In our chat, "Art & Code in the 2000s," from May 14, 2024, a panel of the decade's leading figures joins ⁠Peter Bauman⁠, ⁠Conrad House⁠ and thefunnyguys from Le Random. They share their diverse perspectives on the 2000s in coded and generative art, reflecting on what made the decade unique as well as what we may have lost and are searching for today.

Speakers include: ⁠Christiane Paul, Casey Reas, Christa Sommerer & Golan Levin

In our chat, "Pioneering Digital Expression in the '90s," from April 10, 2024, a panel of legends joins Le Random's ⁠Peter Bauman⁠, ⁠Conrad House and thefunnyguys⁠. They share their diverse perspectives on the 1990s as pioneers of an often overlooked decade. It's only overlooked because of its recency, as the impact the decade had can still be seen all around today, including AI and Internet-related art. The parallels between artists getting started on the Internet in the '90s and artists beginning with blockchain and AI today are stark. Enjoy one of Le Random's most enriching conversations yet.

Speakers include: Auriea Harvey, Joshua Davis, LIA, Scott Draves, Vuk Ćosić

Chapters 📖

[00:00:04]: Introduction to the Le Random discussion

[00:05:05]: Early experiences with net art in the 90s

[00:17:16]: Early programming experiences and Flash art

[00:27:27]: Creation of the Electric Sheep algorithm

[00:31:58]: Evolutionary art and machine learning influence

[00:44:02]: Personal connections and significance of local scenes

[00:49:21]: Impact of global audience on creative freedom

[00:56:56]: Use of Flash and freedom in artistic expression

[00:58:41]: Influence of avant-garde and personal creative journey

[00:59:45]: Reflections on early internet experiences and creativity

[01:01:12]: Introduction to Flash vs. Director

[01:02:42]: Transition to Flash for Design Intention

[01:04:06]: Benefits of Vector-Based Design in Flash

[01:06:38]: Evolution to Processing and Coding

[01:08:55]: Transition from Director to P5JS

[01:09:56]: Learning Different Programming Languages

[01:10:42]: Challenges of Shader Programming

[01:11:13]: Node-Based Programming Tools

[01:12:46]: Impact of Tools and Languages in Work

[01:15:16]: Reflections on the '90s Tech Community

The Le Random team met up to celebrate a year since our public launch.

thefunnyguys, Zack Taylor, Peter Bauman and Conrad House discuss:

-One year of LR: Our favorite collected pieces

• 36 Points by Sage Jensen & seeds of seeds by Entangled Others
• Polygona Nervosa by Golan Levin
• RGB Elementary Cellular Automaton #1 by ciphrd
• Mondrian by Herbert W. Franke

-One year of LR: Our favorite editorial pieces

• Demystifying Generative Aesthetics by Peter
• Demystifying Generative Art by Peter
• AGH on Glorifying the Computer by Peter
• Il(Lumina)ting Marfa by Nathaniel Stern
• Zach Lieberman on the Resonance of Generative Art by Peter

-One year of LR: Our favorite moments

-Our current thoughts on the market

-Questions from the audience

In our chat, "Pioneers of '80s Art & Innovation," from February 7, 2024, a panel of icons joins Peter Bauman and Conrad House. They share their diverse perspectives on the 1980s in digital and generative art, reflecting the decade's richness and complexity.

Speakers include: Mark Wilson, Copper Giloth, Dan Sandin, David Em, William Latham, Stephen Todd, Darcy Gerbarg + Geoff Davis

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00]: Introduction

[00:01:55]: The Decade of the 80s

[00:02:30]: Darcy Gerbarg's Experience

[00:06:36]: Copper Giloth's Pioneering Work

[00:09:04]: Mark Wilson's Journey

[00:14:53]: David Em's Early Encounters

[00:20:50]: William Latham's IBM Fellowship

[00:24:50]: Stephen Todd's Collaboration with William

[01:00:02]: Early experiences with personal computers

[01:01:13]: Transition to personal computers for artists

[01:03:01]: Evolution of personal computers in the 80s

[01:04:22]: Giloth on gender bias in the '80s art world

[01:06:21]: Giloth on computer graphics & the portrayal of women's bodies

[01:08:38]: Expansion of artist community in the '80s

[01:10:19]: Generative art and its evolution

[01:13:47]: Creativity & the Chicago video game industry

[01:17:05]: Influence of Silicon Graphics on commercial graphics

On February 1, 2024, Le Random collaborated with Joyn to host and present a community celebration of Genuary. Genuary is a generative art month, during which artists create daily pieces according to 31 carefully selected prompts.

We invited some very special artists as guests, including the organizer of the event itself, Piter Pasma. We asked the artists about their experience participating in Genuary 2024 and more. The talk is in conjunction with an article Peter Bauman (Monk Antony) wrote on Joyn.xyz, where he curated and shared his thoughts on his 10 favorite Genuary prompts.

