ordinals, nft, jpeg, fine, art, photography, web3, DMT, Digital Matter Theory, blockchain, bitmap

Bitmap City Vol. 2

Bitmap City Vol. 2 is the first collection of its kind, merging fine art with generative art through the framework of Digital Matter Theory (DMT). Each piece blends high-resolution photography, bitmap blocks, Pantone colors, and web3 slang. By leveraging the Merkle root embedded in Bitcoin’s blockchain data, the differing layers of fine art are algorithmically randomized, assembled, and fused, creating the final generated artwork.

Artistic Vision

The artistic vision for Bitmap City Vol. 2 is to redefine fine art by bridging traditional, fine art practices with cutting-edge blockchain technology. By leveraging Digital Matter Theory (DMT), the collection explores the intersection of physical and digital spaces, using photography as its foundation while incorporating bitmap blocks, Pantone colors, and web3 slang. It seeks to create a third, shared space where the tangible (fully human art) and the virtual (fully digital framework) coexist, challenging perceptions of fine art and inviting viewers to reflect on the evolving relationship between humanity, technology, and art.

Why DMT?

Digital Matter Theory proposes that it's possible to create a form of digital substance by harnessing the inherent patterns within data. Without building this collection within the DMT framework, achieving the pristine quality of non-arbitrary data would be unattainable, making the vision of bridging two worlds impossible.

Layered Artwork

Bitmap City Vol. 2 is designed to be generated in complete layers (.png and .WebP), with varying degrees of opacity and paint laid on top of one another.

Layer 1 (bottom layer) – High-Resolution Photography

Aerial photography was captured inside of a propeller plane using a Canon R5c and Canon L series lenses. Flying altitudes ranged from 5,000 to 10,000 feet to provide ample variations in the topography of cities, towns, and farmland. Inside major cities, photos were captured from skyscrapers. The high-resolution photography forms the foundation of each artwork, bringing a tangible element to the digital space. There are a total of 25 color photographs and 25 B&W photographs for a base layer of 50.

Bitmap Blocks

Blocks were chosen for their varying formations, historical significance, and digital counterparts to the physical captures. These "digital cities", deriving their patterns from actual mined Bitcoin blocks, pair with the landscape photography to represent a meshing of the physical and digital.

Combined Fine Art = High-Resolution Photography + Bitmap Blocks + Paint

Layer 2 (middle layer)

Pantone Colors

The choice to utilize Pantone’s Colors of the Year as the color palette was an intentional decision to mimic DMT's non-arbitrary nature. The colors are set, one for each year, and will forever be the same. They serve as a connection to the cultural zeitgeist of the past 15 years and tie the collection to significant moments in time, adding depth and resonance to the pieces. 2009 was chosen as the starting year, the same year that birthed Bitcoin:

Layer 3 (top layer)

Web3 Slang

A layer of contemporary web3 slang is woven into many of the pieces, engaging with the digital culture that surrounds the blockchain space and adds a conceptual twist.