Metta

METTA

:: an exploration of the interconnected world, visually represented through procedural patterns and Voronoi tessellations created through a process similar in principle to signed distance functions

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The patterns created in this project reflect life’s intricate web, showing how individual entities, distinct yet interconnected, form a cohesive whole. The artwork’s animation, driven by interaction between the entities, brings these connections to life, illustrating the dynamic nature of relationships.

In addition to the aesthetic display, the project is a metaphorical expression of the Metta philosophy. It invites viewers to contemplate the unseen connections in our lives and recognize the profound interconnectedness of all beings. “Metta” seeks to awaken a sense of unity and empathy in its mindful viewers, gently guiding them to appreciate the intricate web of relationships that form the fabric of our collective experience.

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Inspiration for Metta came through meditation on individual and group connectedness, and the traits of the project became the core ideas from this meditation. In all Metta outputs, every entity is connected to at least one other, and just as in life, entities are drawn together. Sometimes, entities merge, and this can be seen as the birth of a new single entity born from the junction, or as the death of one individual and the continuance of the other. These events coincide with the emergence of a new entity elsewhere in the landscape, signifying a newcomer to the community.

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This project utilizes vanilla JavaScript to create the artwork. The source code for Metta is stored entirely on the contract on the Base L2 network of Ethereum. Each NFT image/animation can be rendered directly in the browser, utilizing only standardized JavaScript. The token artworks are fully deterministic.

Traits are actually ‘intrinsic’ to the artwork token, and can be reclaimed from it in the form of erc-1155s. These traits, in conjunction with a unique hash made in part by the creator’s wallet, determine the characteristics and behavior of each artwork.

The fact that traits are selectable, reclaimable, and remintable make Metta a truly malleable generative art project. This owner-controlled power to change a piece is core to the meta of of the project: an entity interacts with and impacts the development of the illustrated community. Ownership of a token means more in Metta, and it means more within the platform where Metta is launched: intrinsic.art.

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artist : Monk Matto

“Mode” combines a few distinct ideas, selectively joined or kept separate to match my artistic vision of this project. “Enduring” / “Ephemeral” each occur twice in the set, once individually and once combined with “Frenzy.” With “Enduring,” the history of all entities and their impact areas are remembered – until a new entity takes over the space. The illustrated existences in “Ephemeral” on the other hand are erased after a short time. This dichotomy can allude to societies that have a stronger sense of communal history or those that without.

Minting Live on May 30, 2024 at intrinsic.art

Regarding “Frenzy,” in all Metta outputs, there are some entities that are quick to grow closer to others, but in frenzy, there are many more! the last option for mode is “Veiled,” and this hides the entities and their connecting lines from the world. These can be seen as communities where the individual identity doesn’t matter. They still draw closer to another and impact their environment, but in these groups, it’s not about the individuals.