THE SLOW RECOVERY OF THE HUMAN
Human Unreadable immerses audiences and collectors in a three-act, embodied, generative art experience. The acts weave together code, choreography, blockchain, generative art, cryptography, and performance into an evolving conceptual experience - the slow recovery of the human. The work brings flesh and viscerality into code and vulnerability [as a feature] into long-form on-chain generative art.
Each artwork is driven by the motion data of its underlying unique, on-chain choreographic sequence.
Human Unreadable intentionally punctures the safety of modernist design and the idea of a universal voice, pushing the limits of human expression within rigid technical systems. With a focus on the body, the collection brings risk, confusion, and vulnerability to the reveal, everything that function-focused design systems normally prevent. Each piece is an invitation, a transparent layer through which the messy human experience can come into focus through the three phases of the work. This work is a continuation of the rejection of modernism, clean lines, and the quietly gendered values therein, in favor of a more embodied and sensual approach to human-machine collaboration pioneered by early women in digital art.
X-Ray Machine
Ahead of the opening of Operator’s solo exhibition X-ray Machine: bodily confessions in glass, steel, and light at Fellowship gallery in London, Ania Catherine and Dejha Ti sat down with Micol Ap to describe the Human Unreadable journey from making dance collectable to creating a half-ton steel and glass sculpture, the X-ray machine.
CURATED COLLECTION
THE HUMAN BODY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
On-chain generative choreography
Visual art driven by motion data of underlying on-chain movement sequences
An experiential artwork in three acts that begins on Art Blocks and ends in a live performance
Collection Size: 400
SOLD OUT
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The collection of 400 sold out at .88ETH in 30min
Watch Proof Post-Sale Video
Original Auction Details:
Auction Date: May 24th, 2023 at 1:00p EST - 1:59p EST
Collection Size: 400
Auction Range: 5ETH-.16ETH
Auction Type: Dutch Auction with Settlement
*The lowest bid determines the clearing price and collectors can receive a refund
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Q: Where, how and when can I mint & uncover a Human Unreadable choreographic score?
A: Choreographic scores will be available to mint and uncover starting November 24, 2023 on Operator’s website. Here’s how:
1) Collectors can connect their wallet that owns their Art Blocks minted Human Unreadable to Act II site: https://act2.operator.la/
2) Collectors can choose to mint and uncover their unique choreographic sequence. Collectors only need to pay the transaction fee.
Q: What if I don’t want to reveal my score?
A: If a collector chooses not to reveal their underlying score and sells it to another collector, then the new collector has the opportunity to mint and reveal it. This means that those who purchased a Human Unreadable on secondary markets will be able to have minter provenance of the choreographic score token.
Q: Can I collect a choreographic score without having an Art Blocks minted Human Unreadable?
A: No. In order to collect a Human Unreadable choreographic score, you must first own a Human Unreadable minted on Art Blocks. You can purchase one on secondary on the Art Blocks platform : https://www.artblocks.io/collections/curated/projects/0x99a9b7c1116f9ceeb1652de04d5969cce509b069/455.
Q: Can I transfer the choreographic score separate from the Art Blocks minted NFT?
A: No. The choreographic score represents the unique choreographic sequence that generated the output minted on Art Blocks. For this reason, the Art Blocks token and the choreographic score token are token-bound using the owner(Of) function and cannot be transferred or sold separately.
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Q: What is Act III?
A: Act III is the performance of the first 100 minted pieces (mint #2 to #101) from the collection. The underlying choreography of these pieces will be performed in the IRL premiere in an art institution.
Mint #2 to #101 is counted as the first 100 mints. Mint #0 and #1 are artist mints held by Operator.
Additionally, Privacy Key 00 holders will have one of their sequences performed regardless of their mint #.
Q: When is Act III?
A: The hosting institution and performance date will be announced in 2024.
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Official & signed prints (on materials hand selected by the artists) will be available for purchase to Human Unreadable collectors only for a short window of time.
Print ordering has not yet opened. Announcements will be made on Operator’s socials when ordering opens. To receive an email notification, please email Operator at: dial@operator.la
ACT II
UNCOVER HUMAN UNREADABLE CHOREOGRAPHIC SCORES
“OPERATOR HAVE MANAGED TO ADD SOUL INTO THE WORLD OF DIGITAL ART”
Erick Calderon
Founder, Art Blocks
OUTPUTS
Six distinct looks
Ingredients: Generative glass, x ray shader, human body, all via math/code & resolution agnostic.
HUMAN UNREADABLE IN THREE ACTS
I: REVEAL
Mint on Art Blocks
Act I: Completed May 24, 2023
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The experience begins with collectors minting the works on Art Blocks. Comprised of the human body, generative glass and an x-ray shader, the artwork outputs are chaotic and visceral, despite being created entirely with code.
The visual parameters and compositions are determined by the outputs’ respective on-chain choreographic sequence and underlying motion data which was generated at the time of the minting on Art Blocks (May 2023).
Underneath each piece, a unique choreographic sequence waits to be uncovered.
The slow recovery of the human begins.
II: UNCOVER
Mint & Uncover underlying choreographic Score
Act II: Completed November 24, 2023
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Each of the 400 Human Unreadables in the collection have a unique choreographic score.