Hosts: Aleksandra Art (Joyn), Peter Bauman⁠ (Content at Le Random), thefunnyguys (Co-Founder of Le Random), Conrad House (Nemo Cake, Collecting at Le Random) and Andrea (Crown & Palette at Joyn)

Arists: Piter Pasma, Ella, Darien Brito, Ahmad Moussa

The Le Random team of ⁠⁠⁠thefunnyguys⁠⁠⁠, Peter Bauman (⁠⁠⁠Monk Antony⁠⁠⁠) and Conrad House (⁠⁠⁠Nemo Cake⁠⁠⁠) spoke to special guest and celebrated collector ⁠⁠⁠Michael Spalter about the dense history of the 1960s in generative art⁠, the Early Digital Era.

This episode corresponds with:

• ⁠⁠⁠Generative Art Timeline: Chapter 4⁠⁠

10 Significant Early Digital Era Moments (Covered in the talk)⁠

1. 1961: New Tendencies and Fluxus Begin

2. 1963: Nake begins making computer art + 1965: Homage a Paul Klee

3. 1965: First computer art exhibits (Computergrafik (Feb), Computer-Generated Pictures, and computer grafik (Nov))

4. 1966: CTG and generative systems

5. 1966: 9 Evenings and E.A.T. Forms

6. 1967: Sol LeWitt “Paragraphs on Conceptual Art” + 1969 Wall Drawings

7. 1967: Charles Csuri’s early work

8. 1968: Cybernetic Serendipity

9. 1968-9: Major international art and technology exhibitions:

10. 1. 1. 1968: The machine as seen… (USA)

       2. 1969: Tendencies 4 (Europe)

10. 1968: Molnar’s Interruptions: her first computer art

The Le Random team of ⁠⁠thefunnyguys⁠⁠, Peter Bauman (⁠⁠Monk Antony⁠⁠) and Conrad House (⁠⁠Nemo Cake⁠⁠) spoke to special guest and acclaimed expert Georg Bak ⁠about the foundational significance of the 1950s in generative art history: The Analog Era.

This episode corresponds with:

• ⁠⁠Generative Art Timeline: Chapter 3⁠

10 Significant Modern Era Moments (Covered in the talk)⁠

1. 1. 1951: MIT and the US Navy First Demonstrate the Whirlwind Computer ( + 1954: Whirlwind and SAGE Initiatives by US Military Funding Spark Computing Innovations)

   2. 1952: Love-Letters by Christopher Strachey + 1959: Theo Lutz produces Stochastic Texts

   3. 1952: Abstronic by Mary Ellen Bute + Electronic Abstractions by Ben Laposky

   4. 1952: Birth of Neo-Dada + John Cage’s Theater Piece No. 1 + 1957: Allan Kaprow Begins Making ‘Environments’ + 1950: Happenings

   5. 1953: Grace Murray Hopper Invents Programming Languages

   6. 1954: Victor Vasarely’s Yellow Manifesto Lays Generative Art's Conceptual Foundation

   7. 1956: CYSP by Nicolas Schöffer

   8. 1957: John Backus Releases FORTRAN

   9. 1957: Max Mathews Develops MUSIC I

   10. 1958: John Whitney Makes First Computer Animation for Film Vertigo

The Le Random team of ⁠thefunnyguys⁠, Peter Bauman (⁠Monk Antony⁠) and Conrad House (⁠Nemo Cake⁠) spoke to special guest and acclaimed gallerist Kate Vass about a whirlwind ⁠one hundred years of generative art history (1850-1949)⁠,the Modern Era.

This episode corresponds with:

• ⁠Generative Art Timeline: Chapter 2

10 Significant Modern Era Moments (Covered in the talk)⁠

1. 1. The Great Exhibition of London Lights Early Spark of the Arts & Crafts Movement (1851)

   2. Modern art Begins: Manet’s Work Rejected by Paris Salon (1863) + Cézanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire Series (1870-1906)

   3. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso kicks off Cubism (1907)

   4. The Ten Biggest, No 7 by Hilma af Klint (1907)

   5. Tatlin and Rodchenko Found Constructivism and Malevich Stages the 0.10 Exhibition with Black Square. (1915)

   6. Walter Gropius Founds Bauhaus (1919)

   7. Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray Create Rotary Glass Plates (1920)

   8. Gunta Stölzl Named Director of Bauhaus Weaving Workshop (1927)

   9. Birth of digital computing: Konrad Zuse Completes the Z3 (1941) + ENIAC (1945)

      10. Cybernetics Is Born: Norbert Wiener's Cybernetics + Claude Shannon’s "A Mathematical Theory of Communication.” (1948)