Spool

From the origins of art collecting, the notion of property was accompanied by a tangible, unique, and unrepeatable object. In contemporary times, the value is no longer located in the physical artwork, but in the notion of a certified possession, more so with the advent of block-chained NFTs. We are witnessing a historical shift that radically changes how we understand material culture and experience art.

Spool is a generative animation that uses artworks from online art commerce sites as raw material. The algorithm that activates the artwork - custom designed by the studio — captures artworks as they become available on the platform. It then shreds the images into rows of pixels and, like a loom, weaves them together into new abstract configurations. This relentless process evokes the insatiable rhythms of the art market and the progressive dematerialization brought about by the digital commercialization of artworks. 

The artwork’s animation slides along it’s curving LED screen, evoking an endless spool with constantly refreshed contents. The animation follows a downward trajectory, mimicking the data-download of our digital culture. The result is a piece that materializes the ceaseless flow of images in the digital realm, embodying both the mechanics of algorithmic creation and the abyss of infinite reproduction.