Collectors can connect their wallet (that owns their Art Blocks minted HU token) to the Human Unreadable Act II site: https://act2.operator.la in order to uncover their unique choreographic score (fully on-chain, SVG NFT, no IFPS).
This choreographic score represents the unique choreographic sequence (“choreo hash”) that was deterministically generated through Operator’s on-chain choreographic algorithm and motion data library when the collector minted a Human Unreadable on Art Blocks (May 2023). The choreographic sequence and its underlying motion data are responsible for all of the visual characteristics of the P5.js output.
Until Act II, the choreographic sequences have been hidden and obfuscated on-chain. However, only the collector can mint & uncover the choreographic score. Collectors may also choose not to reveal the score. There is no time limit to uncover the score.
A full FAQ is available here: https://x.com/operator_______/status/1728132598789206454?s=20
Note:
The Art Blocks NFT and the respective choreographic score NFT are token-bound forever and cannot be transferred separately.
III: WITNESS
Attend live performance
Act III: Forthcoming
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The first 100 pieces (mint #2 to #101) of the collection will come to life in a live performance.
Mint #2 to #101 will be counted as the first 100 mints. Mint #0 and #1 are artist mints held by Operator.
Additionally, Privacy Key 00 holders will have one of their one of their sequences performed.
Official & signed prints (on materials hand selected by the artists) will be available for purchase to Human Unreadable collectors.
OFFICIAL SIGNED PRINTS
OPERATOR’S METHOD
OPERATOR’S ON-CHAIN GENERATIVE CHOREOGRAPHY METHOD IS THE TECHNICAL BACKBONE OF HUMAN UNREADABLE.
A journal detailing the method framework and technical documentation, as well as the Operator’s custom developed tooling, will be made available. To be announced.
ON GENERATIVE CHOREOGRAPHY
WATCH THE ARTIST TALK
Operator’s “On Generative Choreography” talk hosted by Artnet and Metalabel recorded on April 12, 2023 in NYC.
The talk covers the artists’ philosophy and brief history, their generative choreography method, and a process view of the Human Unreadable - Privacy Collection (Lot 03). Followed by Operator in conversation with Art Blocks founder, Erick Calderon.
Timecode overview:
0-10min: Artist Philosophy and History
10-19min: Contextualization and history of the Privacy Collection starting in 2019
19-43min: Deep dive on the artists’ end-to-end process of creating the work “Human Unreadable” ending in a conversation with Human Unreadable engineer Isaac Patka
53-1:07min: Conversation and reflections with Art Blocks founder, Erick Calderon
CREDITS
The spirit of Black Mountain College and E.A.T. (Experiments in Art and Technology) movement of the 1960s heavily influenced Catherine and Ti’s seven-year collaborative practice, and Human Unreadable is exemplary of their multifaceted work in bringing together conceptual art, technology, audience participation, and performance into a singular experience. With Ti’s extensive background as an HCI technologist and multimedia artist and Catherine’s background as a choreographer and performance artist, Operator architected a bespoke team of 25+ individuals ranging from specialized engineers to dancers, who embarked on a 9 month process to realize the work.
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Artwork Title:
Human Unreadable (Privacy Collection - Lot 03)
Operator : Artist & Generative Choreography Method
Ania Catherine : Choreographer, movement library, choreographic score, svg body part performer
Dejha Ti : Visual language & creative director (p5.js, shaders), engineering team architect & technical director, choreographic score token design, body part photography & svg, motion data fbx to csv conversion workflow
Engineers:
Isaac Patka : Generative model architecture & engineering, motion data processing & integration, choreographic score Solidity token development
Alex Tiemann : Lead shader developer
Jack Hurley : TouchDesigner developer
Willam Stallwood : Glass shader consultant
HEAT : Motion capture studio and fbx cleaning
Leo Blondel : VR motion capture prototype data
Dancers for generative model tuning sessions:
Villecien (FRANCE)
Wes C
Mexico City (MEXICO)
Lorenzo Edwards
Fernanda Olivares
Dani Loftus
Samantha Merkle
Los Angeles (UNITED STATES)
Mikayla King
Amelia Kerr
Olivia Batlle
Sienna McCarthy
Kaylia Pham
Paris Smith
Jonah Smith
Evie White
Devin Robertson
New York (UNITED STATES)
Shizu Higa
Gabriela Alvarado
Taylor Massa
Dancers for Choreographic Score testing and feedback:
Palermo (ITALY)
Evelyn Hutchings
Fabrizio di Franco
Barbara Minacori
Silvia Scalici Gesolfo
Giulio Hoxhallari
Artwork created in Mexico City, Boston, NYC, Los Angeles, Berlin, Villecien, Denver
Body Part Photoshoot Location and Equipment : Contenido Neto (Mexico City)
Operator Partner: Nils Arend
Produced by Operator
Special thanks:
Lauren Lee McCarthy, inventor of p5.js
DeAngela Duff
Glitch Residency 2022
Leila Khazaneh
MGXS
Jordan Blais Krinke
Pave School of the Arts
Desiree Masalehdan
Eric Mintzer
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