One exciting area to explore is generative art. You might guess this term only refers to art created by AI, but its use actually predates current AI art by decades.

There is debate on when the term was first applied and by whom. One precursor that some researchers agree on is the Dada movement, which emerged in 1916. Although the term was not used at the time, the idea of man, machine, and the unpredictable was one of the many themes explored by the movement. Man Ray’s “Rayographs” used the technology of that time (film and photography) to create photograms that also had elements of randomness. Half a century later, innovators like Harold Cohen (a UC San Diego professor who created AARON in the 1970s), developed computer programs that allowed the artist/operator to integrate both randomness and intentionality to generate unique art. 

But what IS generative art? Broadly speaking, it refers to automatic systems or computer codes being used to create works of art in which the artist adds an element of uncertainty into the mix. This might be the artist writing computer code to produce a random action or effect. For example, an artist can create code that draws circles that are the same size, but also randomly chooses a color for each circle. Or it could be the artist engaging the audience to interact with the art in unplanned ways. It is the serendipity of unexpected results that inspires artists to explore generative art.

What makes generative art different from AI art is that the artist is consciously present in the making of the art piece. The artist is creating computer code to execute the work of art, rendering the code similar to instructions in a recipe. The computer code cannot act on its own. It cannot deviate from its programming. In the previous example of the same-sized circles with random colors, eventually one can predict what “random” colors the code will choose. This is because it uses mathematics to choose the color.

While AI art still depends on computer programs and coding, the coding does not rely on the artist pre-thinking or applying algorithms to choose the color (in our example). Instead, the artist feeds into an AI program broad information related to colors, such as what the most and least popular colors are; how we relate feelings to certain colors; or even an entire book on color theory. The AI system will take all of what it has “learned” about color to choose the colors for each of those circles.

Matt DesLauriers, is a Canadian artist whose work is considered generative art. His work  Pattern Language (2024) , combines coding with interactive installations that make the viewer part of the process. When the viewer interacts with the piece, the images that are displayed is randomized. The program does not learn and react on its own:, it is pre-programmed to do a task when the viewer interacts with it.

A key aspect that makes generative art different from AI art is that the artist, for the most part, knows what is going to be created. The artist is directing the program how to behave even when “randomness” is included in the programing. In contrast, with most AI art the artist can feed the program very vague instructions and each time it will come up with something unexpected. The artist does not have to give AI programming specific instructions on what to create. The program will create works independently based on the information that has already been fed to it. The artist cannot predict what will be created.

Generative art has been around for a long time. Contemporary artists are increasingly exploring and defining what generative art is and how it differs from AI art. We can already see where artists are using AI in their creation of artworks, but we also see artists who are setting up boundaries and rules for the use of computers in their art practice, so that the artist’s hand is still strongly present in their works.

  1. Research the term generative art. What information did you find? Cite the sources you used, and include the dates when the sources were created.
  2. Research the artist Tyler Hobbs. Find interviews where the artist speaks with other artists about generative art. What is a key characteristic or theme that the artists share?
  3. How would you define generative art? Do you believe generative art should be included with other art movements? Should generative art be considered fine art? Explain your answers.