GENERATIVE SMOKE

DROPS APRIL 2ND



ONLY ON 👉 CODE CANVAS
    GENERATIVE SMOKE is a collab  

    GENERATIVE SMOKE collection is made from... 

+ 35MM FIRE SLIDES shot btwn 1968 & 1988 
+ DATA collected from an exhibition of WTS 
+ GLITCH ART & FRAGMENTS by culturehacker
+ ALGORITHM & CODING by Lordof 
    ABOUT WTS
    GENERATIVE SMOKE is an extension of Where There’s Smoke, an immersive storytelling project by Lance Weiler (aka culturehacker) that spans exhibitions, virtual experiences and live performances. WTS is a mystery about life, loss and memory. 

    All families have secrets. Skeletons hidden in closets. Things left unsaid.

    In Where There’s Smoke, project creator Lance Weiler unravels the secrets of his enigmatic father — a volunteer firefighter and amateur fire scene photographer — and two devastating fires that struck the Weiler family in the early 1980s. In the final months of his battle with colon cancer, his father invites Lance to interview him, and these conversations reignite 30 years of wondering… were those fires more than tragic accidents?

    See a thread on the evolution of the project.


        + GENERATIVE SMOKE contains 200 unique pieces.  Each piece of GENERATIVE SMOKE is unique and made from a series of DATA & story fragments. The project is an extension of the award winning WHERE THERE’S SMOKE. Minting will start on April 2nd with a special live performance from Lincoln Center in NYC. 







    GENERATIVE SMOKE


    The drop will take place on Code Canvas on APRIL 2ND live from LINCOLN CENTER in NYC

    ARTISTIC STATEMENT

    "Where There's Smoke is the most ambitious project I've ever undertaken. The work is constantly evolving, and at its core, WTS experiments with generative forms of storytelling and art-making. The aesthetic of the piece leans into the malleability of memory, illustrating how perspective can shift and how one can view the past through a variety of lenses. GENERATIVE SMOKE explores the pixelation and digital obstruction of images. Each piece holds a vast history spanning a lifetime, a delicate balance of memories, life, and loss." - culturehacker



    Output tests March 2024


    BEHIND THE ALGORITHM WITH LORDOF

    “I’ve never seen an experiment and story told as strongly as Where There’s Smoke. Combining physical shows, sensors, live feedback, generative storytelling, and the blockchain, I can’t be more excited to present 'GENERATIVE SMOKE' with Lance. The project has expanded my understanding of art, revealing it as not just an interpretation of a powerful and deep story but as a narrative dynamically woven from blockchain, data, and code. For me, art isn’t just about innovation; it’s about communicating that innovation in a way that resonates deeply with people. 'Where There’s Smoke' does exactly that, marking a shifting moment in how we perceive and interact with art in the digital age.” - Lordof


    Behind the Scenes Threads 

    A thread on the exhibition data that is the foundation of GENERATIVE SMOKE
    A thread on the 13 Layers that make up GENERATIVE SMOKE
    A thread on the history of GENERATIVE SMOKE
    A thread on symbols and traits found within GENERATIVE SMOKE



    Examples of how each piece is rendered: A background is created using data from the WTS exhibition at ArtYard, through a special dithering, pixel manipulation, and glitch technique. Then, exhibition data showing pathway data is added, followed by elements of photographs and fragments of glitch-based art.





    MINT GENERATIVE SMOKE




    GENERATIVE SMOKE is built on a foundation of the following 1. Fire Photos, 2. Exhibition Data, 3. Glitch Art 

    ①②③




    ① FIRE PHOTOS  


    INCLUDED IN THE ALGORITHM FOR GENERATIVE SMOKE - Robert Weiler (1939 - 2018) served as a volunteer firefighter and pursued his passion as an amateur fire scene photographer. Following his passing, a hidden collection of over 60,000 35mm slides was discovered. Truly an outsider artist, Robert Weiler's photography is now being exhibited and appreciated for the first time in a touring version of Where There’s Smoke. GENERATIVE SMOKE weaves Robert’s photos into every piece that is minted on Code Canvas. 






    ② EXHIBITION DATA  


    INCLUDED IN THE ALGORITHM FOR GENERATIVE SMOKE - DATA collected from guests during the ArtYard exhibition of Where There’s Smoke that ran from June - October, 2023. A geo-fence was built around the gallery space and each guest carried a flashlight containing a mirco controller. The Real Time Location System (RTLS) that we built was able to capture pathway, density, time spent and story elements triggered. This data is being utlilzed to create the GENERATIVE SMOKE series. 









    ③ GLITCH ART  



    INCLUDED IN THE ALGORITHM FOR GENERATIVE SMOKE - In the distinctive realm of glitch art, culturehacker stands out for his profound engagement with the genre, particularly through his project Where There’s Smoke. Utilizing glitch-based techniques and pixel manipulation, he explores themes of life, loss, and memory with remarkable depth. Integrating his father's photography, culturehacker adds a personal dimension that bridges past and present, digital and analog, while delving into memory's malleability. His work in Where There’s Smoke serves as a metaphor for the fluid nature of memory, challenging viewers to question the reliability of their recollections in the digital age. culturehacker's contributions not only advance glitch art but also offer insightful commentary on the effects of digital mediums on our understanding of history and identity.










    ABOUT THE ARTISTS




    Lance Weiler (aka culturehacker) is a storyteller, emerging media artist, entrepreneur, and thought leader working in film, theatre, games, and code. An alumnus of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, Lance is recognized as a pioneer because of the way he mixes storytelling and technology. For over 20 years he’s been innovating at the forefront of entertainment – leading the industry into the digital age. He’s a Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University where he also founded the school’s Digital Storytelling Lab.


    Lordof is a generative artist oscillating between Paris and Madrid. He is constantly learning and expanding his knowledge, and skills and is always curious to try different blends of techniques. His work to be characterized by a unique perspective and a willingness to take risks, and openly be interpreted and connected to technology in a way that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in generative art. His current work is shaped by simple primitives, contrasted colors, and various distortions applied with shaders.




    Robert D. Weiler (1939 - 2018) occupies a unique place in the annals of American photography and firefighting history. As a dedicated volunteer firefighter, Weiler merged his civic duty with his passion for photography, chronicling thousands of fire scenes throughout Philadelphia and its vicinities. His extensive collection, discovered posthumously, encompasses over 60,000 35mm slides that were hidden in a garage, remaining unseen during his lifetime.








    WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING













    ©2024 Where There’s Smoke + culturehacker