Ainissa

Mutant Garden Seeder is a series of 512+1 ever-evolving generative artworks released by Harm van den Dorpel through the Folia platform. During the initial generation process, a new piece was generated or “birthed” for each new Ethereum block. The transaction hash of the block would then be used as the seed input to populate the cartesian genetic network that determines the characteristics of each piece. It is called “cartesian” because it represents a computer program as a two-dimensional grid consisting of nodes and layers. The network is inspired by the “Cartesian Genetic Programing” algorithm developed by Julian F. Miller and Peter Thomson in 1999. The CGP algorithm was based on a simplified model of Darwinian evolution to design computational structures, generating a collection of biological chromosomes and genes. Mutants are given specific mutation frequencies, coloring, and complexity that categorize how each piece will evolve through time. While some Mutants mutate everyday, creating hundreds of new variations each year, other Mutants can have a much slower evolution frequency of once every five months. Coloring characteristics are split in between three different variations: Contrastful (RGB), Balanced (HSL), and Complex (Both RGB and HSL). The complexity of a Mutant determines the amount of layers within the cartesian genetic network.