chromacity in #597 is relatively common to the collection unlike the much vaunted ‘Monochrome’ in the four available Chromacity types.
There are 14 Meridian ‘Style’ variants with ‘Paletted’ shown here one of the least remarkable nor jarring. ‘Gouche’, ‘Lino’ and perhaps ‘Newsprint’ are the Styles most likely to split the room. In contract, almost all will nod in agreement at ‘Charcoal’ or ‘Gilded’ style Meridians. There is far more to explore with Meridians that this artwork hints at. Get the Meridian book to understand the depth of the collection, and why DesLauriers name will in years to come synonymous with on-chain landscapes.
